Cisco vs. Linux

I have the chance to take a Cisco class on the cheap but my time is
rather valuable. In trying to determine whether it's worthwhile or not
I just wanted to know how using lower-end Cisco equipment compares to
using a Linux box.

I usually go with dedicated hardware because I think it's more reliable
(this has been Linksys router vs. Linux). But I was also wondering
about the relative capabilities.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ray

Dans sa prose, RayL nous ecrivait :
> I have the chance to take a Cisco class on the cheap but my time is rather
> valuable. In trying to determine whether it's worthwhile or not I just
> wanted to know how using lower-end Cisco equipment compares to using a
> Linux box.
> I usually go with dedicated hardware because I think it's more reliable
> (this has been Linksys router vs. Linux). But I was also wondering about
> the relative capabilities.

If you think of hardware reliability, you can get PC hardware with flash
storage (64Mo or 128Mo are enough) and you will get something as robust as
a dedicated router, that often relies on the same kind of hardware
(some Linksys products are Linux based).

Concerning features, lower-Cisco equipments are RAM and flash restricted
to values that sometimes can prevent one from installing or simply
using useful features because you don't have enough RAM or flash or you
do not have proper IOS version. Linux won't have this kind of issue, as
any supported feature will be available without hardware or licensing
restriction. I had a router on which I couldn't use inter-VLAN routing
without upgrading IOS, that I couldn't do because this plateforme did not
support required RAM and flash amount...

From my experience, I prefer Linux boxes to low-end routers because I can
use all functionalities I want without RAM, flash, IOS or sometimes
full plateform update. For some application (network core, high trafic
link), I tend to prefer dedicated hardware, but at least, with Linux, I
can test and validate features and architectures for future deploiements
on higher end vendor routers.

--
je vous rappelle qu'il est fréquenté par une moyenne d'âge plus faible
que la moyenne. C'est facile de mettre des lois abscons, qui n'évoluent
pas à la vitesse du net, et de dire "eh ben vous n'aviez qu'à lire"
-+- DP in : Guide du Neuneu d'Usenet - Si ya plus moyen de moyenner -+-

RayL <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

>Thanks for the information. It sounds like anything I can do with Cisco
>gear I can do with a Linux box. With a slight edge going to Cisco for
>reliability. However, what about ease of use?

>I'm thinking I may take the Cisco Class anyway, just to learn more about
>routing. I have a big gap here in terms of my expertise.

Let's face it, we all need certifications nowadays to compete.
Get the Cisco training while you can. A good chunk of the class
is IOS and Cisco hardware that you won't get if you just tinker
around with Linux networking. And I've had several job interviews
go south when I couldn't speak Cisco-ease.


--
Vincent Fox
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
Internet: (E-Mail Removed)

Thanks for the information. It sounds like anything I can do with Cisco
gear I can do with a Linux box. With a slight edge going to Cisco for
reliability. However, what about ease of use?

I'm thinking I may take the Cisco Class anyway, just to learn more about
routing. I have a big gap here in terms of my expertise.

Ray

Cedric Blancher wrote:
> Dans sa prose, RayL nous ecrivait :
>
>>I have the chance to take a Cisco class on the cheap but my time is rather
>>valuable. In trying to determine whether it's worthwhile or not I just
>>wanted to know how using lower-end Cisco equipment compares to using a
>>Linux box.
>>I usually go with dedicated hardware because I think it's more reliable
>>(this has been Linksys router vs. Linux). But I was also wondering about
>>the relative capabilities.
>
>
> If you think of hardware reliability, you can get PC hardware with flash
> storage (64Mo or 128Mo are enough) and you will get something as robust as
> a dedicated router, that often relies on the same kind of hardware
> (some Linksys products are Linux based).
>
> Concerning features, lower-Cisco equipments are RAM and flash restricted
> to values that sometimes can prevent one from installing or simply
> using useful features because you don't have enough RAM or flash or you
> do not have proper IOS version. Linux won't have this kind of issue, as
> any supported feature will be available without hardware or licensing
> restriction. I had a router on which I couldn't use inter-VLAN routing
> without upgrading IOS, that I couldn't do because this plateforme did not
> support required RAM and flash amount...
>
> From my experience, I prefer Linux boxes to low-end routers because I can
> use all functionalities I want without RAM, flash, IOS or sometimes
> full plateform update. For some application (network core, high trafic
> link), I tend to prefer dedicated hardware, but at least, with Linux, I
> can test and validate features and architectures for future deploiements
> on higher end vendor routers.
>

