While you could probably build a linux router that is just as fast as a
real hardware router, you're always going to run into the moving pieces
part of the equation.
Not if you boot directly from USB key into memory with no disk drive.
Steve
I am sorry, but this is wrong. A USB Key is another 'PC Architecture' that DOES NOT WORK for network devices. There is NO positive mechanical force to keep that thing inserted, and the way a USB Key would hang off most devices with a USB port, would put it at very high risk for being accidentally bumped / disconnected. Secondly, there are still many many PC Architecture boxen that still do not boot correctly from USB.
Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but what about solid state
hard drives? Think they are in the high GB capacity now and solves the
problem of no moving parts?
Although I'm all for hardware based devices, we recently been to Cisco
to see the new Cisco ASR1000 switch uses an underlying Linux kernel :o
Stephen Bailey - Senior Lead Systems Engineer
Network Operations - ISP & DSL
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Regular CF works fine.
CF's interface is ATA, so you can drop it in to a PATA hole with a very simple adapter.
There are plenty of "network appliance" boxes that are designed for this sort of thing with lots of network holes mounted on the front and so on. Lots of them have CF card slots on the front as well, just like many router vendors do.
While you could probably build a linux router that is just as fast as a
real hardware router, you're always going to run into the moving pieces
part of the equation.
Not if you boot directly from USB key into memory with no disk drive.
Steve
I am sorry, but this is wrong. A USB Key is another 'PC Architecture'
that DOES NOT WORK for network devices. There is NO positive mechanical
force to keep that thing inserted, and the way a USB Key would hang off
most devices with a USB port, would put it at very high risk for being
accidentally bumped / disconnected.
It's already been suggested that a glue gun would be useful here,
especially if you have a thumbnail sized USB drive.
Secondly, there are still many many PC Architecture boxen that
still do not boot correctly from USB.
This is true, but when you are buying hardware specifically for it's
ability to boot off USB then it's assumed that the purchaser would do
their research, so something of a moot point.
In scaling upward. How would a linux router even if a kernel guru were
to tweak and compile an optimized build, compare to a 7600/RSP720CXL or
a Juniper PIC in ASIC? At some point packets/sec becomes a limitation I
would think.
Is anyone building linux/bsd-box add-on cards with off the shelf packet
processors? Maybe something with the likes of http://www.netlogicmicro.com/ or whatever?
The first thing that comes to mind is this open source addon-card with
FPGA-processor for routing packets in hardware:
And I had a ticket from a few months ago with one of our transit-providers
because they had a Juniper router reboot, it turned out this was because
a harddisk failure of one of the routing engines.
So 'real'-routers have those moving parts as well.
Yeah, I was going to say the same thing. Show me a "real" router
without a fan; even the old Cisco 2501 had a fan in it.
Most "real" routers can be heard outside the room!
And I had a ticket from a few months ago with one of our transit-providers
because they had a Juniper router reboot, it turned out this was because
a harddisk failure of one of the routing engines.
Given the redundancy capabilities of Juniper M/T series, that actually scares me. NSF and ISSU are the biggies that I love about them. A harddisk failure should cause a quick kick to the backup RE.
So 'real'-routers have those moving parts as well.
If your 'real' router doesn't sound like a jet engine purring, consider an upgrade.
I wouldn't mind seeing a nanog-shoptalk list actually... I know
according to the NANOG guidelines this thread is off topic:
"The NANOG list has over 10,000 subscribers so it is very easy for a
thread to have scores of posts while being off-topic and only of
interest to only a small proportion of subscribers. Please consider
before each post if your email will be of interest to the majority of
members or might alternatively be emailed directly the people of
interest or posted to another forum." (from the email everyone
received)
...but I found this thread very interesting, and relevant to at least
networking in general. I've had my eyes on Vyatta products in the
past, for example, and seeing the smattering of experienced NANOG
folks "chew the fat" about Linux routers is something I'm interested
in, even if it has nothing specifically to do with really long BGP
advertisements or getting to http://lolcats.com
Although, I'm sufficiently disappointed with Comcast's Business Cable service. I have had them since 6-NOV-2008 and they took 4 months and 1 week to fix a cabling problem at the head-end for my business Internet. Apparently the head-end was wired wrong in regards to how power was supplied to it. I had nothing but dropped packets and latency (400-500 MS, sometimes 1200 MS) problems. I lost so much business. I tried multiple times to speak with a manager but they would only pick up their phone after I sat for 30 minutes with the phone, pressing the redial key and placed 60 calls to them. I had to call their corporate office and file a complaint. I am still having dropped packet issues.
Comcast support also had the nerve to say it was my equipment and that I should immediately disconnect everything. Remind me again how is it my problem with *MY* equipment when the modem takes 25 minutes to sync/lock on the upstream channel?
I would *highly* recommend a T1 or partial T3. While they are more expensive and highly reliable, AT&T or other major telcos will fix the problem within a reasonable SLA. Comcast does NOT have a SLA. It took 4 months to fix my problems on a business account.
It's always your equipment. You should know that none of their
customers have any clue how to run a network and therefore should
remove them immediately. Any customer who is not running Windows and
not connected directly to the router is to blame for any problems.
Yes, Comcast started providing transit late last year. A couple hosting providers have connectivity to them here in Chicago. FDCServers.net has 30Gbps or 40Gbps to them.
I have had business class for 1.5 years now, and granted, there have been issues and I usually ask for tier 2 within a few minutes, but I am fairly satisfied. Speed just jumped to say 6-10Mbs down, 2+ up a couple of weeks ago and it works well for me. I pay ~$68.00 a month for 5 ips.
dsl is not really an option here. Too far to the co.
Fair warning, Comcast is totally into the bait and switch game.
Talk to any 3 people at Comcast and you will receive at least 4
different answers about what is or isn't included.
Having a particular offer in writing makes no difference to them.
I will be contacting the Santa Clara County District Attorney about
my experiences with Comcast in violation of CA B&P code S17500
soon. I spent the last two months trying repeatedly to get Comcast
to recognize and live up to their obligations under the offer they
originally extended to me. They waffled for a very long time before
I finally reached someone who flat-out told me that they were not
ever going to deliver what was promised.
