I'm looking for new BGP routers. I'm currently running Mikrotik, which has served me well so far, but looking at interface speed, count, FIB size, etc. and they just aren't going to cut it. I'm looking for: • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better • Has reasonably low power usage, I don't need 1 kw going to a router • Is cost-effective • Used is fine I like how the MX301 looks, but it's way more than I'd want to spend, primarily because there really isn't a used market for them yet. Arista and Cisco NCS are close, but to check all of the boxes, you're up to about $15k - $20k. To get to $5k or less, you're compromising on at least two of the things I'm looking for. EdgeCore and UfiSpace may have some models that are in the $5k - $8k range, once you purchase OcNOS. I'd have no problem with the EdgeCore and UfiSpace direction, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving anything out of consideration. ----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com
We've been using Edgecore and UfiSpace with OcNOS for several years and are pretty happy with those. It's not only the selling price that is affordable but also support licences that are cheap enough to not even mind renewing those. If you are not already aware of, you can look at the OcNOS features matrix that lets you know which feature is supported by models. If I may, for a eBGP use case, make sure the device you chose has a TCAM because cheaper models with the most attractive selling price often have a very limited number of routes, which is fine for IGP in a small network, but far to be able to handle eBGP full routing tables. --- Michel Blais Targo Communications Le lun. 9 févr. 2026, à 12 h 10, Mike Hammett via NANOG < nanog@lists.nanog.org> a écrit :
I'm looking for new BGP routers. I'm currently running Mikrotik, which has served me well so far, but looking at interface speed, count, FIB size, etc. and they just aren't going to cut it.
I'm looking for: • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better • Has reasonably low power usage, I don't need 1 kw going to a router • Is cost-effective • Used is fine
I like how the MX301 looks, but it's way more than I'd want to spend, primarily because there really isn't a used market for them yet. Arista and Cisco NCS are close, but to check all of the boxes, you're up to about $15k - $20k. To get to $5k or less, you're compromising on at least two of the things I'm looking for. EdgeCore and UfiSpace may have some models that are in the $5k - $8k range, once you purchase OcNOS.
I'd have no problem with the EdgeCore and UfiSpace direction, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving anything out of consideration.
----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com
Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com
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Hi Mike, how is it going ? we are using arista and are pretty happy with them and some folks I know are using portable OpenBGPd on them and reported good satisfaction... On Mon, 9 Feb 2026 at 17:47, Michel Blais via NANOG <nanog@lists.nanog.org> wrote:
We've been using Edgecore and UfiSpace with OcNOS for several years and are pretty happy with those. It's not only the selling price that is affordable but also support licences that are cheap enough to not even mind renewing those.
If you are not already aware of, you can look at the OcNOS features matrix that lets you know which feature is supported by models.
If I may, for a eBGP use case, make sure the device you chose has a TCAM because cheaper models with the most attractive selling price often have a very limited number of routes, which is fine for IGP in a small network, but far to be able to handle eBGP full routing tables. --- Michel Blais Targo Communications
Le lun. 9 févr. 2026, à 12 h 10, Mike Hammett via NANOG < nanog@lists.nanog.org> a écrit :
I'm looking for new BGP routers. I'm currently running Mikrotik, which has served me well so far, but looking at interface speed, count, FIB size, etc. and they just aren't going to cut it.
I'm looking for: • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better • Has reasonably low power usage, I don't need 1 kw going to a router • Is cost-effective • Used is fine
I like how the MX301 looks, but it's way more than I'd want to spend, primarily because there really isn't a used market for them yet. Arista and Cisco NCS are close, but to check all of the boxes, you're up to about $15k - $20k. To get to $5k or less, you're compromising on at least two of the things I'm looking for. EdgeCore and UfiSpace may have some models that are in the $5k - $8k range, once you purchase OcNOS.
I'd have no problem with the EdgeCore and UfiSpace direction, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving anything out of consideration.
----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com
Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com
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-- Kindest regards, Tom Smyth.
It wouldn't surprise me at all to hear you know people that put OpenBGPd onto an Arista. ;-) ----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Smyth via NANOG" <nanog@lists.nanog.org> To: "North American Network Operators Group" <nanog@lists.nanog.org> Cc: "Tom Smyth" <tom.smyth@wirelessconnect.eu> Sent: Monday, February 9, 2026 12:00:36 PM Subject: Re: Router Recommendations Hi Mike, how is it going ? we are using arista and are pretty happy with them and some folks I know are using portable OpenBGPd on them and reported good satisfaction... On Mon, 9 Feb 2026 at 17:47, Michel Blais via NANOG <nanog@lists.nanog.org> wrote:
We've been using Edgecore and UfiSpace with OcNOS for several years and are pretty happy with those. It's not only the selling price that is affordable but also support licences that are cheap enough to not even mind renewing those.