In article <KBqBb.4293$R%(E-Mail Removed) >, RayL <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Thanks for the information. It sounds like anything I can do with Cisco
>gear I can do with a Linux box. With a slight edge going to Cisco for
>reliability. However, what about ease of use?

Can Linux do source-routing?

Jørn Dahl-Stamnes, EDB Teamco AS
e-mail: Jorn.Dahl-(E-Mail Removed) (remove nospam first)
web: http://spiderman.novit.no/dahls/

Dans sa prose, Jørn Dahl-Stamnes nous ecrivait :
> Can Linux do source-routing?

Yup. See http://lartc.org/. This is the basic and simple advanced routing
example.

Combined to Netfilter with use of fwmarks, you can route against anything
you can match with Netfilter, as to say, almost anything. You can see
LARTC cookbooks, especially HTTP transparent proxying.

--
Mise au point niveau warez C'est plus la peine de m'envoyer des e-mails
je n'enverrais à personne ces adresses !!! C trop dangereux pour le
site en question et c'est un manque de respect pour ce dernier !
-+- Pip99 in GPJ : Le travail bien fait, ca se respecte -+-

Dans sa prose, Vincent Fox nous ecrivait :
> Let's face it, we all need certifications nowadays to compete. Get the
> Cisco training while you can.

100% agree on this point.

My point was technical only, but RayL have to consider your point very
carefully. By the way, learning is never a waste of time.

--
BOFH excuse #270:

Someone has messed up the kernel pointers

jorn.dahl-(E-Mail Removed) (Jørn Dahl-Stamnes) writes:

>> It sounds like anything I can do with Cisco
>>gear I can do with a Linux box.

>Can Linux do source-routing?

Can Linux do Banyan-Vines? ( We still need this :-(
[I know that this will be discontinued by Cisco...]

How many 2 Mbit serial lines can you put into an Intel-PC?

How many low speed serial lines for IBM-LU's can one do on a PC?
( We retired our last one some weeks ago :-)

There is/was a shell with cisco syntax for Linux: fresco IIRC.

Greetings, Holger

I see no one has answered you. Unfortunately, I'm clueless here and
just basing my statements on what I'm hearing from others.


Jørn Dahl-Stamnes wrote:
> In article <KBqBb.4293$R%(E-Mail Removed) >, RayL <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>Thanks for the information. It sounds like anything I can do with Cisco
>>gear I can do with a Linux box. With a slight edge going to Cisco for
>>reliability. However, what about ease of use?
>
>
> Can Linux do source-routing?
>
> Jørn Dahl-Stamnes, EDB Teamco AS
> e-mail: Jorn.Dahl-(E-Mail Removed) (remove nospam first)
> web: http://spiderman.novit.no/dahls/

RayL <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in news:5OjBb.3722$R%4.772
@fe10.private.usenetserver.com:

> I have the chance to take a Cisco class on the cheap but my time is
> rather valuable. In trying to determine whether it's worthwhile or not
> I just wanted to know how using lower-end Cisco equipment compares to
> using a Linux box.
>

Using cisco over linux is enormous advantage.
Stability, security and support.

Although a linux box can do anything the cisco equipment can, it
would take an expert or 2 to get it working at the same level cisco
has done it.
So the money you would have pay an expert (if you are not an expert
yourself) is the same the cisco equipment costs (in most cases).

> I usually go with dedicated hardware because I think it's more reliable
> (this has been Linksys router vs. Linux). But I was also wondering
> about the relative capabilities.
>

I choose linux over any other hardware just because it gives me power to
customize things. Everything is possible using Linux.


P.Krumins