PowerBox Pro capabilities of usage in ISP networks

DOI №______

Abstract

Article provides configuration of MikroTIk PowerBox Pro for using as Cluster Management Module and reviews practicality of integration as replacement for older equipment. In this article, in given examples PowerBox Pro configured as transparent bridge and also as network managed switch. Also article focuses on hardware capabilities of device such as 802.3af/at support, presence of optical SFP cage and Gigabit Ethernet copper ports. The most important part of this device is it’s software part — RouterOS. PowerBox Pro shipped with level 4 license, which gives this device functionality as hotspot controller, MPLS, BGP full support. PowerBox Pro supplied with powerfull CPU and ASIC-chip for switching capabilities on hardware level. Article also gives an example of PowerBox Pro CLI syntax and without ignoring availability of GUI. Part of this article focused on security of this device — disabling MikroTik Network Management Protocol on all interfaces and disabling unnecessary services like Telnet and FTP. All given examples of configuration based on simple popular network structure of ISP network, where Subscriber module divides broadcast domain and works as router for end user. With given examples article focuses on compatibility of MikroTik devices with equipment of other manufacturers. All given configurations were made on real life networks with RouterOS 6.43.5. Given configurations complatible with all version of RouterOS higher than 6.41. MikroTik updated switching capabilities of their devices with this release. Hardware switching capabilities became supported on bridge configuration and Spanning Tree Protocol became simpler to configure on MikroTik devices with gives more redundancy for network. Given configuration examples can be used for all devices of MikroTik with integrated switching chip.

Keywords: CMM; configuration; PowerBox; SFP; VLAN; RouterOS.

References
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