[c-nsp] CRS-1 MSC, MSC-B, FP40

[Per Carlson]

Hi.

> What is the difference between the three CRS L3+ forwarding engines?  The
> datasheets look like straight copy-paste besides the weight and
> power-ratings.

That's true for MSC and MSC-B. They are virtually the same, but the
B-version draws less power (and requires a newer XR-version).

> The only downside to FP40 that I have found so far relates
> to the inability to use SIP-800 (and as a results, older SPAs).

The FP40 is a completely different breed, and as you have found out,
supports different PLIMS than MSC/MSC-B. These linecards where
originally designed for the ASR14k (a CRS1-light device), but it were
pulled from the market before getting released (more or less). The
downsides of FP40, compared to MSC/MSC-B, are less hardware queues and
not being able to do 40G at minimal packet sizes.

You can use older SPA's in any of the "Flexible Interface Modules"
(http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/routers/ps5763/data_sheet_c78-553671.html
and http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/routers/ps5763/data_sheet_c78-549654.html).

-- 
Pelle