SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Cisco® (NasdaqGS:CSCO - News) today announced further enhancements to its Internet Protocol Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) architecture designed to enable the development and delivery of business services with predictable performance. The new Multi-Service Blade (MSB) for the Cisco XR 12000 Series routing platform features integral, route-aware, firewall and video/voice session border control (SBC) functionality for Cisco TelePresence and other advanced applications. These innovations build on the platform's highly secure resource virtualization and continuous systems operation to enable the delivery of multiple services over a single, converged IP infrastructure. The MSB is extensible, enhancing return on investment by enabling new service deployment through the more than 35,000 Cisco 12000 Series Routers currently deployed in service provider networks.

Integration of these functions with the XR 12000 Series Router enables providers to move beyond appliance-based service-level agreement (SLA) management, increasing efficiency of advanced services such as collaboration solutions based on the Cisco TelePresence Meeting Solution. The MSB helps providers eliminate the need for overlay networks and stand-alone appliances to deliver voice, video and network-based security services over Layer 2 and Layer 3 virtual private networks (VPNs). Memory and CPU resources in the MSB are allocated utilizing Secure Virtualization methods pioneered by Cisco for its IOS® XR operating system and originally used to implement router resource virtualization and Secure Domain Routers.

"Service provider networks today must meet strict performance requirements to deliver business-grade IP voice and video services with service-level agreements," said Eve Griliches, research manager, IDC. "By integrating these capabilities as well as quality of service, scalability and high-availability features into the router, providers can better control and manage existing services delivered over their VPNs while easily adding advanced new services such as the Cisco TelePresence Meeting Solution to their portfolios."

Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO)