The current generation of routers ordinarily include Layer 2 switches, and many of today's switches include Layer 3 routing functionality. Routers developed by Cisco, the supplier of 90% of the industry's routers, have improved dramatically in capability and performance and Cisco offers a comprehensive portfolio that includes routers built to handle the requirements of users from households to the world's largest service providers.

The latest ISR routers from Cisco have the performance and built-in features to support data voice and video plus virtual environments while also offering high availability, remote management, easy extensibility, and advanced security and compliance. These routers enable your company to build a firm foundation for an information network that can evolve smoothly as you add more employees, establish new sites, deploy new services, extend your system to clients and partners, and build an expanding mobile user base. Progent's Cisco qualified CCIE network consultants offer fast and affordable remote support to assist you to plan, deploy, manage, upgrade, and troubleshoot Cisco's latest router technology and can assist you to support your older routers or migrate non-disruptively to Cisco's newer networking products.
Cisco Routers for Home Offices and Small Offices and Branch Offices
Cisco's routers for small organizations and remote offices offer affordable and dependable entry-level solutions that enable limited sets of workers to have secure access to wide area networks. These single-configuration desktop routers feature at minimum four 10/100 switched Ethernet with Wi-Fi options and built-in firewall to provide advanced protection. Built for simple installation, administration, and troubleshooting, Cisco's small business and home routers minimize TCO by cutting acquisition and operational investments. Progent's remote troubleshooting experts have extensive experience providing immediate and affordable IT assistance for small businesses to set up and maintain these routers, and Progent's CCIE network engineers can help you to understand whether and how Cisco's small office routers can add to the strategic value of your information network.
Cisco ISR 900 Series Routers
The Cisco ISR 900 Series routers are compact, quiet, fixed-configuration appliances intended for SMBs, branches, and home offices. These entry-level routers include four managed GE switch ports and can support Metro Ethernet, LTE, and DSL WAN connectivity. Cisco's ISR 900 router family delivers three times the IPsec performance of the ISR 800 Series family of routers. All ISR 900 Series routers feature Group Encrypted TransportVPN (GETVPN), dynamic multipoint virtual private network VPN, Cisco FlexVPN, and firewall. VPN performance is as high as 250 Mbps. All router models support up to 50 virtual LANs. Supported dynamic failover technology for high availability include VRRP, HSRP, and Multigroup HSRP (MHSRP). Setup and management can be done with Cisco CP Express, Cisco DNA Center, and Cisco IOS Software. Cisco ISR 900 Series devices do not work with Cisco SD-WAN.
Cisco's ISR 921 router comes with dual GE WAN ports, LTE Cat 4, and an internal power supply. VPN performance is 150 Mbps. Cisco's ISR 926 and ISR 927 routers use external power and support one GE WAN port, Category 4 LTE, plus VDSL2 and ADSL2/2+ high-speed broadband. GE WAN VPN performance for both devices is 150 Mbps. The high-performance ISR 931 features dual GE WAN and includes an internal power supply. VPN performance is 250 Mbps.
Cisco Meraki MX Series SD-WAN Security Appliances
The Cisco Meraki MX series of desktop routers provide software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) and cloud-based unified threat management in one compact device able to handle 50 to 200 users. Every MX router must be licensed for the Meraki cloud. For sites having multiple WAN network options (e.g., MPLS, fiber optic, cellular), SD-WAN technology allows administrators to assign the WAN connection a given app uses or to create performance-based rules to determine the appropriate connection. Cisco Meraki MX fixed-configuration desktop security appliances share important features that include:
Cisco 1000 and 1100 Family ISR Branch Routers
Cisco 1000 and 1100 Series Integrated Services Routers running Cisco IOS XE internetworking operating system are a line of fanless appliances intended to provide network service, wireless support, and advanced cybersecurity for SMBs, branch offices, retail stores, kiosks, and machine-to-machine (M2M) environments. Parallel processing CPU cores and compatibly with Cisco IOS XE software allow these routers to deliver features consistent with Cisco's entire family of Enterprise routers. 1000 family ISR models are available with 4 or 8 LAN switch ports and provide Gigabit Ethernet (GE) packet forwarding. Various models include Power over Ethernet (PoE) and PoE+, zero-touch provisioning, plus a selection of integrated or pluggable options such as LAN, WAN, WLAN, VDSL2/ADSL2+, LTE wireless, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and SFP Fiber. Cisco 1000 and 1100 Series ISR routers can be used with Cisco's SD-WAN subscription services for transparent multiple-cloud access, multilayer cybersecurity, and centralized management across hybrid network models.

