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Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2021 2:06 pm
by hgomersall
We have an unusual application in which a RouterOS based CRS210 is used in an appliance-like system. One problem we're having is switch takes too long to come up. Is it possible to configure RouterOS to optimise for boot time? We need almost none of the extra RouterOS functionality (over, say, SwOS).
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 12:36 am
by k6ccc
If all you need is a switch, why are you using a router? I've never stopwatched it, but my Mikrotik switches boot very fast. The only way I have actually paid attention to it was during a reboot. Just happens that although I am 26 miles from home, I am remoted into a computer at home. From that Windows computer, I started a continuous ping to a device on the far side of one of my RB260 switches. I then rebooted the switch via the user interface. I missed one ping.
Fast enough?
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 12:47 am
by sid5632
A CRS210 is a switch.
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 12:53 am
by k6ccc
But the OP is apparently using RouterOS. My point was to use SwitchOS.
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:10 am
by sid5632
That's not what you said.
In any case, there are several reasons to prefer RouterOS to SwOS, except apparently speed of reboot.
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:23 am
by k6ccc
Not according to Mikrotik:
Our CRS series combines the best features of a fully functional router and a Layer 3 switch, is powered by the familiar RouterOS.
(emphasis mine).
I will agree that as a router, it's pretty anemic, but Mikrotik marketed it as a router with switch capability - not as a dedicated switch.
I stand by my statement that if you want a switch, use a switch.
Quote from:
https://mikrotik.com/product/CRS210-8G-2SplusIN
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:23 am
by samsung172
Sounds like you have never waited for a cisco to bootup?
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 1:25 am
by k6ccc
Sounds like you have never waited for a cisco to bootup?
Let me go get lunch while it boots...
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 4:44 pm
by hgomersall
If all you need is a switch, why are you using a router? I've never stopwatched it, but my Mikrotik switches boot very fast. The only way I have actually paid attention to it was during a reboot. Just happens that although I am 26 miles from home, I am remoted into a computer at home. From that Windows computer, I started a continuous ping to a device on the far side of one of my RB260 switches. I then rebooted the switch via the user interface. I missed one ping.
Fast enough?
I don't quite know how I missed this - I thought my post had failed, but apparently not.
It's taking ~30 seconds to boot from cold. Are you seeing it faster than this? I'm not saying this is objectively a long time, it's just too long for our application!
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 5:11 pm
by k6ccc
It's taking ~30 seconds to boot from cold. Are you seeing it faster than this? I'm not saying this is objectively a long time, it's just too long for our application!
I'm at work (again), but if I remember this evening, I will power down one of my RB260 switches and stopwatch it from power on to passing packets (pinging a device beyond the switch).
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 5:16 pm
by hgomersall
It's taking ~30 seconds to boot from cold. Are you seeing it faster than this? I'm not saying this is objectively a long time, it's just too long for our application!
I'm at work (again), but if I remember this evening, I will power down one of my RB260 switches and stopwatch it from power on to passing packets (pinging a device beyond the switch).
Thanks!
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 5:59 pm
by mbovenka
It's taking ~30 seconds to boot from cold. Are you seeing it faster than this? I'm not saying this is objectively a long time, it's just too long for our application!
Are you running STP? Might be Spanning Tree blocking the uplink port.
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2022 7:25 pm
by sindy
Might be Spanning Tree blocking the uplink port.
Not just the uplink one, any port with
egde set to anything but
yes will wait for eventual arrival of BPDUs for a while before getting into forwarding state. RSTP is enabled by default but maybe it is not necessary at all in @hgomersall's app?
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2022 12:33 pm
by hgomersall
Might be Spanning Tree blocking the uplink port.
Not just the uplink one, any port with
egde set to anything but
yes will wait for eventual arrival of BPDUs for a while before getting into forwarding state. RSTP is enabled by default but maybe it is not necessary at all in @hgomersall's app?
I think not - it's a trivial topology. So I can just disable RSTP and it might boot faster?
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster [SOLVED]
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2022 12:46 pm
by mada3k
Well, RouterOS is very quick in comparison to HPE, Cisco and Juniper, but not instant. To achieve instant-on, you probably need a dumb unmanaged switch.
Disabling RSTP is probably the only way to make it quicker.
Re: Having RouterOS boot faster
Posted: Fri Jan 07, 2022 12:48 pm
by sindy
Yes. Strictly speaking the boot will take the same time but it will start sending/forwarding traffic sooner.