As technology progresses, the difference between routers and switches has grown fuzzier. Generally, routers depend on processors to forward traffic based on advanced software, offering intelligence at the cost of speed. Routers are ordinarily limited to less than 1 Gbit speeds. Switches, by comparison, rely on largely fixed hardware designs to forward data at the highest possible speed, which is typically higher than a gigabit. Routers developed by Cisco Systems, the supplier of the vast majority of the industry's routers, have improved significantly in function and speed and Cisco now offers a comprehensive product line that includes devices built to match the technical requirements and financial limitations of organizations of all sizes.
The most recent Integrated Services Routers released by Cisco have the speed and integrated features to manage IP voice and video plus virtual environments while also offering high availability, web-based management, easy expandability, and enhanced protection. These routers allow your business to build a solid basis for an information environment that can grow smoothly as you hire new workers, establish extra sites, deploy new functions, give access to your network to customers and vendors, and build a more mobile workforce. Progent’s Cisco CCIE network engineers offer fast and economical online expertise to assist your company to plan, deploy, manage, update, and support Cisco's latest rou6ter technology and can help you to maintain your older routers or migrate efficiently to Cisco’s current networking solutions.
Cisco Routers for Small Businesses and Branch Offices
Cisco’s routers for small businesses and remote offices offer affordable and reliable entry-level alternatives that enable limited groups of users to share secure connectivity to wide area networks. These fixed-configuration routers include 10/100 Ethernet ports with WiFi options and built-in firewall to provide advanced security. Designed for easy setup, management, and troubleshooting, Cisco’s small business routers minimize ownership costs by cutting equipment and operational expenses. Progent’s online troubleshooting experts have extensive backgrounds delivering immediate and affordable technical assistance for small companies to configure and support these routers, and Progent’s CCIE-certified network consultants can assist your company to determine ways these routers can add to the strategic value of your information system.
Cisco Dual-WAN and Multi-WAN VPN Routers
Cisco’s Dual-WAN and Multi-WAN VPN Routers are based on the former Linksys Business Series and provide an economical option for small businesses who need connections to two or more Internet service providers to improve WAN throughput, balance WAN traffic, or achieve 24x7 access to the Internet in the event of an Internet connection outage. Offered with 4-, 8-, or 16-port 10/100 Ethernet switches, IPsec VPN support, and built-in stateful firewalls, Cisco’s Dual and Multi WAN VPN Routers can be set up and administered remotely via a web interface and can be connected to additional hubs and switches for simple expandability. These VPN routers do not support Cisco’s popular IOS platform.
The Cisco RV042 Dual WAN VPN Router features a 4-port 10/100 Ethernet switch and can safely support up to 50 remote offices or off-site workers through IPsec or PPTP tunneling protocol. Cisco's RV082 VPN Router includes an 8-port 10/100 Ethernet switch and can manage up to 100 remote offices or online workers with full IPsec VPN. The Cisco RV016 Multi WAN VPN Router model comes with 16 switched 10/100 Ethernet ports, accommodates 100 remote connections, and allows as many as 7 ports to be configured for load balancing or for ISP failover to ensure non-stop Internet access.
Cisco 500 Series Unified Communications Routers
The Cisco 520 model SR Router, built to support up to 50 users, features a 4-port 10/100 Ethernet managed switch and a single IOS image: Advanced IP Services. By supporting a simple yet powerful set of Cisco IOS control software features, Cisco’s 520 model SR Router simplifies configuration, management, and troubleshooting, yet nevertheless provides advanced protection and performance options to adapt to the particular requirements of your business.
The Cisco 520 model Secure Router includes the Cisco Intrusion Prevention System which provides stateful packet inspection to safeguard against malware threats. Cisco’s 520 model router also supports Cisco IOS zone-based firewall. For safe remote access, the Cisco 520 Secure Router handles 10 hardware accelerated IPsec VPN tunnels and built-in encryption based on Triple Data Encryption Standard, and AES. SSL VPN and dynamic multipoint VPN are also allowed.
To deliver the speed needed for the new generation of data voice and video communications, Cisco’s 520 router supports a selection of IOS Software advanced Quality of Service features like DSCP, LFI, Resource Reservation Protocol, and custom queuing.
