[c-nsp] CSM for service providers

[David Curran]

> From: "Ramcharan, Vijay A" <vijay.ramcharan at verizonbusiness.com>
> Date: Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:30:17 +0000
> To: Ross Vandegrift <ross at kallisti.us>, <cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net>
> Conversation: [c-nsp] CSM for service providers
> Subject: Re: [c-nsp] CSM for service providers
> 
> Last I knew, the CSM was on its way out and being replaced with the ACE
> blade/appliance. That's not quite the answer to the question you asked
> but it does address the long term viability issue. I don't believe you
> should be looking at the CSM as a long-term solution. If it's in place
> and working then it may have some life left in it. If it's for a new
> deployment, look elsewhere. I mean seriously look at other options. You
> just need to look at the bug list for the ACE releases to get a teeny
> bit wary of the ACE in general. There is no Safe Harbor code release as
> yet and it's been probably over a year since the product was available.
>  
> Vijay Ramcharan 

We've been having fun converting the CSM configs to ACE configs.  Seems
"virtualization" means different things to different people.  And Ross, your
3 points below have been our experience also.  Good hardware, bad
documentation, worse planning by the BU.

-d


>   
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net
> [mailto:cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net] On Behalf Of Ross Vandegrift
> Sent: April 07, 2008 15:20
> To: cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net
> Subject: [c-nsp] CSM for service providers
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> I'm looking to solicit some input from others that are using the Cisco
> CSM, in particular, service providers that are using it to host layer
> 4-7 switching for customers.  The archives don't seem to have a ton of
> opinions on these guys.
> 
> In general, I like the device's performance and scalability.  I have
> actually seen them handle a million simultaneous sessions, and I've
> seen VIPs with 900+k sessions cause no impact to other VIPs.
> 
> However, we're run into some issues that are a bit troublesome:
> 
> 1) Fault-tolerance is a feature that was obviously tacked-on after the
> fact.  Config sync is slow process that interacts badly with other IOS
> features like SNMP.  We've been reduced to manually syncing all
> configs because of IOS crash risk associated with config-sync.
> 
> 2) The documentation is awful.  I have read pretty much everything
> Cisco has published and some that hasn't been published.  There's more
> undocumented features to this device than there are documented features!
> Has anyone found any good resources?  I've read the configuration
> guide, Designing Content Switching solutions, Content Network
> Fundamentals, and some random MS Word files I've been emailed from
> TAC.  They are all crappy.
> 
> 3) There's a general mystery surrounding the CSM - it's incredibly
> difficult to get decent answers to fairly simple questions.
> 
> 
> In short - I basically like the CSM, but I'm questioning it's long-term
> viability right now.  Any input would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> 
> -- 
> Ross Vandegrift
> ross at kallisti.us
> 
> "The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who
> make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians
> have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine
> man in the bonds of Hell."
> --St. Augustine, De Genesi ad Litteram, Book II, xviii, 37
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