Description

The MikroTik CCR2004-1G-12S+2XS is a powerhouse of routing performance and port density in a compact, energy-efficient, and cost-effective package. It is an exceptional value for anyone who needs to move massive amounts of data between multiple 10G or 40G links.

Key Features & Highlights

1. Massive Port Density & Speed: This is its main selling point. It offers 12 native 10G ports plus 2 QSFP+ ports that can provide an additional 80Gbps of capacity (either as two 40G ports or eight 10G ports). This gives you tremendous flexibility for high-speed links.
2. Level 6 License: The highest-tier license is included. This means you have access to every feature in RouterOS (like MPLS, VPLS, advanced QoS, etc.) with no throughput limits.
3. Excellent Performance per Watt: The Tilera CPU is extremely efficient for routing tasks. It can handle millions of packets per second and multi-gigabit firewall filtering with very low power consumption.
4. Compact 1U Form Factor: Fits perfectly in a standard rack, making it ideal for data centers and network cabinets.
5. SSD Slot: The M.2 slot allows you to add an SSD for logging, caching, or even using the device as a small file server (e.g., for a hotspot login page).

Performance Expectations

• Routing: Can easily handle 10G+ line-speed routing on all ports with simple rules.
• Firewalling: With a moderate number of firewall rules, it can achieve multi-gigabit speeds (e.g., 4-7 Gbps). With very large, complex rule sets, performance will decrease, as is the case with all stateful firewalls.
• IPsec VPN: Performance is good but not its strongest suit. Expect speeds in the range of ~2 Gbps due to the encryption overhead on the ARM cores.
• FastPath: For pure routing scenarios (BGP, OSPF), enabling FastPath allows it to push packets at near-wire speed on all ports with minimal CPU load.

Ideal Use Cases

1. Internet Gateway / BGP Edge Router: For a small to medium ISP, data center, or business with a multi-gigabit internet connection. Its multiple 10G/40G ports are perfect for connecting to multiple upstream providers.
2. Core Network Router: Acting as the core of a network, connecting multiple distribution switches (10G/40G capable) together.
3. Data Center Leaf Router: In a small data center or cloud environment.
4. High-Capacity VPN Concentrator: For terminating site-to-site IPsec tunnels, though performance per tunnel should be considered.
5. Router for a High-Speed Lab/Home Network: For enthusiasts with 10G networking who need powerful routing and VLAN capabilities. (The fan noise might be a consideration here).

Important Considerations / Weaknesses

• Fan Noise: It has an active cooling fan. While not “server loud,” it is significantly louder than a fanless desktop router and is not suitable for a silent office or living space. It is designed for a dedicated comms room or rack.
• ARM Architecture vs. x86: The Tilera CPU excels at packet forwarding but can be slower than an x86 CPU at certain single-threaded tasks, complex scripting, or some container-related workloads. For pure routing, it’s a non-issue.
• Stateful Firewall Performance: Don’t expect it to run a massive, complex stateful firewall ruleset at full 10G line rate. Plan your firewall strategy carefully; often, it’s better to have a dedicated firewall and use the CCR for what it does best: routing.
• Only One 1G port: The single gigabit Ethernet port is intended for out-of-band management. You cannot use it as a default WAN port for a gigabit connection without buying a SFP+ to RJ45 module for one of the 10G ports.