Admittedly, Cisco probably isn't (nor should it be) shaking in its boots over Linux router startups. Still another such player, ImageStream, is impressively strutting its stuff at Interop New York this week, notes blogger David Davis.
Unlike Vyatta, ImageStream packages its Linux-based router operating system on hardware. The smallest box, the Envoy, starts at about $500 and features two on-board 10/100 Ethernet ports, two Mini PCI slots, one USB bus with two internal ports, flash storage. The folks there have no trouble gunning directly for Cisco. Their Web site features a "replacement guide" in which they say that the Envoy can dethrone Cisco 1600, 1700, 1800 series gear.
The company's giant router, the Enterprise, features dual XEON processors, quad PCI-X 133 buses and dual 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports. The company claims it delivers wire-speed performance with T1/E1, DS3/E3, OC3/STM1 and OC12/STM4 circuits. They say this box is equivalent to Cisco 7200, 7600, 12000 series gear as well as Juniper M5 and M10. It is priced at about $11,000.
Davis writes that what impresses him is how full-featured the routers are. He writes:
"... their $500 smallest box is a great small branch office router. It is tiny (about 4 lbs.) but it still offers QoS, RIP, OSPF, BGP, firewall, SNMP, and more. It comes with three Ethernet ports and you can add a 1- or 2-port T1/E1 module. This would allow you to have a full router, with enterprise grade software features, for under $1000. This is probably a third of the cost of a comparable Cisco."
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This company is not very informed
I enjoy the thought of an open source router. I work on Juniper gear everyday and the JunOS operating system runs on top of FreeBSB. But this new ImageStream is not very informed. Most of the Cisco and Juniper routers they are targeting have been end-of-lifed. Plus when I do something to save money on a router purchase I buy used through certified channels or on eBay. That is usually a third or even a lot more cheaper. Competing on price is a dangerous game especially when you don't know your marketplace.