[c-nsp] Router for wholesale DSL aggregation over L2TP

[Scott Lambert]

Windstream is changing us over from our ATM DS3 to ethernet handoff
for DSL aggregation.

We are looking to get a different router to take the ethernet handoff
in another location.  Our current router is a 7204VXR with NPE-G1.  

I've been looking at what might be available inexpensively.  It
looks like a 3845 is specified to handle 1200 or so L2TP connections.
We have around 800 DSL subscribers.  We can add more subscribers
after we get the additional bandwidth available on the ethernet
handoff.  But we don't expect to grow the DSL side of the business
very much.  We are mostly focused on fixed point wireless at this
point.  I believe we will only need 50 to 100Mbps of Internet,
no dynamic routing protocols.

For less than $1000, there are 3845s available on eBay.   If the
3845 will do the trick, I can get a spare.  

The 3945 is around $5000 - $7000 on eBay.  That's not what we call
inexpensive.  It's tough being a small independent ISP.  I just
haven't been able to google up the rated L2TP specs for the 3900
series.

Am I even looking at the correct range of hardware for our wholesale
DSL aggregation?

We have not done the L2TP handoff before.  Do I need to be careful
to make sure the software is licensed for a particular feature set?

Should I just do it on my 7204VXR?  We could afford to call a
maintenance window for the hour or two necessary to transport it
to the new location if needed.  Everything would need to go perfectly
and that never happens... :-)

-- 
Scott Lambert                    KC5MLE                       Unix SysAdmin
lambert at lambertfam.org