I was recently asked to set up networking at a VIP's home where he has
Comcast "Gigabit Pro" service, which is delivered on a 10G-SR MM port on a
Comcast-supplied Juniper ACX-2100 router.
Which customer router would you suggest for such a setup? It needs to do
IPv4 NAT, DHCP, IPv4+IPv6 routing and have a decent L4 firewall (that also
supports IPv6).
The customer pays for "2Gb" service (Comcast caps this at 2G+10% = 2.2Gbps)
and would like to get what he pays for (*cough*) by having the ability to
stream two 1Gbps streams (or at least achieve > 1.0Gbps).
I'm tempted to get another ACX-2100 and do a 4x1Gb LACP port-channel to the
customer switch, or replace the AV-integrator-installed Cisco SG300-52P
(Cisco switch with e.g. an EX-3300 with 10Gb uplinks).
Hmm, the chances of getting a single flow of more than 1gig to/from the "internet" is close to zero in a CPE situation. If the Connection is a service provider or similar sure, this limitation may well apply, but a home user (however high end), nope I just can't see it. If you need something capable of a single stream over 1G with 10G interfaces then really cost is going to have to be no object. If this is the case then something like a 600D will do the job -
I've used the Mikrotik CCR's as high end CPE (with 10G uplink) very successfully as they offer excellent price/performance, but if that's no object then there are plenty of options.
When I sell a service, either residential or business or DIA, the terms are
clearly stated. If I were selling a multi-hundred dollar a month service,
the CPE cost is minimal. If I don't offer a service that is at least
*capable* of providing what I'm selling, then my competition will.
Not *exactly* what you're asking for, but a Lanner appliance (http://www.lannerinc.com/products/network-appliances/x86-rackmount-network-appliances/nca-5210) might suit your needs.
Would still need a Chelsio / Mellanox etc card, and even then you're not
going to hit line rate if you have NAT or any traffic shaping enabled at
all. Maybe with DPDK/netmap/pf_ring, but that would be some pretty custom
work.
Does that lanner even do SFP+? Dont see it listed in the specs. Looks like 4210 has
2x SFP+, though their 'performance' level products look more in line with 'useful'.
As for the microtics, wonky user interface, so very unciscolike (i guess thats
my problem - but the GUI thing feels like a toy), but for their midrange models I found
their bgp convergence times pretty poor on their low end cpus...
What do you put on the lanner? OpenBGPd? Quagga? Also looking for a 10G solution
here, low power (than a full ASR stack..) is my goal for 5-6 full bgp feeds.
Mikrotik is a ROS (Router Operating System), based on linux.
Mikrotik also makes hardware called RouterBoards.
Having said that...
Mikrotik ROS runs on X86 platforms (such as Lanner or axiomtek)
Similarly you can also run linux on the Routerboard platforms.
Having said that...
Lanner & Axiomtek etc x86 appliances have one pcie slot, where you can install the NIC of your choice.
Dual 10g SFP+ Intel Card or 2/4/6 port Hotlava Card, or Chelsio etc.
You can mix and match to suite your needs.
Don't like RouterBoard or CCR's, no problem you can run MT ROS on an X86 Platform of your choice.
These days you can even run it on a VM solution...
Don't like MT ROS, no problem feel free to run your choice of OS, and routing daemons.
Want a high performance x86 Firewall... inexpensive.. look at Server-U, ask them about their custom solution with Chelsio Cards.
Don't like any of the above, feel free to by a Box with a Name on it (Brocade, Cisco, Juniper etc etc)..
Yes, each platform has it's advantages, and it's short comings, and no one solution fits all needs.
(Want to tow your boat, get a Hummer, want to go fast, get a ferrari.... don't try to tow you boat with a ferrari, or race in the streets with a hummer !)
