I'm interested in what experience people have had using
Foundry (BigIron) as a primarily Layer 3 device.
I'm looking at Foundry JetCore in a core application where
I'd run full BGP (iBGP) route tables, OSPF (local routes
only) to Cisco devices via GigE (7500, 7200's), and would
run initially 4Gb/s of routed traffic through each Foundry
box, scaling to 10Gb/s over 2-3 years. Each Foundry box
would do iBGP mesh to 5 other Foundry boxes and at least 2-3
Cisco routers (potentially 2-4 peers each with the complete
BGP route table).
I'm interested in your thoughts, experiences and opinions of
Foundry (either or both platforms) in this type of
application (especially compared to other vendors), and
particularly your opinion of Foundry as far as:
- General Layer3 issues (performance, reliability, feature
support, etc)
- BGP and OSPF protocol reliability, maturity and
multi-vendor interoperability
- BGP/OSPF features: debug capabilities, number and quality
of "knobs and dials"
- Complex BGP/OSPF environments: your opinion on Foundry in
complex environments (route reflectors, confederations, stub
networks, virtual links, etc)
- Foundry's ability to support this kind of application
through sales and tech-support, especially with Cisco in
the network
- Experience integrating into an existing Cisco (GigE)
Layer3 network and operating environment
- Operational experience with Foundry in an existing Cisco
network (what would I know a year after I put Foundry into
my Cisco network, that I would wish I had known now)
- Thoughts on your experience with other vendors in these
areas (esp. if you ended up not using Foundry, or chose
Foundry over another vendor)
Respond privately if you'd like or respond to the list.
Thanks for your input.
Pete Kruckenberg
Sr Network Engineer
Utah Education Network
(801) 585-9034
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