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As enterprises expand into multi-cloud architectures, branch offices and campus networks demand higher throughput, deeper service integration, and robust security at the network edge.
The Huawei AR3260 Routers family - featuring the AR3260-100E and AR3260-200E - answers these needs with a modular chassis, high-performance forwarding, and rich service capabilities.
In this article, we’ll explore how these Enterprise-Grade Routers deliver scalable WAN connectivity, advanced security, and unified management for modern distributed networks.
Product Overview
The AR3260 series sits at the heart of Huawei’s Integrated Routers lineup, combining routing, switching, security, and voice/data services in a single chassis. Both models share the same physical dimensions (130.5 × 442 × 470 mm) and support up to 2 Gbps per SIC slot, 5 Gbps per WSIC slot, and 20 Gbps per XSIC slot - enabling flexible expansion with up to four SIC, two WSIC, and four XSIC cards .
- AR3260-100E: Equipped with the SRU100E main control board, optimized for up to 1 Gbps of services and 10 Gbps firewall throughput .
- AR3260-200E: Packs the SRU200E board to boost service forwarding up to 2 Gbps and hardware-accelerated QoS for voice, video, and data streams .
Both models integrate Huawei’s Versatile Routing Platform (VRP) with a multi-core CPU and non-blocking switching fabric to sustain thousands of concurrent sessions without bottlenecks .
Hardware Architecture & Performance
At the core of each AR3260 chassis lies VoIP-grade DSP support, embedded hardware encryption, and a non-blocking backplane architecture:
- Service and Router Units (SRUs):SRU100E (AR3260-100E): 1 Gbps service forwarding, 10 Gbps large-packet firewall SRU200E (AR3260-200E): 2 Gbps service forwarding, enhanced hardware HQoS and traffic management
- SRU100E (AR3260-100E): 1 Gbps service forwarding, 10 Gbps large-packet firewall
- SRU200E (AR3260-200E): 2 Gbps service forwarding, enhanced hardware HQoS and traffic management
- Switching Capacity: Both models deliver a device switching capacity of 160 Gbit/s, ensuring wire-speed packet forwarding across all interfaces .
- Slot Bandwidth: SIC: 2 Gbit/s | WSIC: 5 Gbit/s | XSIC/EXSIC: 20 Gbit/s
- Connectivity:Fixed ports on SRU100E: 4×GE Combo + 2×GE SFP Expansion slots: 4 SIC, 2 WSIC, 4 XSIC (shared with EXSIC)
- Fixed ports on SRU100E: 4×GE Combo + 2×GE SFP
- Expansion slots: 4 SIC, 2 WSIC, 4 XSIC (shared with EXSIC)
Models Specification
| Specification | AR3260-100E | AR3260-200E |
| Service Forwarding | 1 Gbps (SRU100E) | 2 Gbps (SRU200E) |
| Firewall Throughput | 10 Gbps (large packets) | 10 Gbps (large packets) |
| Switching Capacity | 160 Gbit/s | 160 Gbit/s |
| Fixed WAN Ports | 4×GE Combo + 2×GE SFP | – (Use SRU slots for fixed ports) |
| Expansion Slots | 4 SIC + 2 WSIC + 4 XSIC/EXSIC | 4 SIC + 2 WSIC + 4 XSIC/EXSIC |
| Recommended Users | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Memory & Flash | 2 GB/4 GB DRAM; 2 GB/8 GB Flash | 2 GB/4 GB DRAM; 2 GB/8 GB Flash |
| Power Supply | 350 W (single) / 700 W (dual) | 350 W (single) / 700 W (dual) |
| Dimensions & Weight | 130.5 × 442 × 470 mm; 11 kg (no modules) | 130.5 × 442 × 470 mm; 11 kg (no modules) |
| Environmental | 0 °C–45 °C; 5%–95% RH non-condensing | 0 °C–45 °C; 5%–95% RH non-condensing |
Huawei AR3260 vs. Cisco ISR4331 vs. Juniper SRX345
| Feature | Huawei AR3260-200E | Cisco ISR4331 (Boost License) | Juniper SRX345 Services Gateway |
| Service Forwarding | 2 Gbps (SRU200E) | > 2 Gbps CEF Only | N/A (Firewall-centric) |
| Firewall Throughput | 10 Gbps (large packets) | 1.2 Gbps | 5 Gbps max |
| Switching Capacity | 160 Gbit/s | – | N/A |
| Interface Slots / Ports | 4×SIC, 2×WSIC, 4×XSIC/EXSIC; fixed 6×GE | 2×RJ45, 1×SFP; 1 SM-X slot | 8×1 GbE RJ45 + 8×1 GbE SFP |
| Max VPN Tunnels | 10,000 | 2,000 IPSec (HSEC license) | 977 Mbps IPsec performance |
| Concurrent Sessions | 2 million | 200,000–250,000 | 375,000 |
| Form Factor | 1U Rack, 130.5×442×470 mm | 1U Rack, 350 W PSU | 1U Rack |
Software Features & Security
Built on Huawei’s Versatile Routing Platform (VRP), the AR3260 models support a full set of carrier-class protocols and advanced services:
- IPv4/IPv6 Routing: BGP4+, OSPF, IS-IS, RIP/RIPng, static routes, policy-based routing
- Multicast & MPLS: PIM-SM/DM, IGMP snooping, LDP, MPLS-TE, FRR, L3 VPN
- VPN & Security: IPSec, SSL VPN, GRE, SmartVPN; ACLs, firewall, DoS protection, DHCP snooping
- QoS & Traffic Management: Hierarchical QoS, CAR, shaping, policing, SP/WRR, PQ/CBWFQ
- Voice & Media: Built-in DSP slots for VoIP, SIP gateway, IP PBX
- Management: CLI, Web GUI, SNMPv1/2c/3, NetConf, USB auto-config, eSight & iMaster NCE
These capabilities make the AR3260 series more than just Wired Routers - they’re unified access platforms for data, voice, and security.
