Cisco reannounces 10G Internet core router

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A year behind its closest competitor, Cisco now plans to ship 10G bit/sec capabilities for its Internet core routers in March.

At ComNet 2001 last week, Cisco said an OC-192c line card, a four-port OC-48c module and a 320G bit/sec switch fabric for its 16-slot 12016 Gigabit Switch Router (GSR) will be available next month. These products were initially announced in December 1999 along with the 12016.

Cisco's 10G bit/sec capabilities mean enterprise users should expect new high-speed services on more service providers. For example, Sprint will have a 10G bit/sec backbone built on the new Cisco products later this year, says Chris Clark, vice president of Global SprintLink product management for Sprint E|Solutions.

Cisco has a 69% share of the Internet core router market, according to Dell'Oro Group, but was lagging behind rival Juniper Networks in 10G bit/ sec capability. Juniper has been shipping OC-192c since last March.

Qwest Communications, which announced its 10G bit/sec network last week, tested Cisco's gear but opted for Juniper because it was available, a Qwest spokeswoman says. Juniper has steadily gained share from Cisco and now owns 30% of the Internet core router market, according to Dell'Oro's third-quarter 2000 data.

The new 320G bit/sec switch fabric transforms the 160G bit/sec 12016 into what Cisco now calls the 12416. The switch fabric lets the 12016 - or 12416 - run new 10G bit/sec single-port OC-192c and four-port OC-48c packet-over-SONET line cards.

At the time of the 12016 launch 14 months ago, Cisco said the OC-192c blades would see wide deployment in the second half of 2000. That means they're up to nine months late.

What really is new from last week's announcement is a 10-slot, 200G bit/sec version of the GSR, called the 12410. This is a lower-density, 10G bit/sec-capable router that takes up half of a telephone company's rack as opposed to the 12416/12016, which takes up a full rack.

Cisco also plays up the investment protection inherent in a 12000 to 12400 upgrade. Companies with an installed base of 12016 chassis need only replace switch fabrics to gain 320G bit/sec capacity. Chassis, line cards and software remains the same, and OC-192c ports can be added as needed.

"Cisco has allowed us to upgrade the basic router to the denser line cards," Sprint's Clark says. "That suits our needs."

Conspicuously absent from Cisco's 12400 rollout was any mention of terabit scalability. Cisco had a compelling 5 terabit/sec story to tell when it announced the 12016 in late 1999, but such was not the case with last week's 12400 launch, leading to speculation that Cisco's terabit story is not resonating with service providers.

Sprint, which says it helped Cisco develop the 12000 GSR, was evasive when asked if it is involved in the "Teracore" development and what the status of that development is.

"I'd prefer to have Cisco answer that question," Clark says.

Cisco's terabit strategy is still evolving, says Robert Redford, a Cisco marketing official.

"We're looking at ways to do it better," Redford says. "The need for terabits is still a little bit farther out there. Customers wanted 10G bit/sec first."

The 12400 routers and 10G bit/sec line cards will ship in March. The 12410 starts at $120,000 and the 12416 starts at $130,000.