SRv6 Capable NOS and Devices

Mon Jan 17 07:25:47 UTC 2022

On 1/17/22 03:52, Colton Conor wrote:

> I agree that pretty much all the chipsets and asics out there today
> support MPLS, but it's the vendor and NOS that decides whether to
> enable it or not, or charge more for it.

That has been the case since MPLS debuted.

> Example, Junipers EX4600, QFX5100 and ACX5048 all have the same
> Broadcom Trident II+ ASIC inside. One supports full MPLS features
> (ACX), while the other is limited (QFX), and then the EX is even more
> limited. . Only difference is what Juniper has enabled or disabled in
> software to my knowledge. All 3 run JUNOS, just different flavors.

I don't see anything wrong with that. As with any business, different 
products provide different functionality, and as such, come with a 
different price. You can't expect Cessna's turboprops to fly you 16hrs 
between two points, non-stop, just because it is an aeroplane.

Juniper are targeting different markets and use-cases with their 
switches vs. their routers. To expect them to provide the same degree of 
MPLS capability at both ends of the spectrum is unreasonable.

I'm certain that in your business, you have different products, as well, 
that satisfy different types of customers at different price points, 
with differing value delivery.

> Mikrotik's MPLS stack is quite limited, but I hope that will change
> soon in version 7 that was just released. Honestly hoping that
> Mikrotik kicks half these vendors in the nuts with everything they are
> implementing in v7 with the new linux kernel and a development team
> that is 3x as large. 100G switches are coming soon from them with
> Marvell ASICs

I actually think Mikrotik should maintain their model. It works for 
them, and their customer base. It's terrible for support, but you also 
aren't paying through the nose, and the boxes do what they generally 
claim to do.

I'd rather they did not try to take on the traditional vendors. That 
pond is already murky as it is.

> VyOS doesn't run on any ASIC based systems to my knowledge, so its
> just a software router.

My point was MPLS is available, even on x86 platforms with open source 
code. You don't have to pay tons of money for it to get it anymore. Of 
course, if you want to run it at scale, there are other considerations 
beyond just the MPLS code itself, as you know.

> Extreme charges extra to enable MPLS in their SLX lineup.

High-end IP routing features (which includes MPLS) have always attracted 
additional costs on what are meant to be Layer 2/3 switches.

>   Ciena,
> Ribbon, and others do the same.

Also Tejas, Infinera, Xtera, e.t.c., all "claim" MPLS support, but 
that's not their bread & butter. So yes, along with the priviledge of it 
being terribly implemented, you get the pleasure of paying extra for it 
too, with the optical vendors.

Mark.