Open-source routers hit limitations

Open-source routers prove hard to use and lacking in power

Firms hoping to reduce network costs by deploying open-source routers may be disappointed since experts say such systems are hard to configure and lack the processing power required to handle large volumes of traffic.

Vyatta last month became the latest company to launch an open-source router. It said its Open Flexible Router (OFR) software can be deployed on standard PCs and is about 80 percent cheaper than proprietary kit from vendors such as Cisco, Huawei and Nortel.

“OFR is ideal for mid-sized firms or branch offices, providing key functionality found in traditional closed-source routing solutions,” Vyatta said.

However, BAE Systems engineer Aaron Anderer said many of the proprietary features in dedicated routers make life easier for firms. As an example, he said the main advantage for smaller firms using Cisco equipment is the Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP), which is simple to set up and can be expanded for use on large networks.

Experts also noted that heavy traffic requires high-performance kit, and commercial routers use proprietary buses to offload processing to dedicated Asics. Such systems can handle gigabits or terabits of throughput, which PC architecture is not designed to do.

NetTek Consulting’s Steve Kennedy said, “Modern network protocols have to do packet examination and this generally means CPU processing too, which becomes a bottleneck as router functionality gets more complex.”