[c-nsp] Using older VIP2's in non-demanding apps

[Bill Wichers]

> We have VIP2-50's doing lots of stuff.
>
> 'lots of stuff' to us means DS3, T1 aggregation, ATM and FRASI aggregation
> (via PA-A3), some lt2p, etc.
>
> The 7500 is still a very venerable platform, in the sub 100 mb/s range.

We use them for most of that (no ATM or FRASI), but always with the
maximum RAM config.

> Considering the price of RAM these days, though, don't bother not putting
> RAM in. Load the (presumably) RSP4 to 256, and the VIP2-50's to 128 megs.
> It can still swallow a full table without a problem, and with the new BGP
> in 12.0S, is supposedly much better. I've not played with this.

Trouble is the VIP2-50 SDRAM is a wierd part, and not available from
reasonably priced sources. I think it can still be ordered from Cisco, but
the pricing is crazy. That's why I posted here -- I was hoping to get a
"sure, no problem" kind of reply to using the VIP2-50's with 32MB on them,
but sounds like that probably isn't going to work... The VIP2-40's have a
lot less CPU power so I'm relucatant to use them for anything anymore that
takes anything close to "real" traffic.

     -Bill

*****************************
Waveform Technology
UNIX Systems Administrator