Cisco's rackmount or desktop ISR 1100-4G router comes with four integrated GE WAN/LAN ports, integrated 3G/4G LTE wireless with two LTE SMA sockets, and a micro-SIM plug-in slot. Encryption packet processing performance is 200 Mbps. The Cisco 1100-6G ISR router adds two 1G SFP ports and delivers encryption speed of 520 Mbps. Cisco's desktop-only 1101-4P ISR router comes with four integrated GE interfaces, offers 802.11ac and 3G/4G LTE wireless, and delivers encryption throughput of 280 Mbps. The Cisco 1109-2P/4P ISR desktop routers have two or four integrated GE ports and two pluggable 3G/4G LTE wireless ports. Encryption packet processing throughput is 200 Mbps.
Cisco's 1RU or desktop 111x-4P/8P ISR routers come with four or eight built-in GE interfaces (two or four with PoE) and feature VDSL2/ADSL2+, 802.11ac, 3G/4G LTE, and 1G SFP. Encryption packet processing speed is 280 Mbps. Cisco's 1RU or desktop ISR 1111X-8P router has eight integrated switched GE connections (four with Power over Ethernet) and a port for SFP Fiber. Encryption packet processing throughput is 340 Mbps. The 112x-8P ISR router features eight GE ports with Power over Ethernet and supports SHDSL, VDSL2/ADSL2+, 802.11ac, 3G/4G LTE, and SFP. Encryption performance is 340 Mbps. Cisco's 1161X-8P ISR router includes eight GE ports with Power over Ethernet and supports 3G/4G LTE wireless and SFP. Encryption throughput is 450 Mbps.
Catalyst 8000 Series Branch and WAN Edge Platforms for SD-WAN and Routing
Cisco's Catalyst 8000 family of routers are modular devices intended to work at the enterprise branche and the WAN edge to support hybrid networks that can incorporate multiple public and private clouds and SaaS applications. All Catalyst 8000 devices use Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN Software and offer expandability, intelligent cloud security, and 5G connectivity. Performance is optimized via purpose-built silicon, a multicore design, high port capacity, and in-line encryption. Cisco's subscription software services provide ongoing access to current SD-WAN technology and allow unified management with enhanced cybersecurity, application-based policies, segmentation, and cloud readiness.
Catalyst 8200 Enterprise Branch Edge Routers
Catalyst 8200 routers are upgrades to Cisco's 4300 Series ISRs, offering higher IPsec performance and expandability, accelerated crypto, plus higher built-in WAN interface density. These 1RU routers are designed to provide Cisco's SASE, SD-WAN and 5G-interface technology to enterprise branches and the enterprise access edge. The Catalyst C8200L-1N-4T router includes four CPU cores, enables 500 Mbps IPsec throughput, and permits 1,500 SD-WAN tunnels. Cisco's Catalyst 8200L platform does not support container-based applications. The Catalyst C8200-1N-4T model features eight CPU cores, provides 1Gb IPsec performance, supports 2,500 SD-WAN tunnels, and enables edge computing with in-place container architectures. Both appliances include one NIM slot, a Pluggable Interface Module (PIM) slot, two 1 Gigabit Ethernet WAN ports, and two 1 Gigabit Ethernet WAN Small-Form-Factor Pluggable ports. 4-port and 8-port 1G Ethernet switch NIM modules are available for both 8200 models.
Catalyst 8300 Enterprise Branch Edge Routers
Cisco Catalyst 8300 Series WAN Edge routers are intended to supersede Cisco's 4400 Series ISR Routers, delivering Cisco's secure SD-WAN architecture to mid-sized and large enterprise branches looking for high WAN IPSec performance with unified SD-WAN services. Enhanced features include 5G wireless connectivity, built-in security, WAN MACSec, integrated enhanced Layer 2 switching, and DPI with application optimization. Catalyst 8300 WAN Edge routers support edge computing for an existing container architecture for Cisco UCS-E modules offered on Cisco's 4000 line of ISR appliances. All versions in the Cisco Catalyst 8300 family allow 4,000 SD-WAN tunnels and include dual power supplies for improved uptime.
