> > Also, BGP convergence isn't listed (nor do I rarely ever see it talked > about in such sheets).
I feel like this shouldn't be listed on a data sheet for just the whitebox hardware. The software running on it would be the gating factor. On Fri, Apr 12, 2024 at 9:05 AM Mike Hammett <na...@ics-il.net> wrote: > I'm looking at the suitability of whitebox routers for high through, low > port count, fast BGP performance applications. Power efficiency is > important as well. > > What I've kind of come down to (based on little more than spec sheets) are > the EdgeCore AGR400 and the UfiSpace S9600-30DX. They can both accommodate > at least three directions of 400G for linking to other parts of my network > and then have enough 100G or slower ports to connect to transit, peers, and > customers as appropriate. Any other suggestions for platforms similar to > those would be appreciated. > > They both appear to carry buffers large enough to accommodate buffering > differences in port capacities, which is an issue I've seen with boxes more > targeted to cloud\datacenter switching. > > What isn't in the spec sheets is BGP-related information. They don't > mention how many routes they can hold, just that they have additional TCAM > to handle more routes and features. That's wonderful and all, but does it > take it from 64k routes to 512k routes, or does it take it from 256k routes > up to the millions of routes? Also, BGP convergence isn't listed (nor do I > rarely ever see it talked about in such sheets). I know that software-based > routers can now load a full table in 30 seconds or less. I know that > getting the FIB updated takes a little bit longer. I know that withdrawing > a route takes a little bit longer. However, often, that performance is > CPU-based. An underpowered CPU may take a minute or more to load that table > and may take minutes to handle route churn. Can anyone speak to these > routers (or routers like these) ability to handle modern route table > activity? > > My deployment locations and philosophies simply won't have me in an > environment where I need the density of dozens of 400G\100G ports. That the > routers that seem to be more marketed to the use case are designed for. > > > > ----- > Mike Hammett > Intelligent Computing Solutions > http://www.ics-il.com > > Midwest-IX > http://www.midwest-ix.com > >
