Switches using Router code vs Switch code and decision making

[dan_hogan_4ddkn]

Hi all,

When an ICX switch is on router code, is every packet a forwarding decision even if the ICX device is on a switched circuit on layer 2? If the ICX switch is not performing the routing, are we bound to the switching capacity or the forwarding capacity?

[simon_pollard]

Hi Dan

Switching capacity is the raw throughput of the switch expressed in Gbps. Forwarding capacity refers to the packet forwarding performance for 64 byte packets (64 bytes + 20 bytes inter-frame gap) expressed in pps. In a line-rate system the two values are equal, just expressed differently.

All Ruckus switches forward at line-rate whether operating in L2 or L3 configuration, so there is no performance trade-off in choosing one over the other, it's just a question of your feature requirements.

[dan_hogan_4ddkn]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for your reply. Ultimately, I have a 150 Mbps circuit that I'm looking to put on a ICX 7150-24. With the current datasheet, It would appear that the 100/1000 port would easily handle the uplink port, would you agree that the 7150-24 would be the correct hardware for the job?

Thanks!

[simon_pollard]

Hi Dan

How is the 150Mbps circuit presented; via a 1G connection that is rate-limited to 150M? If so then the 7150-24 will cope with this easily.

What other functionality do you need?

[dan_hogan_4ddkn]

Hi Simon,

I believe so. We will be utilizing a second circuit of 50 x 50 as well on another port to load balance between two ISP's, that is the only other functionality we are looking into