[kwlug-disc] IPCop (and friends) vs hardware router

[unsolicited]

Andrew Kohlsmith (Mailing List Account) wrote, On 06/19/2009 11:51 AM:
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> Totally agreed, although there is some significant hardware assistance on the 
> high-end stuff.  Custom ASICs that partially decode the frames and route them 
> without the CPU knowing, and so on.


I don't think the hardware assistance is limited to high end. Lori 
even noted that the OpenWRT stuff doesn't have to do everything in CPU.

I do agree, though, the higher the end, the more significant. Layer 3 
switches with multi-GB fabrics, come to mind.

Firewalls and (multi-device fabric) fibre switches overlapping 
(converging?) in functionality.