[c-nsp] 7200VXR to ASR upgrade

[Jeremy Bresley]

On 2/18/2014 4:40 PM, Adam Greene wrote:
> We have a customer running an old 7204VXR/NPE-G1, with (4) gigabit
> interfaces, and BGP with two upstream carriers. They are upgrading from 100M
> carrier links to 1G, and may be looking at getting full routes from both
> carriers soon, as well as implementing OSPF on the inside.
>
>   
>
> Rather than invest in a new processor for their old hardware, they want to
> move to the ASR platform. They may keep the 7204VXR/NPE-G1 for redundancy
> for a while, until they can afford getting a second ASR. I assume the two
> routers should play nice with each other.
>
>   
>
> >From what I'm seeing, the ASR1002-X looks to be the simplest and most
> versatile / scalable option for them right out of the gate. Based on their
> need for BGP/OSPF, I would say they need an Advanced IP Services license.
> Does that sound right?
>
>   
>
> Is it safe to assume that they could ask their hardware vendor for an
> ASR1002-X, tell them they need an Advanced IP Services license, and they
> would get a 100% functional router (i.e. no "whoops we forgot you need such
> and such other module for it to work")?
>
>   
>
> Since I'm kind of new to this ASR stuff, I am a little concerned that they
> might be overpaying for an ASR1002-X when a ASR1002 would be less expensive
> and just as future-proof.
>
If they're talking full feeds from the providers, you do NOT want the 
non-X ASR1002.  Those are RP1 based and max out at 4GB of RAM, half of 
which is reserved by the system.  The 1002-X with 8GB or 16GB can scale 
much further, and you can license upgrades from 5Gb to 36Gb throughput.  
I have several years hands on with the 1002 and 1004, and they've been 
pretty solid boxes, certainly a worthy successor to the venerable 7200s.

The only caveats I'll mention on the ASR1K is that they are priced 
around 1GbE ports.  There are OC3/OC12/OC48/DS3 cards available, but 
they tend to get pricey quickly if you're doing very many ports.  If you 
need more than the base ports and higher throughput, the price 
differences between the 1002X and the 1004 narrows pretty quickly, and 
if you need <=4 10GbE ports, the ASR9001 might be an even better 
choice.  (Price for an ASR9001 with 20x1GbE card was LESS than a 1002X 
with 3x10GbE cards.)

Jeremy "TheBrez" Bresley