[2585] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Network World article Raises New Questions on T-3 Network
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Gordon Cook)
Wed Mar 18 21:42:22 1992
To: com-priv@psi.com
Date: 18 Mar 92 21:11:59 EST (Wed)
From: cook@tmn.com (Gordon Cook)
<<MESSAGE from>> Gordon Cook 18-MAR-92 21:11
cook@tmn
Internet migration to T-3 stalled by router problems, by Ellen Messmer
Network World march 16th
".... ANS ... has been unable to obtain the Cisco Systems Inc T-3 routers
it purchased last fall for shipping data at T-3 speeds. ANS said that the
prototype IBM RISC System/6000 based T-3 routers it employs on the
backbone have only been able to reach speeds of a bout 12 megabits per
second at best. . . . . according to weis he main problem appears to
center on the high volume of broadcast traffic required to communicate
with the 5,000 nets attached to the NSF backbone. 'That's a difficult
thing for routers to do' he said adding that the Cisco AGS+ routers are
now being used at 56 KBS speeds on parts of the NSF Network while testing
of routers at T-3 speeds continues on on the ANS T-3 test network. [GC:
what is meant by the ANS T-3 *TEST* network?]
However Cisco Officials were surprised to hear of the problems. 'It's
news to me' said Christine hemrich, software product manager at Cisco.
I'm surprised they are having difficulties.
. . . .
AnS officials have blamed the problems on the IBM prototype T-3 router
interface cards. Last dceember ANS bought the cisco T-3 routers to
supplement the IBM equipment on the T-3 backbone. the problems ANS is now
experiencing with the Cisco T-3 router, which others have said can operate
at only up tp 6.318 mega bits per second because of its v35 interface
lmitations, raise the questions of whether technical limits to high spped
routing exist in complex environments such as the internet. . .. "
Phew! not the clearest thing i ever read. Is the Cisco AGS+ a t-3
router? What's this about a v35 inteface limiting it to 6 plus megabits
per sec.???> And what's the talk about limits to high speed routing in
complex environments such as the internet? I thought we were in a march
to gigabits. And how are the problems that ans has experienced now to be
blamed on CISCO? Or are they? I am sure this is clear to memebers of the
IETF. however it sure is *NOT* clear to me and I'd bet it isn't very
clear to the majority of the list.
Perhaps Peter Ford would be willing to comment. or Mark Kopper or any of
the other dozens if not hundreds of very talented technical readers of
this list?
