Yankee Group declares core routing obsolete (was Re: Anybody using GBICs?)

Thu Oct 30 18:52:54 UTC 2003

Hmm. Don't you just love it when folks say things like "Layer 3 Switches are
better than routers". Its very illuminating as to clue level.

I suppose what they were trying to say, is that products that were designed
as switches, but are now running routing code, are superior to products that
were designed as routers, and are running routing code. Of course, this is
demonstrably false.

"Layer 3 Switch" is like "Tier 1 ISP" - meaningless marketing drivel,
divorced from any previous technical meaning.

Sure, gigabit Ethernet switches are great. Sure, they can do some light
routing tasks. But saying, essentially, that "core routers are obsolete, and
should be immediately replaced with somewhat less capable core routers" is
weak. Lets all be thankful they are now using ASICs, though! All that
software based routing was making me nervous - five years ago :)

- Daniel Golding

On 10/30/03 1:18 PM, "Suresh Ramasubramanian" <suresh at outblaze.com> wrote:

> 
> Richard A Steenbergen writes on 10/30/2003 1:08 PM:
> 
>> Plainly stated, routers no longer have a home in the core of the network.
>> "You might have found a router there five years ago, but most certainly
>> you have a switch today," said Yankee Group vice president Zeus Kerravala.
> 
> What brand of switch is this guy selling?  And what is he smoking? Sure
> would be interesting to find out :)