Deployment Scenarios & Use Cases
- Branch Office GatewayDual-WAN load balancing with hardware-accelerated IPSec for 50–200 users. Zero-touch provisioning via USB or iMaster NCE for rapid roll-out.
- Dual-WAN load balancing with hardware-accelerated IPSec for 50–200 users.
- Zero-touch provisioning via USB or iMaster NCE for rapid roll-out.
- Campus Aggregation PointAggregate PoE switches and Wi-Fi APs on high-density SIC slots. Leverage MPLS L3 VPN for secure inter-building links.
- Aggregate PoE switches and Wi-Fi APs on high-density SIC slots.
- Leverage MPLS L3 VPN for secure inter-building links.
- Multi-Site VPN HubSupport up to 10,000 VPN tunnels with SRU200E for encrypted links across global offices.
- Support up to 10,000 VPN tunnels with SRU200E for encrypted links across global offices.
- Cloud On-Ramp & SD-WANDirect BGP/MPLS to public cloud integration. SD-WAN APP cards optimize SaaS and Office 365 traffic.
- Direct BGP/MPLS to public cloud integration.
- SD-WAN APP cards optimize SaaS and Office 365 traffic.
Management & Operations Deep Dive
Unified Orchestration & Monitoring
- Huawei iMaster NCE & eSight: Centralize configuration, firmware upgrades, and performance monitoring. Intent-based policies enable “one-click” service templates for VPN, QoS, and security.
- RESTful API & Telemetry: Use RESTCONF/NetConf or SNMPv3 to pull real-time metrics; streaming telemetry pushes data to your analytics stack for proactive capacity planning.
Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP)
- USB Auto-Config:Copy a CLI script (startup.cfg) onto a FAT32 USB stick. Insert into the AR3260’s USB port—on boot, it auto-applies and reboots.
- Copy a CLI script (startup.cfg) onto a FAT32 USB stick.
- Insert into the AR3260’s USB port—on boot, it auto-applies and reboots.
- DHCP Option 66/67: Point new devices to a TFTP/HTTP server hosting their bootstrap configs.
CLI Configuration Examples
| Task | Sample CLI Snippet |
| Basic Interface Setup | system-view interface GigabitEthernet0/0/0 ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0 quit |
| OSPF Deployment | system-view ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0 network 192.168.1.0 0.0.0.255 quit |
| IPsec VPN | system-view ike proposal ike-prop1 encryption-algorithm aes-cbc-256 quit ipsec proposal ipsec-prop1 transform esp-aes-256 esp-sha256 quit |
| Quality of Service | system-view traffic behavior class1 cir 2000000 cbs 8000 quit interface GigabitEthernet0/0/0 traffic-policy class1 inbound |
| SNMPv3 Security | system-view snmp-agent sys-info version v3 snmp-agent group v3grp privacy quit |
Technical Support and After-Sales Service
As an authorized third-party agent, Network-Switch.com offers premium support alongside Huawei’s official channels and other resellers:
| Support Type | Network-Switch.com | Huawei Official | Other 3rd-Party Resellers |
| Product Warranty | 3 years | 3 years | Varies |
| Technical Support | 24/7 phone, email, chat | Business hours | Limited |
| Firmware Updates | Regular | Regular | Irregular |
| On-Site Support | Available upon request | Available upon request | Not available |
| Configuration Assistance | Free | Free | Not provided |
| Remote Troubleshooting | 24/7 | Business hours | Limited |
| Response Time | Instant for critical issues | Standard | Delayed |
FAQ
-
What is the maximum routing throughput of the AR3260-100E?
Up to 1 Gbps of service forwarding, plus 10 Gbps of large-packet firewall capacity. -
Can I mix GE and SFP interface cards?
Yes—use SIC slots for GE/SFP mix, WSIC for higher-density uplinks, and XSIC/EXSIC for 10 GE or service modules. -
How do I perform zero-touch provisioning?
Copy a CLI config (startup.cfg) onto a USB stick or configure DHCP option 66/67 to point to your bootstrap server. -
Does the AR3260 support SD-WAN?
Through optional SD-WAN APP cards and Huawei SD-WAN controllers, you can deploy intelligent path selection and service chaining. -
What high-availability features are supported?
VRRP, dual AC/DC supplies, ISSU, and link aggregation ensure “five-9s” uptime. -
How is QoS implemented?
Via VRP’s hierarchical QoS (CAR, shaping, policing, SP/WRR, PQ) to prioritize voice, video, and critical data flows.
Conclusion
The Huawei AR3260-100E and AR3260-200E models redefine what Enterprise-Grade Routers can achieve at the network edge. With modular expansion, up to 160 Gbit/s switching capacity, hardware-accelerated security and QoS, plus unified management, they deliver future-proof WAN connectivity for any enterprise scenario.
Ready to transform your network?
Download the AR3260 series datasheet or contact us at Network-Switch.com today to design a tailored solution.
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