If you are not already aware of, you can look at the OcNOS features matrix that lets you know which feature is supported by models.
If I may, for a eBGP use case, make sure the device you chose has a TCAM because cheaper models with the most attractive selling price often have a very limited number of routes, which is fine for IGP in a small network, but far to be able to handle eBGP full routing tables. --- Michel Blais Targo Communications
Le lun. 9 févr. 2026, à 12 h 10, Mike Hammett via NANOG < nanog@lists.nanog.org> a écrit :
I'm looking for new BGP routers. I'm currently running Mikrotik, which has served me well so far, but looking at interface speed, count, FIB size, etc. and they just aren't going to cut it.
I'm looking for: • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better • Has reasonably low power usage, I don't need 1 kw going to a router • Is cost-effective • Used is fine
I like how the MX301 looks, but it's way more than I'd want to spend, primarily because there really isn't a used market for them yet. Arista and Cisco NCS are close, but to check all of the boxes, you're up to about $15k - $20k. To get to $5k or less, you're compromising on at least two of the things I'm looking for. EdgeCore and UfiSpace may have some models that are in the $5k - $8k range, once you purchase OcNOS.
I'd have no problem with the EdgeCore and UfiSpace direction, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving anything out of consideration.
----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com
Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com
_______________________________________________ NANOG mailing list
https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog@lists.nanog.org/message/ANH4UUU6... _______________________________________________ NANOG mailing list
https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog@lists.nanog.org/message/7MEYBWHT...
-- Kindest regards, Tom Smyth. _______________________________________________ NANOG mailing list https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog@lists.nanog.org/message/XFOZUZTP...
VyOS on SuperMicro and Lanner baremetal works pretty damn good. Been running VyOS on SuperMicro for my BGP routers for about 6 years now. No problems yet. -Mike
On Feb 9, 2026, at 10:03, Mike Hammett via NANOG <nanog@lists.nanog.org> wrote:
It wouldn't surprise me at all to hear you know people that put OpenBGPd onto an Arista. ;-)
----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com
Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Smyth via NANOG" <nanog@lists.nanog.org> To: "North American Network Operators Group" <nanog@lists.nanog.org> Cc: "Tom Smyth" <tom.smyth@wirelessconnect.eu> Sent: Monday, February 9, 2026 12:00:36 PM Subject: Re: Router Recommendations
Hi Mike, how is it going ? we are using arista and are pretty happy with them and some folks I know are using portable OpenBGPd on them and reported good satisfaction...
On Mon, 9 Feb 2026 at 17:47, Michel Blais via NANOG <nanog@lists.nanog.org> wrote:
We've been using Edgecore and UfiSpace with OcNOS for several years and are pretty happy with those. It's not only the selling price that is affordable but also support licences that are cheap enough to not even mind renewing those.
If you are not already aware of, you can look at the OcNOS features matrix that lets you know which feature is supported by models.
If I may, for a eBGP use case, make sure the device you chose has a TCAM because cheaper models with the most attractive selling price often have a very limited number of routes, which is fine for IGP in a small network, but far to be able to handle eBGP full routing tables. --- Michel Blais Targo Communications
Le lun. 9 févr. 2026, à 12 h 10, Mike Hammett via NANOG < nanog@lists.nanog.org> a écrit :
I'm looking for new BGP routers. I'm currently running Mikrotik, which has served me well so far, but looking at interface speed, count, FIB size, etc. and they just aren't going to cut it.
I'm looking for: • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better • Has reasonably low power usage, I don't need 1 kw going to a router • Is cost-effective • Used is fine
I like how the MX301 looks, but it's way more than I'd want to spend, primarily because there really isn't a used market for them yet. Arista and Cisco NCS are close, but to check all of the boxes, you're up to about $15k - $20k. To get to $5k or less, you're compromising on at least two of the things I'm looking for. EdgeCore and UfiSpace may have some models that are in the $5k - $8k range, once you purchase OcNOS.
I'd have no problem with the EdgeCore and UfiSpace direction, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving anything out of consideration.
----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com
Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com
_______________________________________________ NANOG mailing list
https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog@lists.nanog.org/message/ANH4UUU6... _______________________________________________ NANOG mailing list
https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog@lists.nanog.org/message/7MEYBWHT...
-- Kindest regards, Tom Smyth. _______________________________________________ NANOG mailing list https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog@lists.nanog.org/message/XFOZUZTP...
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Hi Mike, Where are your security requirements? What is the worth of a router today if you put an v6 ACL on it and you drop all your packets to the punt path? What if you cannot get Netflow/IPFIX/sFlow running at a sample rate with export that does not blogged down the control/management plane? What if there is no control/management plane protection to the device? Remember, the are a whole class of threat actors that LOVE Mikrotik’s success. It gives them more boxes to ‘own' and use with minimal operational impact to the operator. Barry
On Feb 10, 2026, at 06:10, Mike Hammett via NANOG <nanog@lists.nanog.org> wrote:
I'm looking for new BGP routers. I'm currently running Mikrotik, which has served me well so far, but looking at interface speed, count, FIB size, etc. and they just aren't going to cut it.
