(ASCEND) Load Balancing Question

[Berend De Schouwer <bds@ucs.co.za>]

We have several MAX 40xx's, and we use them as WAN routers in a
different fashion than their primary ISP use, so the documentation is
lacking in this regard.

Example:
o 1000 remote sites with _fixed_ IPs. +-10 machines, only one of which
  matters.
o A central site, fixed IPs, 100 machines.
o Multiple MAXs to automatically accept calls, and to dial out.

There are multiple MAXs for redundancy, and for multiple E1s.

Current routing situation:
o A MAX knows about X sites (usually ALL), with fixed routes, obtained
  via a radius server.
o The remote sites currently have only one phone number, and they will
  currently phone ONE max only.  The hunting lines are split.  These
  can be put together.
o Central site knows which machine dials which MAX, and has routing
  tables accordingly (static).

This allows us to dial out via any max, but it doesn't allow the remote
site to dial into any max, because the central machine will send the
IP packet back via a specific machine.

What I would like to achieve:
Any remote site can dial any MAX, and the routing table "just happens".

The problem:
o If I set up the E1's to share a phone number, I don't know which MAX
  the remote site will dial.  Both MAXs know all the remote sites, but
  the routing is broken.  Would RIP/OSPF between the MAXs resolve the
  wanidle routes in time? ie, would they update before the return IP
  packet comes?  And won't they broadcast, thus dialing everyone?
o If the remote sites are non-fixed IPs, they can dial in, with
  working routes, but automatic dial-out is broken.
o There is also a "max stack" somewhere which is related to this, but
  it did not quite resolve the dial-out problem.

I can't currently mess too much with the system because it is live, but
an opportunity will arise shortly, so I would appreciate any input.


-- 
Kind regards,				  
Berend					     /"\
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