Channelized DS3 with Linux?

minion asks: "We've been struggling to find a channelized DS3 card for Linux that is a standard PCI format (not CompactPCI, mPCI, etc). I find it hard to believe others out there don't want the same, as a lot of ISPs could save a lot of money this way, since Cisco routers that handle channelized DS3 *start* at $30,000! I've found this card, but that is all that I've found. It would be great to dump our current Cisco, and use it as a spare if our Linux router fails. Does anyone else have some experience with this?"

Comments

eBay?

[LarryRiedel]

I think <10kUSD can get a used 7200 series router and channelized DS-3 (PA-MC-T3) card on eBay, not that I am recommending that approach, but it is a common configuration.

Larry

Maybe?

[FreeLinux]

PCI Adapter

PCI Adapter

Linux Router Page

PCI Bus Speeds

[FreeLinux]

33Mhz X 32 bit PCI = 1 Gigabit
66Mhz X 32 bit PCI = 2 Gigabit
66Mhz X 64 bit PCI = 4 Gigabit

Actual throughput for each of these bus types is a bit less than the theoretical values above. However, having multiple 54Mbps cards on a single 33Mhz PCI bus should not be a problem from a bandwidth perspective.

There's a REASON Cisco line cards are expensive

[pyite]

It's not as if Cisco has no competition and can charge whatever they want. The reason Cisco chassis and line cards are so expensive is because they are GOOD and FAST. For example, the Catalyst 6500 has a 32Gbps backplane and with a SFM, a 256Gbps Switch Fabric. Fast WAN connections are generally only used on networks with large LANs and such organizations can justify something like a 6513, which loaded with a few cards, clocks in around $125,000.