[c-nsp] Cat6500 with SUP720-3B or SUP720-3BXL memory question?

[Howard Leadmon]

   I am hoping someone can help clarify this one for me, maybe I just missed
it in various conversations, but figured I'd just toss it out.   I was always
under the impression that to take full routes now days (we take full routes
with both IPv4 and IPv6 at this time) with a 6500 series and a SUP720 that
you had to have a 3BXL/CXL.   Now while looking around, I found this article
on Cisco about memory upgrades (see
<http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps708/qa_c67_4573
47.html> for the info I was reading) for the various cards and DFC's.    

 Looking at the FAQ I see:

Q. What does a customer that wants to upgrade Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series
Supervisor Engine 720 (3A, 3B) to Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series/7600 Series
Supervisor Engine 720-3BXLs and Cisco Virtual Switching Supervisor Engine 720
with 10 Gigabit Ethernet Uplinks (3C version) to Cisco Virtual Switching
Supervisor Engine 720 with 10 Gigabit Ethernet Uplinks (3CXL version) have to
order? What is the part number for the upgrade?
A. To upgrade from WS-Sup720 or WS-Sup720-3B to WS-Sup720-3BXL, customers
need to order WS-F6K-PFC3BXL. The Upgrade kit comes with 1GB DRAM upgrades
for both the RP and SP.


Now maybe I am reading this wrong, but it sounds like upgrading the RP and SP
RAM to 1G on the 3B will effectively make it a 3BXL, is this correct?   If
this is done, will it then be able to handle the 355K routes that are
currently in the IPv4 routing table along with the v6 stuff?

I just hate to toss out a 3B for a 3BXL, if the 3B can be updated, but
thought Cisco in all it's wisdom hadn't permitted that option.   I will
assume if you can update the 720-3B, then updating the DFC-3B's would work as
well.   I just don't want to create a situation where all the routing has to
fall back to software which would be ugly for sure..

Thanks for any clarification on the above, it could save some $$ for sure...


---
Howard Leadmon