juniper mx80 vs cisco asr 1000

Wed Jan 25 15:17:19 UTC 2012

On 25/01/12 02:50, Matt Craig wrote:
> Actually something as an alternative to both I am researching is the
> Brocade MLX series.  They have different, more efficient, and refreshing
> architecture; and phenomenal cost (half the cost of ASR1000/MX or
> less).  Gonna do a trial shortly to see if it all lives up to the
> marketing or if its too good to be true.  I also know some peer
> institutions who have dumped both Cisco and Juniper for Brocade's
> Ethernet/IP lines.  Not a single bad word so far.

Sorry I can't let a line like that slide.

I used to use ServerIron's in my last job, and while generally wonderful
they had two big issues that also occur on other Foundry kit like the MLX.

1. Multiple firmware files that must be upgraded in sync. While getting
more common (I've seen kit from Extreme, Cisco, and Juniper that have
done this to some extent), some of these boxes require on the order of
four firmware files which must be upgraded in lock-step

2. Backspace doesn't work. Seriously (ok Ctrl-h works, and you can patch
your terminal emulator for it, but it's the only hardware I've used in
the last 15 years like that)