Cisco 800 Series Access Routers with Integrated Services
Cisco's 850 and Cisco 870 Series Routers are entry-level routers that offer secure, simultaneous services over fast connections in small off-site offices, telecommuter, and small company sites.
Cisco 850 Series access routers are targeted at small offices, ideal for up to 10 workers or for teleworker environments where secure and affordable connectivity is needed. Cisco 850 Series access routers offer safe access with firewall and IP security Virtual Private Network support, a four-connection 10/100 Ethernet switch, a protected wireless option with a fixed antenna, plus simple setup and deployment and off-site administration features via Web-enabled utilities and Cisco IOS Software.
Cisco 870 Series routers are targeted for small networks, well-suited for up to 20 workers or for telecommuter environments where high-quality voice/video over IP and resilient connectivity utilizing standby Internet links are required. Cisco 870 Series routers deliver excellent performance in small workgroups plus tight security via features such as stateful Inspection Firewall, IPsec tunneling, Triple Data Encryption Standard or AES as well as DMVPN and Tunnel-less Group Encrypted Transport, an intrusion prevention system (IPS), virus protection through Network Admission Control (NAC), and enforcement of secure access policies.
Cisco 870 routers also provide best-of-breed quality of service (QoS), a 4-port 10/100 Ethernet switch with VLAN capability, a secure WiFi option with multiple antennas, easy configuration and integration by means of Web-based tools and off-site administration features via Cisco IOS Software, and PoE support to work with IP phones or external wireless access points.
Cisco ISR Generation 2 Routers
Cisco's ISR Generation 2 routers are designed to offer branch offices of enterprises with advanced collaboration, virtual networking, security, and dependable connectivity. ISR Generation 2 routers introduce a design that protects prior investments in service modules for older ISR routers and lowers down-the-line costs by allowing field upgrades to additional modules when they become available. In comparison to older Integrated Services Routers, Cisco's ISR G2 routers offer 2-7 times higher performance, far more, and easier support. All Integrated Services Generation 2 routers support gigabit switching and include multi-core processors and multigigabit fabric for faster throughput. Integrated Services G2 routers also support smart power management for better energy efficiency.
A key advance with ISR Generation 2 routers is the IOS Universal image which contains all of the Cisco IOS technology sets so that your company can rapidly authorize and activate new functions when desired without having to download and transfer a new IOS Software image over to yourCisco router. Progent's group of CCIE-certified network consultants can provide world-class expertise to assist you to design, configure, and support multi-site deployments of Cisco Integrated Services G2 routers that enhance satellite office productivity and cut the price of upgrades and maintenance.
Cisco 1900 Series Integrated Services G2 Routers
Cisco 1941 and 1941W ISR G2 routers include hardware encryption, optional Cisco IOS firewall, intrusion prevention, and up to 11 modular Ethernet switches. The Cisco 1941W router provides an WiFi access point that allows wireless access to high throughput data, voice, and video applications via Multi-Input, Multiple-output support that improves coverage for current 802.11 users. Interface alternatives for the Cisco 1941 and 1941W Integrated Services G2 routers include T1/E1, ADSL/SDSL, 3G, and GE.
In comparison to the previous 1841 Integrated Services router which they are able to replace, the 1900 ISR G2 routers have 256 megabytes vs. 32 MB of CompactFlash storage as a default, and flash can be expanded to 4 gigabytes vs. 128 megabytes. Standard DRAM size is 256 megabytes compared to 128 MB and maximum DRAM size is 2.25 gigabytes vs. 384 megabytes. Unlike the 1841 router, the 1900 Series ISR G2 routers include a USB console in place of the older DB-9 connector and includes a slot for the new Internal Services Module rather than a slot for the previous and slower Advanced Integration Module. Unlike higher end Integrated Services G2 routers, the 1941 Series Integrated Services G2 routers do not support redundant power or add-in slots for Packet Voice and fax DSP Modules.
