[c-nsp] Cisco Layer 3 Switch Recommendation

[sthaug at nethelp.no]

> I wanted to hear from people with similar production setups, I need to get 2
> layer 3 switches that can handle RIP, OSPF, BGP (approx. 30 peers, 147,000
> active routes), HSRP and QoS (CBWFQ).  They will need to be able to handle
> about 300 Mbps of traffic at approximately 68,000 PPS.  Up until now we have
> been distributing the traffic across multiple 7206VXRs to handle these tasks
> but I can get rid of about 12 of those with 2 of these.  I have never used
> anything from Cisco larger than the 3550 for layer 3 so the more information
> the better (memory, supervisors, image).  Thanks in advance. 

Your only choice if you want a "switch" type box is the 6500, with
either Sup2/MSFC2/PFC2, or Sup720. The full routing table is the
killer requirement here - as far as I know anything lower than the
6500 series cannot handle a full routing table (while even a lowly
3550 can handle the rest).

Go for 512 MB or more on the Sup.

Steinar Haug, Nethelp consulting, sthaug at nethelp.no