[c-nsp] BGP: 7206vxr-G1 vs. 6503 sup2

[Merlin Gillespie]

Christopher McCrory wrote:
> Hello...
> 
> I'm adding more horsepower in my BGP core.  I am currently running
> multiple 7206VXR-300 (12.0S) with BGP/OSPF/IPv4 (for a content provider
> network, not ISP).  My transit connections are all same floor FastE/GigE
> cross connects with a backup DS3.
> 
> Q:  any advantages to using a 6503/sup2/msfc2 instead of a
> 7206VXR-NPE-G1 ?


Although the sup2/MSFC2 platform is considerably faster than the NPE-G1 
be aware that the sup2/MSFC2 will not support any form of MPLS out of 
box - and will have to be augmented with an OSM to speak LDP.
This is a costly and somewhat limited alternative.

Additionally if you move to sup720 you must be fully committed to what 
you intend on doing with the platform.

The sup720 is a great label swapping device and will be a P router 
happily. If you require a PE then you will be looking at a minimum of 
sup720 3b but probably 3bxl if you are to maintain a full internet 
routing table on the device.

I believe the 3b takes 512k prefixes in it's RIB while the 3bxl takes 1M 
but it could be 256k + 512k respectively.

Additionally as a PE router the NPEG1 has a much richer a suite of 
interface options at lower density.

Hope that helps,

-merl