Cisco 2900 ISR G2 Routers
2900 Integrated Services G2 Routers are available in four versions which correspond to the routers in Cisco’s popular 2800 router series. Cisco’s 2901, 2911, 2921, and 2951 Integrated Services G2 routers offer integrated hardware encryption acceleration, voice and video capable DSP slots, optional Cisco IOS firewall, Cisco IOS intrusion prevention, call processing, and from 16 to 50 LAN switchports. The on-board encryption hardware supports IPsec and SSL VPN tunneling for safe off-site connections and is significantly higher performing than the Advanced Integration Modules available with Cisco 2800 series routers. The high-end 2951 Series Integrated Services G2 router can handle 600 Session Initiation Protocol sessions. Connectivity alternatives include T1/E1, T3/E3, ADSL and SDSL, as well as GbE.
2900 ISR G2 routers accommodate Cisco’s Enhanced EtherSwitch Service Modules, offering high-performance features identical to the Catalyst 2960 and 3650-E Series Switches. In comparison to the older 2821 ISR router which the 2921 Integrated Services G2 router is designed to replace, the 2921 is offered standard with 256 megabytes vs. 64 MB of flash storage and can be expanded to 4GB compared to 256 MB. Default DRAM size is 512 megabytes vs. 256 and maximum dynamic RAM size is 2.5 gigabytes compared to only 1.
Cisco 3900 ISR G2 Routers
Cisco offers four models for the top-of-the-line 3900 Series ISR Generation 2 router, the 3925, 3945, 3925E, and 3945E. These models offer the highest throughput and add-in slot densities in Cisco’s ISR G2 family and can accept fast DSPs for the most demanding multimedia environments, accelerated on-board encryption, a broad range of interface options, a maximum 98 modular LAN switches, and up to 2,500 Session Initiation Protocol sessions. To preserve your investment, the 3900 ISR G2 routers include Cisco’s Services Performance Engine (SPE), a versatile motherboard that can be replaced easily to enhance throughput without requiring your business to buy a new device. Like other Integrated Services G2 routers, Cisco’s 3900 Series also preserves past network investments by supporting the majority of the add-in modules from older Cisco ISR routers. For advanced fault tolerance, Cisco 3900 ISR G2 offer dual power supplies.
Compared to the previous model 3825 Integrated Services router which the 2921 Integrated Services G2 router is designed to replace, the Cisco 3925 router is shipped by default with 256 MB vs. 64 MB of flash storage and can be expanded to 4 gigabytes compared to 256 megabytes. Default dynamic RAM size is 1 gigabyte vs. 256 megabytes and maximum dynamic RAM capacity is 4 GB vs. only 1.
Cisco's 1st Generation ISR Routers
Cisco's original ISR routers, with more than six million devices deployed, are the world's leading technology for small to medium-sized companies and enterprise branch offices to ensure fast, secure, and reliable access to vital applications. Progent's CCIE-certified network consultants are seasoned experts at delivering online consulting, management, and troubleshooting support for Cisco 1800, 2800, and 3800 family Integrated Services Routers. Progent can assist you to upgrade to the latest version of Cisco IOS control software with minimal service interruption to your network, evaluate the security profile of your existing router setup, and assist your IT organization to move economically to the latest releases of Cisco Integrated Services Generation 2 routers whenever it makes sense for your business.
Cisco 1800 Series Integrated Services Routers
The modular Cisco 1800 family of routers combine data and protection within one robust system for high-speed, scalable delivery of mission-critical business programs. The 1800 Series design has been especially engineered to satisfy the requirements of small and midsize businesses, small enterprise branch offices, and service provider-managed services applications for access to simultaneous services at wire performance. The integrated services systems design of the Cisco 1800 Series routers offers maximum flexibility and fast ROI.
Cisco's 1841 device provides substantial benefits relative to prior generations of Cisco 1700 Series routers by delivering more than a fivefold throughput improvement plus integrated hardware-based encryption activated by an optional IOS Software protection image. The 1841 integrated services router significantly increases interface card slot throughput as well as density compared to Cisco's 1700 Series routers while maintaining support for over 30 available WAN interface cards (WICs) and multiflex trunk cards (VWICs-for data only). The 1841 integrated services router offers additional improvement of Virtual Private Network speed with an available VPN acceleration module; an intrusion prevention system (IPS) and firewall functions; compatibility with a wide array of connectivity requirements, including support for integrated switch ports; and sufficient performance and slot density for ongoing network growth and advanced applications.
