is 3640 adequate for BGP (using 2 ISPs)?

[ja1064]

we are planning on adding a second ISP. I have a spare 3640 but it's been suggested that it may not be powerful enough or support enough memory. I don't know if it matters but the connections will be two T1 circuits from each provider.

[Harold Ritter]

The 3640 will probably be a bit overwhelmed if you take the full Internet routing table from both ISPs.

Hope this helps,

[ja1064]

i'm willing to try this. might you point to the process on determing the proper IOS version to support BGP and a hssi card. tnx

[ja1064]

ignore my last post since i just discovered that the max mem is 128. i had been told it was 256.

how bout a 2621 or using two 2621s ?

[olorunloba]

If you are referring to 2621XM, then you could have up to 256MB of DRam, (assuming it has the new bootrom).

If memory is an issue, using two routers will not help as they will need to peer with easy other. BGP routes are then exchanged and their will be on significant memory change.

If memory is the problem. My advice will be not download the full internet table. By downloading a part, filtering based on access-list, you are able to reasonably share your uplink traffic amongst your ISP. Note there should be a default route to your preferred ISP.

You could play with the as path length that will be filtered with the memory consumption on your router.

Check the following link

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk365/technologies_tech_note09186a0080094a83.shtml