Cisco Launches ASR

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- To help service provider and enterprise edge networks simultaneously host an ever-increasing array of resource-intensive integrated data, voice and video business and consumer services, Cisco® today announced the introduction of the Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers (ASR 1000 Series). The ASR 1000 Series features software virtualization to enable "instant-on" provisioning and simultaneous use of a wide range of service functionality, including firewall, IP security virtual private networks (IPSec VPNs), deep-packet inspection (DPI) and Session Border Control (SBC). Such broad-ranging embedded capabilities eliminate the need to deploy multiple single-function appliances in addition to a router, offering dramatic savings in capital costs, operations expenses and reducing users' carbon footprints.

The Cisco ASR 1000 Series is driven by the new Cisco QuantumFlow Processor (QFP), the industry's first fully-integrated and programmable processing engine. The Quantum Flow Processor results in not only outstanding scaling of service intelligence and performance but also in the platform's ability to be retasked to meet many emerging requirements as networking evolves over the coming decade. (See: http://newsroom.cisco.com/dlls/2008/prod_022508c.html.) In addition, The ASR 1000 Series features Cisco IOS® XE software, a virtualized Cisco IOS implementation optimized for compact routers at the edge to deliver in-service software upgrades and software redundancy in a form factor much smaller than previously possible. In addition to the rich Cisco IOS edge feature set, IOS XE provides IOS command line control to provide a familiar look and feel for Cisco IOS users. Together, these silicon and software elements help to make the Cisco ASR 1000 Series, which was purpose-built for edge networks, the most powerful compact router in the market. Cisco invested $250 million U.S. over more than five years in the research and development of the Cisco ASR 1000 Series. This figure includes $100 million invested in the Cisco Quantum Flow Processor.

"Next Generation Networks will enable a broad range of services in a wide variety of combinations, many requiring high-quality, high-definition, bidirectional communication to meet customer demands. In contrast to conventional best-effort approaches, we believe it will be necessary for the edge of network to perform dynamic quality control to flexibly and securely enable aggregation of traffic from broadband services and converged communications," says Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT), executive vice president, Shin Hashimoto. "The Cisco ASR 1000 Series is expected to provide the functions essential for such IP NGNs in a flexible and scalable manner, with the high availability that we and our customers demand."

Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO)