Ok, so you could not use a proxy server unless you Ogot some other NSP to set up a server also? Is this correct? I want to set up a MAE-East connection, I have a 4000 and only 16 megs or ram. Would I be able to set up a PC as a route server and not need 64 megs or ram in my router?
I have seen 2501's handle a full routing table with 16 MB's of RAM, and only a single path, but I have some AGS+'s that have 16 that can't hold the full table (it might just need an IOS upgrade) I'm not too sure about the 4000's abilities with 16Megs, but I have one with 32Megs that has full routes, with 2 paths for each route. As for the other NSP, it wouldn't make difference what they were running. If you were already peering with them, you'd have to have the NSP change the IP address of their peer, as well as specify ebgp-multihop... how many NSP's would divulge in this experiment? I don't know. They'd have to trust you with a pretty big stick. If your Unix box is unstable, you can bet they'll shut off peering without thinking twice. Now, the idea would be to take routes from all the providers at Interconnect A, take routes from your routers (maybe another gated box) at the other Interconnect points B, C, D, & E, calculate the best route, let the box flap when links go down, interconnects drop, whatever, and simply send the best route to your little router. Problem here is that a 4000 can't pump all that much traffic. Using a PC as a router would probably provide better performance than the 4000 (though not more than a 4500, 4700, or 7000 series router) Dave -- Dave Siegel Director of Engineering, Net99 http://www.webcity.com/ (602)249-1083 24x7 NOC line http://www.rtd.com/~dsiegel/ (520)318-0696 My Tucson Office