Cisco Router with 13 Ethernet WAN Links

[michoco911]

What is the recommended Cisco router platform and corresponding modules that can have up to 13 WAN ethernet links, with PBR and Load balancing and failover possibility between the different links from different service providers?

[Giuseppe Larosa]

Hello Michoco911,

only high end routers like GSR can perform load balancing over up to 16 paths small devices are limited to up to 8.

if the links are really ethernet I would use the following approach:

I would use an external LAN switch as L2 only and I would connect each WAN port to a switch port.

The LAN switch can define 13 Vlans, each port towards WAN link is an access port in Vlan X, the FE or GE port towards the router is an 802.1Q trunk using a list of permitted Vlans that include the 13 WAN Vlans.

what you miss in this way is the capability to detect a link failure and you should use a lot of IP SLA if you are not using a routing protocol over the links.

A lot of work and they will never act as 2-3 high speed WAN links.

I would try to see how much does it cost to get an EoMPLS service in your area

Hope to help

Giuseppe

[michoco911]

well in fact the WAN links would be most probably a combination of Microwave, DSL and Lease line links from different providers.

I have seen that the new series of 3945E routers come by default with 4GE interfaces, and we can add 3 x 2FE-HWIC, so we can have 1 LAN and 9 WAN routed interfaces in this case i would assume.

When you were refering to the LAN switch, was it related to something like SM-ES3G-16-P etherswitch L2/L3 card that can be installed on an ISR?