Subject: Re: router architecture for MPLS

From: "Hemant P. Kelkar" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 13:41:41 -0400 (EDT)

Hi !
Isn't the situation like ATM to desktop ? Well, if we can't proceed with
Windows we can still go along with Linux for that purpose. Is this correct
and expected answer ?
regards,
Hemant

David Charlap wrote:

> Irfan Lateef wrote:
> I see no conceptual reason why one couldn't run MPLS to the desktop and
> let applications create and destroy LSPs as they create and destroy
> their TCP sessions.  The only real reason this isn't going to happen is
> that it would be cost-prohibitive to replace all routers and layer-2
> switches in a corporation with LSRs.

The other reason is, to bring it to the desktop Microsoft will have to
implement it
in Windwos. And the way they do it is, write a new protocol
Microsoft Personal Label Swapping(MPLS) and ask us all to re-design our
routers
or pay them to use the stack ;-)

BTW, your comment on losing stability was good and has got me thinking if
the
current routers(from the two big boys) are able to handle the numbers you
quoted
in a sizable network and continue to meet other survivability
requirements.

Regards,

Irfan Lateef
Village Networks Inc,

---

From: David Charlap <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 14:49:26 -0400

"Hemant P. Kelkar" wrote:
> 
> Isn't the situation like ATM to desktop?

Same concept.  Similar obstacles to adoption (requirement for switches
where hubs once were, price per switch-port).  But with one advantage: a
proprietary NIC isn't required - MPLS can run over cheap $10 Ethernet
cards, if the correct software is in place.

Personally, I don't think it will happen, because 100M Ethernet with
layer-2 switches is enough to cover most people's desktop requirements. 
But this is an economic reason, not a technical one.

-- David

---

From: Kireeti Kompella <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 14:05:34 -0700 (PDT)

> But this is an economic reason, not a technical one.

Which is the bigger motivation, especially to folks who *buy*
the desktops?

Kireeti.