FPCs and PICs in Juniper Chassis Routers (MX Series)

Flexible PIC Concentrators (FPCs)

• Function: FPCs provide packet forwarding services. They house the Packet Forwarding Engines (PFEs) that process incoming and outgoing packets.
• Installation: Each FPC occupies two Dense Port Concentrator (DPC) slots. For example, in the MX960 router, FPCs are installed vertically, while in the MX480 and MX240 routers, they are installed horizontally.
• Capacity: The number of FPCs supported varies by router model. For instance, the MX960 supports up to 6 FPCs, the MX480 supports up to 3, and the MX240 supports 1.

Physical Interface Cards (PICs)

• Function: PICs provide the physical interfaces for the router. They handle the framing and high-speed signaling for their specific media types, and they encapsulate packets before transmission.
• Installation: PICs are installed into FPCs. Each FPC can support up to two PICs.
• Variety: Different types of PICs can be installed on the same router, as long as the router supports those PICs.

Together, FPCs and PICs enable the MX Series routers to handle high volumes of network traffic efficiently. If you need more detailed information or have specific questions, feel free to ask!