Most underused MikroTik hardware and software features
OR
“The path between fastpath and advanced features”
Objectives
● To help you understand and combine “FastPath” and “SlowPath” features.
● To allow MikroTik equipment to do more.
● Encourage not only to update RouterOS version, but also update existing configurations with the latest features.
● Reduce the amount of hardware performance issue emails to support@mikrotik.com!
Presentation plan
● This presentation will consist of most popular performance issues related to mistakes in
– Hardware choice – Hardware usage – Layer-2 feature usage – Layer-3 feature usage
● We will cover the information needed to avoid such mistakes.
Know your hardware
● Improper use of hardware or using the wrong one for the job is by far the most popular mistake we see in the support requests.
● Each device made by MikroTik has it’s specifics both in: – Structure (CPU cores, memory, port inter connections) – Performance (switching, bridging, routing, encrypting)
Meet Dave
● Dave is a smart and experienced network administrator, well certified in mainstream network equipment brands.
● There was a disaster, the main router died, and Dave needs to get at least something in the network working NOW!!
● The only spare equipment he can get his hands on is some strange “hEX” (RB750Gr3) board from someone called “MikroTik”, that a friend gave him to try out some time ago.
● Dave needs MPLS, L2TP+IPSec, firewall and routing.
Few Days later
● Dave applied RB750Gr3 as a fix and got most of the services online.
● He is in shock how a $60 box was able to do all this.
● Dave has discovered RouterOS and MikroTik instantly becoming a MikroTik fanboy.
● He is sending lots of questions to support@mikrotik.com .
Analysis of the problem
● Dave’s problem #1:
– The daily database exchange throughput is limited to 1 Gbps total, and CPU is not 100%, using routing with large packets.
● Diagnosis:
– Block diagram for RB750Gr3.
● Reason:
– Dave uses ether2 and ether4 ports for database exchange, both ports are on the same 1 Gbps line to CPU.
