[c-nsp] carrier router models comparison

[Tassos Chatzithomaoglou]

Besides your choices, ASR 9000 should be out soon (its IOS XR Software is already available).

--
Tassos

Emanuel Popa wrote on 07/04/2009 18:51:
> hi there,
> 
> due to the increase in traffic volume in the last couple of years we
> need to really think about the future of the network. we have deployed
> and we are managing a 50GE multi-ring topology network with Cisco 7600
> routers. i don't want to get into more details about ring topology
> restrictions, platform limitations regarding wire speed, huge problems
> with ether-channels or unpredictable load balancing behaviour. we've
> been using these chassis since 2004 starting with STM-16 lines and the
> PQ ratio looks pretty good so far.
> 
> coming back to nowadays, 40GE or 100GE is not available yet, and even
> if it was, the price would be probably unaffordable. and now the
> question pops: what is the next step? the best answer is of course a
> mix of multiple 10GE lines with traffic engineering and partial mesh
> topology and 100GE ready chassis. first thing that comes to mind is
> the CRS-1 platform, but it is really expensive: from under 15K per
> 10GE port with the Cisco 7600 you have to pay more than 75K per 10GE
> port with the CRS-1. so we have to take into consideration what are
> the alternatives. i will try a short comparison:
> 
> - Cisco CRS-1 16 Slot
> --- max 64 x 10GE
> --- max 32 links in a bundle
> --- 40Gbps per slot
> --- 100GE ready
> --- multi-chassis ready
> --- 10.920W max power
> --- 723kg max weight
> --- full rack space
> --- $5.115.000,00/chassis
> --- $79.921,88/10GE
> 
> - Juniper T1600
> --- max 64 x 10GE
> --- max 16 links in a bundle
> --- 100Gbps per slot
> --- 100GE ready
> --- multi-chassis ready
> --- 8.352W max power
> --- 274,88kg max weight
> --- 1/2 rack space
> --- $6.547.000,00/chassis
> --- $102.296,88/10GE
> 
> - Brocade/ Foundry NetIron XMR 16000
> --- max 64 x 10GE
> --- max 32 links in a bundle
> --- 50Gbps per slot
> --- 100GE ready (* only full slots)
> --- single-chassis
> --- 5.572W max power
> --- 107,00kg max weight
> --- 1/3 rack space
> --- $567.515,00/chassis
> --- $8.867,42/10GE
> 
> I've also been looking at Huawei, Alcatel and HP gear but haven't been
> able to find a device to support more than 24 x 10GE ports in a single
> chassis.
> 
> Here's what I'm trying to figure out:
> 
> 1. are there any other devices on the market with same hardware capabilities?
> 
> 2. why the huge difference between foundry and cisco/juniper?
> 
> 3. if foundry is so cheap why hasn't it gathered more market share?
> instead it was bought by brocade a while ago...
> 
> 4. is the netiron really a carrier router more than a carrier switch?
> anybody experienced it?
> 
> 5. how does the software perform when comparing with IOS XR and JunOS?
> 
> Please, any comments are welcomed.
> 
> Best regards,
> Manu
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