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

[Peter Bristow]

Hello,

On Tue, 24 Jun 2008, 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.
>>
>
Not really had problems, as long as it stays up no one really cares.


>
> Last I checked there was only one Extreme platform that could handle
> multiple full feeds, and that is the BD6800 with the MSM3, but then you get
> all the forwarding quirks of that platform, not recommended for new
> deployment.
>

The BD6800 can do bgp but would you really want to ? I had a 12K with a 6R
running full table lots of peers. multiple full tables. About a gig of
traffic no problems. I had 1 bug because I was running a pre production 6R.
It was found an fixed in a timely manner. You need to remember to enable
route compression. Avoid having a default route in a full table as it
degrades the compression significantly. (but even with a default it will
give you many years of capacity)

uRPF is supported in 12.1 on the 12k/10k.

>
> I gave this feedback (no new platform being able to handle full routing
> table) to the product people a couple of years ago, so they know about it
> but I guess not enough Extreme customers use it for full BGP routing for
> this to be a priority.
>

Well the 12k does do it. The 6R is pretty much a specific upgrade for those
that want to run full tables. Pricing when I last went shopping was
significantly lower than the NetIrons and 7600s.
The only big problem with going BGP on the extreme kit is that it's not
cisco so hiring in a new tech/consultant is expensive as you need to get
someone that knows bgp not someone who passed a cisco boot camp.

For what it's worth a friend of mine tried to implement a large layer 2 ring
network with force 10 and had no end of problems. To the point that Force10
agreed to rma the whole order (A lot of switches went back)

Thanks

Pete
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