[e-nsp] Using Extreme for BGP border router?

[Jo Rhett]

On Jun 24, 2008, at 12:43 PM, Swen Wulf wrote:
> I would be interested if anybody out here is using an Extreme  
> Networks box in an ISP environment and is using BGP with multiple  
> peers. I wonder how the argument goes with Cisco customers/peers and  
> any other issues that one might run into it.


In general Extreme works, but we migrated away from using them as  
border peers for the following reasons:

1. When the BGP table overflows the unit falls down dead.  No other  
failure mode, it just falls flat on its face and stops routing  
entirely.  This is entirely useless as a failure mode.

2. It can't do uRPF so you can't filter your peers appropriately.

3. Memory size limits as you've noted.  No way to change much memory  
is given to the BGP table.

4. Extreme doesn't seem to care much about BGP problems.  I have 4  
open bugs with them that are mission critical problems that they still  
haven't gotten around to fixing.  One of those bugs is leaking routes  
that are explicitly blocked (or implicitly - doesn't matter) that they  
confirm is a bug and just can't be bothered to fix.

In summary, I wouldn't use an Extreme box in a BGP border situation  
unless it was L2-only, which brings about the question of "why bother?"

Get a Force10 system for less money and much better support.

-- 
Jo Rhett
senior geek

Silicon Valley Colocation
Support Phone: 408-400-0550