Making a Big Features Splash Cisco router customers will be pleased to discover a full IOS implementation on the 8510 including a complete suite of IP routing protocols, BGP4, EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol), IGRP (Interior Gateway Routing Protocol), OSPF, RIP and RIP version 2. IPX routing is supported via RIP and EIGRP for IPX, and both dense and sparse mode PIM (Protocol-Independent Multicast) are available for IP-multicast routing. A list like this shatters any misconceptions about this switch--the 8510 is designed to augment and even replace the 7500 series in the core network. The 8510 comes loaded with other standard IOS features, too, such as Cisco's HSRP (Hot Standby Router Protocol) for redundant router connections, Layer 3 load-balancing via OSPF and support for DHCP and BOOTP relays.
In the lab, I tested the 8510's OSPF functionality. I connected the switch to the University of Wisconsin's 1,500-route OSPF network, and it operated smoothly with our existing Cisco routers. The switch continued to operate at wire speed, even when I disconnected the OSPF network feed, forcing a flush of all routes. This performance is due in part to the distributed nature of the 8510's routing architecture. The CPU computes the routing information, and up to 1600 longest-prefix-matching routes are downloaded to each line card.
One significant feature--support for extended access control lists--is missing from the initial software release. The initial software will support only MAC (Media Access Control)-based filtering.
Cisco's Etherchannel port aggregation technology is a standard feature on the 8510, letting you aggregate up to four Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet links into a single logical pipe.
IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) snooping is new to the 8500 series. This feature works together with Cisco's CGMP (Cisco Group Management Protocol) technology to limit multicast flooding.
The biggest disappointment with the Catalyst 8510 was its lack of support for other IOS-supported Layer 3 protocols, such as AppleTalk and DECnet. You can, however, integrate Cisco's route-switch module into a Catalyst 5500, along with the 8510 switch processor, to achieve a fully functional hardware-
software router combo. Cisco stated that it may incorporate some additional protocol support in the software if customer demand is high enough.
The 8510 supports up to 64 port-based VLANs (virtual LANs) and has four hardware-based priority queues. Currently, the 8510 uses the TOS (Type of Service) field in the IP header to determine packet priorities. This approach is different from most vendors, but Cisco plans to implement 802.1p priority support when the 802.1p and 802.1Q standards are complete. This support will come in the form of a code update in August, which also will add support for 802.1Q VLAN tagging and RSVP (Resource Reservation Protocol).
For Cisco, the Catalyst 8510 is just a big toe testing the waters. In the third quarter, Cisco will begin shipping the Catalyst 8540, a 13-slot 40-Gbps Layer 3 switch, which will support much higher densities, OC-48 connections and a faster processor.
The 8510 starts at $24,995, which includes the chassis, power supply and switch processor. Eight-port 10/100BASE-TX modules come at an additional $11,995. Fully loaded, that works out to about $2,300 per port list price, which is on the high side compared to some industry competitors. But that price does include a complete set of routing protocol support as well as Cisco's IOS software, which puts it right on the level with other vendors still developing that software.
Joel Conover can be reached at jconover@nwc.com.
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