Mailing List Archive

On Sun, May 09, 2004 at 04:37:07PM +0200, A. Uk / dataway GmbH wrote:
> Is anyone using Quagga's BGP router in a production Internet environment
> running full BGP feeds?

My experience with BGP stopped in last june. We were still using zebra
back then. We used PCs with zebra on most backbone boxes, including
the boxes interfacing to upstream. Peak load was about 30 Mbit, and we
had ulog-acctd running for ip accounting purposes

> -what hardware (CPU etc) are you running on?

P3-1000 rackmount servers (1U)

> -what OS?

Debian GNU/Linux.

> -how much RAM do you need to keep the entire routing table in memory?

512 MB were enough to accomodate the routing tables and to leave
enough leeway for memory hogs like aide. I'd go for a gig if I had to
spec a new box today.

> -do you use interfaces other than Ethernet, for example, PCI HSSI or
> ATM cards?

If I recall correctly, I never had a BGP link from a linux box over a
non-Ethernet Connection, but ATM works pretty well on Linux as well.
setting peak cell rates didn't work though, which is pretty nasty if
you connect DSL customers via ATM.

> -what are your experiences?

Basically good. There have been some issues regarding connection
stability, though. We routed through one upstream via local
preference. When that upstream went down (that happened rather
frequently because they had equipment trouble), the bgpd takes all
available CPU to switch the kernel routes to another upstream. During
that process, the bgp messages needed to keep the other connections
alive were not answered, causing connection time outs. This especially
happens when the remote side is using juiper equipment since their
connnection timeout default is much shorter than cisco's.

I think that issue is solved with quagga, but I am not sure.

> I am semi-seriously considering replacing a Cisco 3640 with a Quagga
> box, as the cost of a small x86 rack server compares rather favourably
> with a Cisco 7606VXR/NPE400.

Try to compare with a used 7206.

Greetings
Marc

--
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Marc Haber | "I don't trust Computers. They | Mailadresse im Header
Karlsruhe, Germany | lose things." Winona Ryder | Fon: *49 721 966 32 15
Nordisch by Nature | How to make an American Quilt | Fax: *49 721 966 31 29

A. Uk / dataway GmbH wrote:

>Dear List,
>
>Is anyone using Quagga's BGP router in a production Internet environment
>running full BGP feeds? If so:
>
>
>
We have quagga BGP router in production environment since october 2003.

>-what hardware (CPU etc) are you running on?
>
>
Celeron 766MHz

>-what OS?
>
>
Not-yet-published Commuth Linux - basically, it is RedHat 9 stripped
down and put onto Compact Flash (64MB) with JFFS2 file system with full
RPM database support for upgrading software.

>-how much RAM do you need to keep the entire routing table in memory?
>
>
256MB RAM, approx. 60MB free. We have 2 uplinks and get complete routing
tables from both (>135000 routes)

>-do you use interfaces other than Ethernet, for example, PCI HSSI or
> ATM cards?
>
>
Tulip (Intel 2114x) ethernet card, plus Cyclades PC300 2-port
synchronous serial card (2x V.35 ports); syncppp encapsulation on one
port, Frame Relay with 2 DLCIs on the second port.

>-what are your experiences?
>
>
Router works just great! Uptime is greater than 150 days; in addition to
BGP and OSPF routing, it works as firewall (iptables) and as L2TP access
concentrator. At time of this writing, quagga version is 0.96.4, CVS
snapshot 20040421 with some additional patches done by myself.

My best regards,

Nenad Opsenica