The Cisco Catalyst 8300-1N1S-6T router is a 1RU device that includes 8 CPU cores and delivers 2G SD-WAN performance and IPsec performance as high as 1.9Gbps. The unit comes with one SM plug-in slot, one Network Interface Module slot, and six integrated 1-Gigabit Ethernet WAN ports. The Catalyst 8300-2N2S-6T device is a two-rack unit device that includes 8 CPU cores and supports 2G SD-WAN performance and IPsec data rates as high as 1.9Gbps. The appliance includes two Service Module expansion slots, two Network Interface Module slots, and six integrated 1-Gigabit Ethernet WAN interfaces. The Catalyst C8300-1N1S-4T2X router is a 1RU device that has eight CPU cores and delivers 5G SD-WAN performance and IPsec throughput as high as 15Gbps. The router features one one Service Module expansion slot, a Network Interface Module slot, two built-in 10-Gigabit Ethernet WAN interfaces, and four built-in 1-Gigabit Ethernet WAN interfaces. The Catalyst C8300-2N2S-4T2X model is a 2RU appliance that includes 12 CPU cores and supports 5G SD-WAN throughput and IPsec throughput up to 18Gbps. The unit includes two SM expansion slots, two NIM slots, two integrated 10-Gigabit Ethernet WAN ports, and four integrated 1-Gigabit Ethernet WAN interfaces. LAN expansion modules available from Cisco range from a four-port 1G Ethernet switch Network Interface Module module to a 50-port Catalyst L2 switch Service Module.
Cisco Catalyst 8500 Series Aggregation Edge Routers
The Cisco Catalyst 8500 Aggregation Edge routers are fixed, one-rack unit aggregation models for SD-WAN and colocation deployments. Built-in features include route processor, embedded services processor, and aggregation hardware for various connection choices. IPsec throughput is double compared to Cisco's earlier generation ASR1001-X router. Flexible connectivity alternatives include 1GE, 10GE, 40GE, and 100GE WAN interfaces. These routers come with redundant AC or DC power units for enhanced availability. Software subscription suites provide ongoing use of Cisco DNA Center Software for SD-WAN and routing and enable centralized management of security, application-based policies, segmentation, and cloud support.
The Catalyst C8500L-8S4X router is designed to provide the same key features as Cisco's ASR 1000 router. The C8500L-8S4X includes four 1/10GE WAN interfaces and offers up to 20 Gbps Cisco Express Forwarding aggregate data rates. SD-WAN IPsec performance is up to 19Gbps. The Cisco Catalyst C8500-12X router has 12 built-in 1/10GE WAN ports and supports as high as 120 Gbps Cisco Express Forwarding aggregate data rates. SD-WAN IPsec performance can reach 51 Gbps. The C8500-12X4QC model includes four integrated 1/10GE WAN interfaces and eight 1G interfaces and delivers up to 200 Gbps aggregate throughput. SD-WAN IPsec throughput is up to 68 Gbps. The C8500-20X6C router includes 20 integrated SFP+ ports and 6 x QSFP+ interfaces. Cisco's C8500-20X6C delivers as much as 500 Gbps Cisco Express Forwarding aggregate throughput.
Cisco Integrated Services G2 Routers
Cisco's Integrated Services G2 routers are designed to offer branch offices of large businesses with advanced collaboration, virtual networking, protection, and dependable WAN access. Integrated Services Generation 2 routers introduce an architecture that protects past investments in service modules for first-generation Integrated Services Routers and reduces down-the-line expenses by permitting field installation of new modules when they become available. Compared to previous Integrated Services Routers, Cisco's Integrated Services G2 routers offer 2-7 times higher throughput, substantially more, and easier maintenance. All ISR Generation 2 routers support GE switching and include multi-core processors and multigigabit fabric for higher throughput. Integrated Services Generation 2 routers also offer intelligent power control for better energy efficiency.
