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North American Network Operators Group Date Prev | Date Next | Date Index | Thread Index | Author Index | Historical Re: Linux Router KIT
[email protected] wrote: > > All the limitations of the Linux/PC router are due to the PC hardware > > architecture. As seen on the list, people put 8 cards in the same > > PC. This exceeds the bus speed of a PC. Even a single 100Mbps NIC > > kills the PCI bus in most PCs should it run full speed. Also, you have > > to be very carefull with the NIC you choose. > > Thus, omre reason to not use a PC for routing.. > > This was hashed and rehashed not to long ago on some mailing list > (inet-access?)... Whay again? They hashed it out and got it wrong? wow. Choosing the wrong NIC card and failing to make a PC do routing is not a valid reason for those who choose the right NIC cards to avoid a PC. Multiple 100 Mbps ethernet ports on many routers exceeds the capacity of the router. While many do have a total capacity equal to the sum of their ports, many do not, and it is not a general requirement to be classified as a router. Anyone contemplating any router should determine their capacity needs and judge it accordingly. Just because you might need, or just happen to have, 100 meg NIC cards does not mean you intend to use the total speed on all cards, or even a single one. A PC may well be inappropriate for maximum capacity routers, but they are usually chosen when the needs differ. In my case the total capacity I do need is less than 10 meg total. I won't be overloading a PCI bus @ 33 MHz. > > PCs simply were not built for forwarding packets and fast I/O. > > Again, thanks for agreeing. PCs simply were not built for anything in particular, besides maybe Windows. Using them for anything else is adapting. But the world is full of people who do well at adapting things. If you know how to make it work, great. If you know you need to get more info to make it work, OK. If you can't make it work for what your needs are, then obviously it's the wrong choice. OTOH, high end routers are totally overpriced for low end uses, too. > > Of course a Linux/PC will never beat a cisco :-) but the cost is > > sometimes an order of magnitude lower for roughly the same > > performance. > > Not since the 2600 and 3600 have been released. So where do I get a 2600 or 3600 with 16 ethernet ports for under $3000? -- -- *-----------------------------* Phil Howard KA9WGN * -- -- | Inturnet, Inc. | Director of Internet Services | -- -- | Business Internet Solutions | eng at intur.net | -- -- *-----------------------------* philh at intur.net * --
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