On Thu, 10 Jul 2008, Steven Pfister wrote:
We have a 7204vxr currently in use as our border router. As part of a
transition of our upstream bandwidth from an ATM connection to gigabit
Ethernet, we need to replace some of the modules.
The router currently has a PA-A6-OC3MM module connecting to our service
provider (in the lower right slot). The IO controller has 2 FE/E ports
(don't have the part number). We want to replace the IO controller with
a c7200-I/O-GE+E and the other module with a PA-GE. Our questions are:
- As a first step, we're going to replace the I/O controller with the
new one using a FE GBIC, and put the PA-GE in along with the PA-A6-OC3MM
until its time to cut over to gigabit Ethernet. Is there any
restrictions on where we can put the PA-GE during this time? Can it be
any slot?
- Where is the configuration stored? Is it on the flash card? When we
put the new IO controller in, can we just move the flash card over?
You don't mention what type of processor engine you're using, so there are
a number of caveats to consider.
You will not get anywhere close to line-rate out of a PA-GE, regardless of
what processor you're using. It's a limitation of the PCI buses on that
platform. If you need closer to gig-e line-rate on a VXR, you really want
to replace the processor blade with an NPE-G1 or NPE-G2, plus those
processors have compact flash slots for storing images and so forth.
Also note that many processors for the 7200/XVR are at or near the
end of their life cycle, so getting support may be an issue, should you
need it. In fact, everything except the NPE-G1 and G2 are at least
end-of-sale now - the NPE-400 went end-of-sale earlier this year and most
of the rest are already end-of-life/support.
The config is stored in NVRAM, which I think is on the NPE, but you still
need a flash/CF clot available for to hold IOS images, crash dumps, etc.
If you're running an older NPE, like a 225, 300, 400 or NSE-1, I don't
think those have built-in flash/CF slots, so you'd still need an I/O
controller for its flash slot.
The VXRs have two PCI busses, one covers slots 0/1/3/5 and the other
covers slots 2/4/6. Each bus is limited to 600 'bandwidth points', so any
configuration of port adapters is valid as long as each bus stays under
600 points. That can be tricky. A PA-GE is 400 points by itself. That's
another reason to look at an NPE-G1 or G2. It has built-in GE ports, so
they don't touch the PCI busses and are not subject to the bandwidth point
limitations like the PA slots.
jms
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