Cisco offers a new compact router for broad-ranging integrated services

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 has introduced the ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers. The ASR 100 Series features software virtualisation 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,” Cisco says.

The ASR 1000 Series is driven by the new QuantumFlow Processor (QFP), claimed to be the industry’s first fully-integrated and programmable processing engine. The Quantum Flow Processor it the ability to be re-tasked to meet many emerging requirements as networking evolves over the coming decade.

In addition, The ASR 1000 Series features IOS XE software, a virtualised IOS implementation optimised 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 IOS edge feature set, IOS XE provides IOS command line control, to provide a familiar look and feel for 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 says.