Date: Thu, 1 Aug 1996 09:39:21 -0700 (PDT) From: Ulf Zimmermann <ulf@Lamb.net> To: jgreco@brasil.moneng.mei.com (Joe Greco) Cc: freebsd-isp@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Question about Cisco 2503i price Message-ID: <199608011639.JAA29085@Gatekeeper.Lamb.net> In-Reply-To: <199608011516.KAA25748@brasil.moneng.mei.com> from Joe Greco at "Aug 1, 96 10:16:31 am"
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> > > >The 2503i is a mission critical version, it directly includes the software,
> > > >which disables the serial port. You can later buy the full version ($1200
> > > >list price) to upgrade and use the serial ports.
> > >
> > > Does that include the (required) memory upgrade?
> > >
> > > So your talking $3000. for a box with 2 serial ports, an ISDN connection
> > > and a '386-speed processor? Eeek!
> >
> > Two T1 ports, ISDN, support for T1 PPP, Cisco HDLC, Frame Relay and
> > SMDS. Packet filtering. OSPF, RIP, RIP-2, EIGRP, BGP routing
> > protocols (if you need them). Look at the 2524 which has provisions
> > for integral 56K DDS or T1 CSU/DSUs to further reduce the system cost.
> >
> > Plus, you can plug it in and it works. No interrupt vectors, dma
> > channels to fool with. Small package. Only a fan for moving parts,
> > and no fsck.
> >
> > Not everyone is willing to spend a lot of time integrating a box when
> > you can essentially buy an appliance off the shelf which does a better
> > job. Are we going to start this whole discussion again?
>
> Yes, I agree, the FreeBSD box does a better job. Guys, take it to -chat
> or -isp, where people either don't give a rip or don't give a rip,
> respectively.
>
> Point for point, you can match Ciscos and FreeBSD boxes, it's simply a
> matter of which colored glasses you put on. Louis will never admit that
> a small amount of effort would yield a FreeBSD router that could
> outperform a Cisco in terms of performance and reliability, and still
> have no moving parts, because Louis is an "out of the box" bigot. Dennis
> will take the opposing viewpoint..
>
> So, puh-leeze, let's not get into this again... both sides are right, from
> a certain point of view.
>
It might be true that a FreeBSD box can always outperform a Cisco 25xx, but
it can never outperfom a system which does part of the routing on the
interfaces itself, like Cisco does it on the 6 port Ethernet cards.
Also it can't do that if you look at the speed of a PC bus.
So, and to end the whole discussion: I really asked only for a price so
I can compare if the 15% I got on the list price is good or not. I got
yesterday a second quote whihc is 20% off list price.
And now the reasons I want a Cisco:
1.) I like external boxes, because I play to much with my PC's ;-)
2.) I am sysadmin and want to get more into networking, all the
companies I worked, are using Cisco. So I need to learn
IOS. At the moment I always need the handbooks or the online
documentation. And I like to know much ;-)
3.) At the same time I am buying this Cisco, I am building a
FreeBSD box with 4 ethernet ports and 2 serial for WAN.
So and now let's stop this thread and have fun :)
Ulf.
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