LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Dan Shearer <dan@tellurian.com.au>
  To  : <linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au>
  Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2000 11:00:31 +1030 (CST)

Re: "Host based" routers and BGP

On Thu, 7 Dec 2000, Jason Tan wrote:

> > An unoptimise OS and hardware (eg: Linux or FreeBSD on a PC) may be
> > suitable for the capacity of some needs.
> 
> Capacity certainly.

"For some needs". My guess is that about 12 neighbours and 8 external
interfaces is about the limit in 100Mb networks for where people deploy
BSD/Linux for this sort of job, but I'm trying to get that confirmed by
doing a survey of what sites are doing _currently_ rather than stuff I've
stumbled across in the past or had mates do etc.

I think what David Newall said about PC powersupplies having the tendancy
of popping at regular intervals is more the main issue with PC-based
routers.

And as Glen Turner has pointed out here more than once the Internet is
being used increasingly for safety-critical systems. You don't want a
seized $2 fan to cause trouble in this sort of context.

> Capacity is almost certainly at least as much  hardware issue as software.

I think that's true, when you get to really high demands. So for really
good performance Cisco has developed network cards the have asics that
know about IP packets. That's why Ciscos are good at what they do.

I have read that is why Cisco don't have much market share in high-end
routers and layer 4 switches and things because they have traditionally
done too much in software and not enough in hardware. Is this true, Cisco
experts?

--
Dan Shearer
Open Source Manager
dan@tellurian.com.au

-- 
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