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RE: Anyone using?

  • From: Timothy Brown
  • Date: Fri Oct 29 09:26:31 1999

> Simon,
>
> You missed the question. Timothy is interested in finding companies who have
> deployed the latest generation of edge devices. These devices specialize in
> QoS, VPNs and more intelligent(CPU intensive) features. A GSR is not in the
> same classification since this router is meant for the core. Vendors
> competing in the edge space are Shasta, Ennovate, Cosine and Unisphere to
> name a few.
>
> CF

Hi, just piping up for myself a little bit.

Yes, Chris is correct.  I am interested in the VSR 15K as a non-core device
(e.g., distribution) for regional hub(s).  There is no particular reason I
could not use a Cisco GSR.  Perhaps it is best to make it clear what I am
looking for.

I want a chassis-based solution able to provide regional connectivity to a
number of access-level routers.  There is a need to provide incredible density
(well, incredible for me, but I don't run a big network) over disparate access
technologies (frame, E-1/T-1, ATM).  I don't have a very solid understanding of
many optical technologies just yet, but I am under the impression I can lay my
own dark fiber and put some sort of box on either end, not necessarily a VSR
15K, and run data across it without any telco intervention.  Cisco has a line
card (apparently for the GSR) which supposedly does this, their OC-48/STM-16
bidirectional regenerator.  Requirements for the chassis-based solution are the
ability of the company providing it to encrypt the data passing over the line
(including such things as routing updates, etc).  I know this sounds weird, and
I may not be explaining it all properly.  The box has to rock-solid - you can
assume I will be placing it somewhere where I can't go and fix it every time it
breaks.  In the past, I have understood that Cisco's reliability record on
devices doing "weird things" has been better than Nortel's.

So, the questions are:

	- Does it break under real production loads?
	- Is Nortel's engineering team the type to do custom solutions?
	  (e.g., I provide encryption, they integrate it into their code?)
	- Can it terminate(?) dark fiber?
	- Does it speak everything it has to?  What about non-IP traffic?
	- Is the GSR a better solution?
	- Is there any other box that can terminate a ghastly amount of
 	  frame, T-1/E-1, DS-3, and OC-48+ circuits?

Regards,
Timothy