[c-nsp] IOS Modularity

[Tim Stevenson]

At 01:10 PM 8/30/2005, lists at hojmark.org observed:
> > SXE is not modularized, SXF will be the first modularized
> > release. The reason SXE is so big is the additional code
> > required to support the new WAN carriers (SIPs) and SPAs.
>
>Thanks a lot for the clarification.
>
>What is it about those interfaces that you need nearly 25 MB
>of extra code to handle them? (I've just checked and IP Services
>SSH is approx 74 MB, while the LAN Only counterpart is just 40
>MB).
>
>Is it because they're much more programmable, and functionality
>isn't carved in ASICs, but needs to be in the IOS image?

Something like that. These modules are not exactly my area of 
expertise. Also, there are lots of differenet SPAS, each requiring 
different software, and all of them are bundled. I guess there are 
other ways this could have been done, but this was the way chosen.

>Also, the modularity thing seems like a fairly big, fundamental
>change, and makes me wonder why you do that in the middle of a
>release train. But I guess, with the current numbering scheme,
>there wasn't really any other way to do it?

So to clarify on this point:
* There will be both modularized and non-modularized SXF images 
available (and not necessarily released at exactly the same time)
* You can run a modularized image as a monolithic binary image (ie, 
just like a "normal" IOS image) - but you don't get some of the benefits
* You can "install" the modularized image & then reap the full 
rewards (at the expense of flash memory ;)

Tim



>-A



Tim Stevenson, tstevens at cisco.com
Routing & Switching CCIE #5561
Technical Marketing Engineer, Catalyst 6500
Cisco Systems, http://www.cisco.com
IP Phone: 408-526-6759
********************************************************
The contents of this message may be *Cisco Confidential*
and are intended for the specified recipients only.