A major innovation with Integrated Services G2 routers is the Cisco IOS Software Universal image which contains all of the Cisco IOS feature sets so that you can rapidly authorize and activate extra services as required without having to acquire and transfer a new IOS Software image over to yourrouter. Progent's group of CCIE network consultants can provide world-class skills to assist your business to plan, configure, and support multi-site deployments of Cisco ISR Generation 2 routers that enhance branch office productivity and cut the price of expansion and maintenance.
Cisco's ISR 800 Family of Routers
Cisco's 800 Series of ISR routers has been functionally replaced by the higher performance Cisco ISR 900 series but remains widely deployed. Cisco's comprehensive line of 800 Series ISR routers consists of desktop devices intended for small businesses, branch locations, retail shops, teleworkers, and clients of broadband service providers. Many models in Cisco's 800 product line have been developed with various options over the course of many years. The 881 line of ISR routers suggests the wide array of options offered within Cisco's 800 product family. Various models in Cisco's 881 Series router portfolio can support unified media networks by providing IP voice and video, Wi-Fi and cellular wireless and data in one integrated appliance. Advanced security can include encryption, VPN tunneling, firewall, and URL filtering. For business continuity, available options for Cisco 881 ISR routers include duplicate wide area network connections or support for landline high-speed WAN links such as DSL plus multiple 3G and 4G wireless WAN connections all on a single appliance.

The baseline Cisco 881 includes a 4-port 10/100-Mbps managed switch that delivers 15 Mbps performance, support for up to 20 users, two-port integrated PoE, and IPv6 support. The Cisco 881W router supports 802.11g/n Wi-Fi. The 881 SRST router features 4 FXS ports and 1 FXO port for PSTN failover with Cisco Survivable Remote Site Telephony. With a Cisco Unified Border Element (CUBE) license, Cisco's 881 ISR router allows SIP trunking to replace outdated PRI lines or foreign exchange-office (FXO) voice connectivity to a PSTN carrier. CUBE-based SIP trunks can also support offsite call agents in Cisco Call Center environments.
Cisco 4000 Series ISR Routers
The Cisco 4000 Series ISR Routers are modular and expandable routers designed for organizations with a large number of branch offices and offsite workers who need direct communication with private data centers as well as public clouds via VPN tunnels and the Internet. The 4000 series provides the bandwidth required for hybrid WAN environments to support mobile workers, cloud services, and multimedia applications by utilizing WAN optimization, deep packet inspection, and traffic-management techniques. Devices in Cisco's 4000 Series run Cisco's powerful IOS XE software, come in a 1-rack-unit (RU) or 2RU package, are able to handle as much as 2 Gbps of traffic, and can include up to 3 interface slots, 2 service module slots, 4 built-in 10/100/1000 Ethernet switches, and 8 CPU core server modules. Cisco ISR 4000 models support integrated Gigabit Ethernet, T1/E1, T3/E3, PRI and xDSL. To handle unified communications, the 400o ISR offers extensive edge support technology for policy-enhanced session border control, telephony fault tolerance, and Time Division Multiplexing gateways.

The primary difference between Cisco's 4400 and 4300 Series is redundant power supply capability in the 4400 Series, providing a higher degree of fault tolerance. The 4321 ISR Router has a 1 RU desktop form factor with two network interface modules (NIMs), delivers up to 100 Mbps performance, and allows up to 240 Digital Voice and Video Channels. Cisco's 4331 ISR Router comes in a 1 RU form factor and includes two NIMs, offers as much as 300 Mbps performance, and allows up to 360 Digital Voice/Video Channels. The 4351 Integrated Services Router has a 2 RU form factor with three network interface modules, offers up to 400 Mbps performance, and supports 720 Digital Voice and Video Channels. Cisco's dual power supply 4431 ISR Router has a 2 RU package and includes three NIMs, provides as much as 1 Gbps throughput, and supports 720 Digital Voice/Video Channels. The fault-tolerant 4431 Integrated Services Router has a 2 RU package with three NIMs, delivers up to 2 Gbps performance, and can handle 1200 Digital Voice/Video Channels.
Cisco's WAN Edge Routers and Carrier-class Routers
Cisco's WAN aggregation and service provider routers can provide larger businesses with high-performance, protected headends to aggregate satellite office and off-site traffic and to offer ISPs cost-effective wide area network edge routing. Cisco's WAN aggregation and service provider router product line includes the ASR 1000 product line and the 9000 ASR routers.

