[Xorp-hackers] API stability

[Bruce Simpson]

On 04/16/10 11:22, saurabh wrote:
>> I'm deeply concerned that XORP is still not API-stable enough to be used
>> commercially.
>>      
> You concern about stability of xorp(1.6) to use in Real world - heavy network load
> environment as standalone product ? I think it is well tested.
>    

With respect, this point is not relevant. I presume by 'heavy network 
load' you are referring to forwarding performance.
Forwarding performance has nothing to do with XORP, which is control 
plane software. The problems are elsewhere.

Consider:
  * XORP was positioned as an 'eXtensible' routing platform.
  * The components in the system talk to each other over XRL.
  * XRL is used as the core API.
   * It has been demonstrated to be a source of problems.
   * Look at the poor BGP convergence performance. XRL is clearly on the 
hot path.

Ben was proposing piecemeal changes to XRL itself, which effectively 
change the core API.
That's fine, but the Linux approach to APIs -- just break them on a 
point release -- doesn't scale to real-world use.

Be safe out there.