Cisco 2800 Integrated Services Routers
Targeted at small to medium-sized organizations and corporate branch offices, the Cisco 2800 Series routers consists of four platforms: the Cisco 2801, the Cisco 2811, the Cisco 2821, and the 2851. Cisco's 2800 routers offer significant additional value in comparison to prior models of Cisco devices at comparable price points by offering up to a fivefold performance increase, as much as a 10 times increase in security and voice speed, integrated service features, and radically improved plug-in slot speed and capacity while maintaining support for the vast majority of the almost 100 existing modules in use today for the 1700 Series, the Cisco 2600 Series, and the Cisco 3700 devices.
The Cisco 2800 router provides a range of popular security features including an IOS Software Firewall, an Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), IPsec VPN, SSL VPN, powerful application inspection and control, Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol V 2.0, and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMPv3) in one protected solution. Additionally, by incorporating security functions directly into the router itself, Cisco can enable special smart security functions other security devices can't, such as NAC for virus defense; Voice and Video Enabled VPN for quality-of-service (QoS) enforcement when combining voice, video, and VPN; Dynamic Multipoint VPN; Group Encrypted Transport (GET); and Easy Virtual Private Networks for enabling increasingly scalable and easier to manage VPN environments.
Organizations can utilize the 2800 Series router to deploy an integrated IP telephony solution for up to 96 IP phones, and can safely deploy data, voice, and IP telephony on one router for their small-to-medium sized branch offices.
The Cisco 2800 router supports an integrated wireless access point for 802.11x wireless LAN access, wireless Hotspot capability for shared public wireless access, and infrastructure services for cordless WLAN telephony and for larger locations.
Cisco 3800 Integrated Services Routers
Cisco 3800 integrated services routers are designed for small and midsize organizations and corporate satellite locations to provide companies the top degree of network versatility, performance, and functionality. 3800 integrated services routers smoothly incorporate the latest technologies, smart services, and secure corporate communications into one robust system. The Cisco 3800 Series routers ease deployment and management, lower network cost and complexity, and provide investment protection. Cisco 3800 Series integrated services routers feature embedded security processing, excellent throughput and large memory capacity, and high-capacity interfaces that provide the speed, resilience, and dependability required for building mission-critical security, IP telephony, business video, system analysis, and web-based programs in even the most demanding corporate environments. Engineered for speed, the 3800 integrated services routers provide multiple concurrent services up to wire-speed T3/E3 data rates.
The integrated services routing technology of the Cisco 3800 router is built to integrate protection and voice handling with the latest wired and wireless services for fast installation of new applications, including application layer functions, intelligent network services, and unified communications. The Cisco 3800 Series integrated services router meets the throughput demands of several Fast Ethernet ports for each expansion slot, TDM interconnections, and fully integrated power distribution to expansion modules supporting 802.3af PoE, while also accommodating the traditional portfolio of interface modules. This enables ongoing ROI by allowing network expansion or accommodating changes in technology as new applications are deployed. By integrating the capabilities of multiple separate appliances into a single small unit, the Cisco 3800 Series router dramatically lowers the expense and hassle of managing wide area networks.
Cisco's Midrange WAN Edge Routers
Cisco’s midrange WAN aggregation routers can provide enterprises with fast, secure headends to manage satellite office and remote user data packets and to offer ISPs economical wide area network edge routing. Cisco’s midrange router product line features the Cisco 7200 and 7300 Series, the recently introduced ASR 1000 family, the 7600 line, and the Catalyst 6000 Series.
Progent's national group of Cisco CCIE certified network consultants have extensive backgrounds helping global businesses and ISPs to design efficient installations and seamless upgrades of Cisco's WAN edge routers. Progent's GIAC and CISA certified network security engineers can provide unbiased, third-party security inventory assessments and stealth penetration services to help enterprises that use Cisco's midrange routers to meet business standards and government regulations for network data protection.
Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers
Cisco’s ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services line of routers is designed to fill the center of Cisco’s midrange devices that concentrate on acting as headends at the wide area network edge. ASR 1000 Series routers provide a small form factor, single-product solution for enterprises who need branch office aggregation at multigigabit Ethernet speeds. ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services routers incorporate an innovative design that mixes hardware acceleration with programmable versatility in order to offer a multitude of concurrent services while preserving consistent responsiveness.
