Sources confirm that HFR will use modular software, a key element that's been assumed for some time (see Source: Cisco's HFR Tips the Scales). It will still retain a command-line interface to resemble IOS, but the software architecture is meant to make up for shortcomings of IOS in carrier networks.
Modular software refers to the ability to run tasks on different processors, taking advantage of the mass of hardware that comes with a beast like HFR. This means programs can be upgraded or interrupted without disrupting others. "The concept is like blade servers -- you can run different software in different places," says Debra Mielke, principal analyst with Treillage Network Strategies Inc. "It allows you to have a very resilient machine that has a lot of flexibility."
One big advantage is that new software can be tested on its own processor, segregated from the live code. "With router code in general, you can't do that. So what you have with HFR is something really powerful," Mielke says.
Mielke adds that while other router companies have exploited multiple processors, none has taken the modular software concept as far as Cisco has. In fact, the advent of the HFR could open an avenue for other software vendors: "I believe, in the end, you'll see third-party software running on those processors," she says.
Bringing new software to market is difficult, and the HFR's scope doesn't make the task any easier. If the software doesn't work, the HFR's market impact could go from mercury to molasses.
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