I'm looking for: • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better • Has reasonably low power usage, I don't need 1 kw going to a router • Is cost-effective • Used is fine
I like how the MX301 looks, but it's way more than I'd want to spend, primarily because there really isn't a used market for them yet. Arista and Cisco NCS are close, but to check all of the boxes, you're up to about $15k - $20k. To get to $5k or less, you're compromising on at least two of the things I'm looking for. EdgeCore and UfiSpace may have some models that are in the $5k - $8k range, once you purchase OcNOS.
I'd have no problem with the EdgeCore and UfiSpace direction, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving anything out of consideration.
----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com
Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com
_______________________________________________ NANOG mailing list https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog@lists.nanog.org/message/ANH4UUU6...
I'd consider that a bad-faith argument. "What if there is no control/management plane protection to the device?" If any box is on the public Internet without management plane protection, you're going to be compromised. Sure, some may be faster than others, but that doesn't excuse you from rudimentary protections. ----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Barry Greene" <bgreene@senki.org> To: "North American Network Operators Group" <nanog@lists.nanog.org> Cc: "Mike Hammett" <nanog@ics-il.net> Sent: Monday, February 9, 2026 12:53:14 PM Subject: Re: Router Recommendations Hi Mike, Where are your security requirements? What is the worth of a router today if you put an v6 ACL on it and you drop all your packets to the punt path? What if you cannot get Netflow/IPFIX/sFlow running at a sample rate with export that does not blogged down the control/management plane? What if there is no control/management plane protection to the device? Remember, the are a whole class of threat actors that LOVE Mikrotik’s success. It gives them more boxes to ‘own' and use with minimal operational impact to the operator. Barry
On Feb 10, 2026, at 06:10, Mike Hammett via NANOG <nanog@lists.nanog.org> wrote:
I'm looking for new BGP routers. I'm currently running Mikrotik, which has served me well so far, but looking at interface speed, count, FIB size, etc. and they just aren't going to cut it.
I'm looking for: • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better • Has reasonably low power usage, I don't need 1 kw going to a router • Is cost-effective • Used is fine
I like how the MX301 looks, but it's way more than I'd want to spend, primarily because there really isn't a used market for them yet. Arista and Cisco NCS are close, but to check all of the boxes, you're up to about $15k - $20k. To get to $5k or less, you're compromising on at least two of the things I'm looking for. EdgeCore and UfiSpace may have some models that are in the $5k - $8k range, once you purchase OcNOS.
I'd have no problem with the EdgeCore and UfiSpace direction, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving anything out of consideration.
----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com
Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com
_______________________________________________ NANOG mailing list https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog@lists.nanog.org/message/ANH4UUU6...
• Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better
Kinda want a pony here. :) Put all your 100G ports on a device up top , you can do small buffers with lots of RIB. 100G downlink to an agg device that consolidates all your 10/25s , has deeper buffers to handle the speed mismatches, and needs almost nothing for RIB. You'll be better off. On Mon, Feb 9, 2026 at 12:11 PM Mike Hammett via NANOG < nanog@lists.nanog.org> wrote:
I'm looking for new BGP routers. I'm currently running Mikrotik, which has served me well so far, but looking at interface speed, count, FIB size, etc. and they just aren't going to cut it.
I'm looking for: • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better • Has reasonably low power usage, I don't need 1 kw going to a router • Is cost-effective • Used is fine
I like how the MX301 looks, but it's way more than I'd want to spend, primarily because there really isn't a used market for them yet. Arista and Cisco NCS are close, but to check all of the boxes, you're up to about $15k - $20k. To get to $5k or less, you're compromising on at least two of the things I'm looking for. EdgeCore and UfiSpace may have some models that are in the $5k - $8k range, once you purchase OcNOS.
I'd have no problem with the EdgeCore and UfiSpace direction, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving anything out of consideration.
----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com
Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com
_______________________________________________ NANOG mailing list
https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog@lists.nanog.org/message/ANH4UUU6...
If any box is on the public Internet without management plane protection, you're going to be compromised. Sure, some may be faster than others, but that doesn't excuse you from rudimentary protections.
If you can't do control plane protection on a device, you should yeet it into the sun, even on an internal network. Lateral movement is a thing. On Mon, Feb 9, 2026 at 1:57 PM Mike Hammett via NANOG <nanog@lists.nanog.org> wrote:
I'd consider that a bad-faith argument.
"What if there is no control/management plane protection to the device?"