Cisco’s ASR 1000 Aggregation Services routers include Cisco’s proprietary QuantumFlow Processor made up of 40 purpose-built Packet Processing Engines (PPEs) that in combination can support up to 160 concurrent processor threads. This parallel CPU architecture, combined with on-board acceleration for all services, enables the high-end ASR 1006 Aggregation Services router to scale up to 000 hardware queues, 32K clients, 4,000 IP security tunnels at 10,000 sessions per second, and 2M Netflow log records. This processing power allows ASR 1000 Aggregation Services routers to support a broad range of advanced services simultaneously in high volume while avoiding performance decay that could compromise adherence to SLAs. Examples of these services include IOS Firewall, intrusion-detection services, Network Address Translation, FPM, and deep packet inspection. The ASR 1000 also permits tiered traffic control for applying multiple levels of QoS to a data packet in one pass, enhancing the user experience for high-bandwidth IP voice and video applications.
Cisco 7200 VXR Integrated Services Routers
TheCisco 7200 VXR Integrated Services router offers exceptional performance, flexibility, and scalability in a compact form factor with a wide range of deployment profiles. With processing speeds as high as 2 mega-packets per second, port and service adapters ranging from NxDS0 to Gigabit Ethernet, and OC-3 as well as an unparalleled number of high-touch IP services, the 7200 VXR Series Integrated Services router is the ideal broadband aggregation wide- and metropolitan-area network edge solution for enterprises and service providers.
The Cisco 7200 VXR router features services aggregation by handling up to 16,000 PPP sessions per chassis, mixed-media support with TDM-enabled VXR frame and voice port adapters, IP-to-IP gateway support, and IPsec VPN scalable to 5K tunnels per device.
The Cisco 7200 VXR Series router integrates in a compact chassis services previously performed by separate appliances. Thanks to this consolidation, the 7200 VXR Series router offers a single, cost-effective solution that supports sophisticated network modules plus high-speed subscriber services aggregation which includes Point-to-Point Protocol, RFC 1483 termination, and L2TP tunneling; digital T1/E1 TDM trunk termination for voice; high-density multichannel T3/E3 and T1/E1 with integrated channel service unit/data service unit (CSU/DSU); ATM, Packet over SONET, and Dynamic Packet Transport access; ATM IMA (Inverse Multiplexing over ATM) for voice; and light-volume Layer 2 Ethernet switching.
Cisco 7600 Series Routers
The Cisco 7600 Integrated Services router takes advantage of the Catalyst 6500 infrastructure with an NEBS-3 chassis, 256-Gbps crossbar fabric, and 30-Mpps switching performance. High availability is implemented through redundancy as well as IOS Software capabilities. Also, the Cisco 7600 Series router offers a broad set of high-touch IP network services at optical rates via various Optical Services Modules (OSMs) powered by Cisco proprietary PXF technology.
The 7609 Series router offers the choice to use a 256-Gbps SFM or the standard 32-Gbps bus, providing performance of 30 or 15 million packets per second each. If the Switch Fabric Module is used, the 7609 can also support distributed switching with rates up to 168 Mpps by running the Cisco Catalyst 6500 16-port Gbit Ethernet LAN module, which is powered by the DFC Card and the SFM.
The Cisco 7603 router has only the standard 32-Gbps data bus option and delivers 15 million packets per second switching performance. The 7603 Series does not offer Cisco's distributed switching.
How Progent Can Help Your Company to Support Cisco Router Products
Progent's CCIE and CCNP qualified consultants can assist your business to design, configure, and support an integrated network infrastructure that can streamline operations, reduce expenses, and accelerate the path to positive ROI. By teaming Cisco integrated services routers with Cisco Catalyst switches expertise and Aironet wireless expertise, Progent can dramatically enhance the business value of your integrated network. Progent offers onsite and remote support and can provide data center support throughout Northern California and select cities nationally.
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If you wish to get in touch with Progent about technical expertise for Cisco products, phone 1-800-993-9400 or e-mail cisco-help@progent.com.
