[nsp] AToM (on 7600 w/ SUP720) : summary

[Antoine Versini]

On Mon, 22 Dec 2003, Antoine Versini wrote:

> I'm trying to achieve layer 2 ethernet transport between two 7600 w/
> SUP720 running 12.2(17a)SX1. I've been carefully studying
> http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/software/ios121/121newft/121limit/121ex/121ex8a/eompls9.htm
> and then reproduced the configuration. The VC goes UP, but doesn't carry
> any traffic :

I answer to myself to summarize all the informations i've collected
regarding this issue, as i also got answers directly from my Cisco
representative. I hope this can help. A big thank-you to the peoples who
answered on or off-list !

Although the SUP720 can establish an EoMPLS VC, it cannot perform label
imposition on LAN ports (ie, the ports on LAN switching modules, not the
ones on OSM modules). In fact, the lastest supervisor IOS for the SUP720,
12.2(17a)SX1, has MPLS features enabled and can achieve label switching
without OSM (because contrary to the older SUP/PFC, the SUP720 with PFC3
has ASICs that can handle labels), but this is still officially
unsupported by Cisco. MPLS and MPLS/VPN features should come with NSF/SSO
for the SUP720 in Q2 or Q3 2004 in a release code-named "rookie" still not
numbered.

In january 2004 the version 12.2(17a)SXA will be released, adding support
for OSM modules for the SUP720 and thus enabling EoMPLS for the SUP720.

This version will also support the new SUP720-3BXL (a SUP720 with a PFC3B)
whose old marketting name was the RSP720. The PFC3BXL will also allow
label imposition directly on LAN ports (that's what i was trying to
achieve).

Antoine.

-- 
Antoine Versini
IP Networks Project Manager / T-Online France - Club-Internet