RouterOS v7.10rc1: BFD's Return and New MPLS Fast Reroute (FRR) Support!

Recently, the developers behind the widely-used networking software MikroTik RouterOS have announced the release of the first release candidate of version 7.10. This new version, as the changelog outlines, introduces a host of upgrades, improvements, and fixes that help deliver a more streamlined user experience. Here, we take a closer look at the most significant changes and what they mean for users.

After a lengthy break, MikroTik is bringing BFD support back! With Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD), users are empowered to rapidly detect faults between two forwarding engines. It's a robust tool to swiftly pinpoint network failures and initiate quick recovery.

In terms of system improvements, the console has been updated for better stability when using command completion, providing a smoother user experience. This is particularly relevant for network administrators, who often have to use the command-line interface for detailed control and troubleshooting.

The Layer 3 hardware (l3hw) also saw multiple improvements. IPv6 Equal-Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) route offloading has been fixed. This is a significant fix, as ECMP route offloading is essential for balancing network traffic and maintaining overall network performance. Improvements have also been made for host and nexthop offloading, as well as partial offloading performance. All these enhancements contribute to making the routing of packets more efficient, improving network performance.

The MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) module now includes FastPath support. MPLS is a protocol for speeding up and shaping network traffic flows, and with the addition of FastPath, traffic forwarding will be even more efficient, resulting in better network performance.

In terms of system efficiency, the release reduces the RAM usage for SMIPS devices. This translates to lower memory requirements, which could enable the software to run on devices with lower specifications, increasing its versatility.

Last but not least, Wi-Fi Wave 2 has received an update to improve protections against Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks on WPA3-PSK. This update is of paramount importance given the increasing number of cyber threats. It offers users an extra layer of protection and peace of mind.

Download RouterOS 7.10-RC1 (TESTING) from here.