If any box is on the public Internet without management plane protection, you're going to be compromised. Sure, some may be faster than others, but that doesn't excuse you from rudimentary protections.
----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com
Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com
----- Original Message ----- From: "Barry Greene" <bgreene@senki.org> To: "North American Network Operators Group" <nanog@lists.nanog.org> Cc: "Mike Hammett" <nanog@ics-il.net> Sent: Monday, February 9, 2026 12:53:14 PM Subject: Re: Router Recommendations
Hi Mike,
Where are your security requirements? What is the worth of a router today if you put an v6 ACL on it and you drop all your packets to the punt path? What if you cannot get Netflow/IPFIX/sFlow running at a sample rate with export that does not blogged down the control/management plane? What if there is no control/management plane protection to the device?
Remember, the are a whole class of threat actors that LOVE Mikrotik’s success. It gives them more boxes to ‘own' and use with minimal operational impact to the operator.
Barry
On Feb 10, 2026, at 06:10, Mike Hammett via NANOG <nanog@lists.nanog.org> wrote:
I'm looking for new BGP routers. I'm currently running Mikrotik, which has served me well so far, but looking at interface speed, count, FIB size, etc. and they just aren't going to cut it.
I'm looking for: • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better • Has reasonably low power usage, I don't need 1 kw going to a router • Is cost-effective • Used is fine
I like how the MX301 looks, but it's way more than I'd want to spend, primarily because there really isn't a used market for them yet. Arista and Cisco NCS are close, but to check all of the boxes, you're up to about $15k - $20k. To get to $5k or less, you're compromising on at least two of the things I'm looking for. EdgeCore and UfiSpace may have some models that are in the $5k - $8k range, once you purchase OcNOS.
I'd have no problem with the EdgeCore and UfiSpace direction, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving anything out of consideration.
----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com
Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com
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Others I had talked to pitched a two-box solution, but not as eloquently as you did. I'll look that way a bit more. ----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Beecher" <beecher@beecher.cc> To: "North American Network Operators Group" <nanog@lists.nanog.org> Cc: "Mike Hammett" <nanog@ics-il.net> Sent: Monday, February 9, 2026 12:57:49 PM Subject: Re: Router Recommendations • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better Kinda want a pony here. :) Put all your 100G ports on a device up top , you can do small buffers with lots of RIB. 100G downlink to an agg device that consolidates all your 10/25s , has deeper buffers to handle the speed mismatches, and needs almost nothing for RIB. You'll be better off. On Mon, Feb 9, 2026 at 12:11 PM Mike Hammett via NANOG < nanog@lists.nanog.org > wrote: I'm looking for new BGP routers. I'm currently running Mikrotik, which has served me well so far, but looking at interface speed, count, FIB size, etc. and they just aren't going to cut it. I'm looking for: • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better • Has reasonably low power usage, I don't need 1 kw going to a router • Is cost-effective • Used is fine I like how the MX301 looks, but it's way more than I'd want to spend, primarily because there really isn't a used market for them yet. Arista and Cisco NCS are close, but to check all of the boxes, you're up to about $15k - $20k. To get to $5k or less, you're compromising on at least two of the things I'm looking for. EdgeCore and UfiSpace may have some models that are in the $5k - $8k range, once you purchase OcNOS. I'd have no problem with the EdgeCore and UfiSpace direction, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't leaving anything out of consideration. ----- Mike Hammett Intelligent Computing Solutions http://www.ics-il.com Midwest-IX http://www.midwest-ix.com _______________________________________________ NANOG mailing list https://lists.nanog.org/archives/list/nanog@lists.nanog.org/message/ANH4UUU6...
On 2/9/26 12:10, Mike Hammett via NANOG wrote:
I'm looking for: • Has at least 6x 100G ports • Has a smattering of 10G/25G ports • Has meaningful packet buffers • Routes in hardware at least 2m routes combined of IPv4 and IPv6, more is better • Has reasonably low power usage, I don't need 1 kw going to a router • Is cost-effective • Used is fine
An Arista 7280SR3AK-48YC8 has the port selection you want along with FIB scale. IDK exactly what you mean by meaningful packet buffers, but it's not a dedicated small-buffer edge box. It should run about 300W. The older 7280SR2K-48C6 also has the port selection and FIB scale you want and can be found used at a price that may be more budget-friendly but is near or just past end-of-support. The non-K versions will do 2M with (what seems like) realistic FIB compression at DFZ-scale but are limited to more like 1M in hardware which may not be what you're looking for. Arista claims 4M+ routes on the K versions with that same FIB compression and IIRC 2M or so in hardware depending on partitioning. -- Brandon Martin
participants (7)
-
Barry Greene -
Brandon Martin -
Michel Blais -
Mike Hammett -
Mike Lyon -
Tom Beecher -
Tom Smyth