Progent's nationwide team of Cisco CCIE network engineers have in-depth experience working with enterprises and service providers to plan optimal installations and seamless upgrades of Cisco's midrange and carrier-class routers. Progent's GIAC-certified information assurance experts can provide objective, independent network security inventory evaluations, penetration testing and advanced Security information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions to help enterprises that use Cisco's Aggregation Services Routers to comply with business standards and statutory regulations for IT information protection and incident reporting. Progent also can provide expertise with Horizon3.ai's NodeZero platform for threat assessment. NodeZero relies on AI technology to streamline the vulnerability assessment cycle of discovering security gaps in network perimeters and inside the internal network, recommending remediation, fixing weaknesses, and confirming fixes.
Cisco ASR 1000 WAN Edge Routers
Cisco's ASR 1000 Aggregation Services line of routers is positioned in the center of Cisco's midrange devices that focus on aggregating services at the WAN edge. ASR 1000 WAN Edge routers offer a small form factor, single-product answer for large businesses who need satellite office aggregation at supergigabit Ethernet performance. ASR 1000 Series routers introduce an innovative architecture that combines on-board acceleration with programmable versatility to offer a multitude of simultaneous services without sacrificing consistent responsiveness.
ASR 1000 routers include Cisco's proprietary QuantumFlow Processor composed of 40 purpose-built Packet Processing Engines (PPEs) that in combination can support up to 160 simultaneous processor threads. This multi-processing structure, combined with on-board acceleration for every service, allows the top-of-the-line ASR 1006 router to expand up to 128 hardware queues, 32K clients, 4K IPsec tunnels at 10K sessions per second, and 2 million Netflow log records. This CPU capability allows Cisco's ASR 1000 WAN Edge routers to deliver a broad range of sophisticated services concurrently in massive volume while avoiding performance decay that could violate adherence to service level agreements. Examples of these services include IOS Firewall, intrusion-detection services, NAT, FPM, and in-line deep packet inspection. The ASR 1000 also allows sophisticated traffic management for applying numerous levels of Quality of Service to a data packet in one operation, improving the user experience for next-generation multimedia applications.
Cisco ASR 9000 Series Routers
Cisco's ASR 9000 Series Aggregation Services Routers are designed as edge routers for carriers who are required to deliver the highest quality HD multimedia services to home, commercial, and mobile users by providing continual availability, high speed, and application-aware intelligence. All models in the ASR 9000 family of Routers are powered by Cisco's IOS XR, a distributed OS built for continuous uptime. Performance of the Cisco ASR 9000 line of Routers can be expanded up to 96 Tbps per system. the ASR 9000 portfolio of Aggregation Services Routers can handle high-density Gigabit Ethernet (GE), 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and 100 GE and feature fully redundant fabric and power modules, power entry modules, and fan trays plus backup switch fabric.
The Cisco ASR 9001 platform is a provider-edge router that comes in a 6 RU package with 120 Gbps of full-duplex fabric capacity. The Cisco ASR 9001 has two bays to support port adapters for 1 GE, 10 GE, and 40 GE. The base chassis incorporates four 10 GE SFP+ ports and ports for Stratum 1 clocking, BITS, and management. The ASR 9904 Router comes in a 6 RU form factor and provides line-rate 10 GE and 100 GE connectivity in space-limited environments. The 4-slot router can support up to 4 Tbps of capacity in one chassis. The ASR 9912 platform has a 30 RU form factor and includes 10 line-card slots that can handle up to 550 Gbps of throughput. The ASR 9912 has 2 route CPUs as well as 6+1 Fabric Cards to provide N+1 redundancy.
How Progent Can Help Your Business with Cisco Routers
Progent's CCIE and CCNP certified engineers can help your company to plan, setup, and support a converged business network that can streamline processes, lower expenses, and speed time to positive ROI. By combining Cisco integrated services routers with Catalyst switches support and Catalyst and Meraki Wi-Fi wireless expertise, Progent can significantly enhance the business value of your network infrastructure. Progent offers on-premises and off-site support and can provide data center support throughout the U.S.
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