OC3 card for 7200 Series router

[skallidu]

Hi Team,

One of my customer is looking for 1 port OC3 card for 7200 series router. There are two options (PA-POS-2OC3/PA-A6-OC3)

However my customer is not sure whether he wants a ATM/POS card.

I would appreciate if someone could help me out in determining whether i should go for ATM or POS Card for OC3.

Or atleast what should be my approach which will help me in determining whether i should go for ATM or POS Card for OC3.

Thanks and Regards

Subin

[Giuseppe Larosa]

Hello Subin,

you should ask to the WAN service provider of your customer.

It is likely that the link will be POS (packet over sonet).  ATM is a more complex technology that is capable of multipoint: each defined PVC based on VPI, VCI  (similar to FR DLCI) can lead to a different remote end over the ATM cloud.

So ATM is good for aggregation of multiple remote sites ( all using ATM technology) on the C7200,  the POS is good to build a fast point to point link to another router to make a backbone link.

So the question to be put is this: the use is for a core p2p link or to perform aggregation of remote sites?

the answer should be enough to take a correct decision.

And also POS and ATM are not interoperable  ( both use underlying Sonet/SDH but in a totally different way)

Hope to help

Giuseppe

[skallidu]

Guiseppe,

Thanks for your reply and i will proceed accordingly.

[vmiller]

Just a followup to Giuseppes remarks.

     a. don't forget to check bandwidth points, depending on what else is installed in the router.

     b. If they are running one of the older processers (< NPE G1) don't expect good results under load.

[skallidu]

vmiller,

For sure i will take the bandwidth points into consideration.

Regards

K Subin