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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Kansas City, MO
    Posts
    171

    Backup switches and routers

    Those of you who own your own routers. Do you guys always keep a backup router around in case problems arise with your current one? What do you do with BGP routes. Do you have them configured on both and have one connected as a failsafe?  What about for distribution layer switches.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Vladivostok, Russia
    Posts
    211
    The best solution is to have two (or more) links from two different ISP and configure BGP over them. Second router is good, but I've noticed that most downtimes caused by ISP.
    Distribution layer switches from BGP point of view performing just as routers.
    http://bandwidth-control.net
    Farpost Inc.
    IT outsourcing by certified professionals.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Posts
    47
    I would just start out with 1 router... grab a good one instead of getting to cheaper ones (not that they are 'cheap' i find them rather expensive)

    I would go with a Juniper M7i if you can effort one, it's a good router.

    I would just run a 2nd backup server with Zebra or anything that can run BGP... if it goes wrong.

    IE: Wrong JunOS upgrade

    Thats my opinion
    Server (Security) Administrator

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    1,114
    Some hosts have full backup routers but most just have extra cards. It is extremely rare that the router itself goes bad, it is almost always just a single card in the router.

    The best set up is to have two or more routers with a fail over management card in each router.

    For switches you want to look at something like the Foundry workgroup switches that have dual power supplies. Once again it is pretty rare that a switch goes bad. You may loose a port now and then but rarely the full switch.
    SiteSouth
    Atlanta, GA and Las Vegas, NV. Colocation

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    6,990
    I normally save my old equipment for backup purposes. Normally when we change things like switches, it is not that it is spoilt , just that the new ones have too many new features that prove irresistable : )

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    2,780
    having another router is nice since it won't take you down on a software upgrade or router reboot.
    http://Ethr.net jay@ethr.net
    West Coast AT&T / Level3 / Savvis Bandwidth, Colocation, Dedicated Server, Managed IP Service, Hardware Load Balancing Service, Transport Service, 365 Main St, SFO / 200 Paul Ave, SFO / PAIX, PAO / Market Post Tower, 55 S. Market, SJC / 11 Great Oaks, Equinix, SJC

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Kansas City, MO
    Posts
    171
    Yes but when its a 75 thousand dollar router, it's like parking a porsche next to your first router

  8. #8
    Certain routers are fully redundant.

    You would be able to pickup a second hand GSR 8/40 with Dual PSU and Dual GRP-B for about 15000$ with a 1 year warranty.

    This has redundant backplanes, routing engines, psu's and interfaces if you add them!

    Downside is it takes up about 1/3 of a rack.
    Neil R Bowen - WHC
    All posts are of my own personal view and not neccesarily those of any company, this is a personal forum account and all comments are assumptions and may not be fact.

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