real hardware router VS linux router

Thu Feb 19 16:58:24 UTC 2009

Patrick W. Gilmore wrote:
> On Feb 19, 2009, at 10:54 AM, Bill Blackford wrote:
> 
>> In scaling upward. How would a linux router even if a kernel guru were
>> to tweak and compile an optimized build, compare to a 7600/RSP720CXL
>> or a Juniper PIC in ASIC? At some point packets/sec becomes a
>> limitation I would think.
> 
> I've asked this before and been told you can get PCI cards with multiple
> GigE ports, or even build specialized PCI cards that look like PICs.
> 
> So I congratulated them on re-inventing Juniper.

multiport network interfaces substantially predate the existence of asic
based l3 forwarding. I can just barely remember what a router looked
like in 1991, but our compaq and sun pedestal servers certainly had them.

we have variously and in use today as standardized formfactors in
embedded network optimized pc platforms.

cpci (6u eurocard) - which is neither compact nor pci but I digress
pmc
xmc
atca
amc
standard pci-e
mini-pci-e

when when consider that a gen2.0 8x pci-e point-to-point link can carry
~32Gbits/s symmetric the building blocks are certainly there for
multiport interfaces and 4xge or 2x10Gbe per slot interfaces are
relatively de riguer in pc based filewall/ips/network appliance platforms...