* Cisco set to revamp edge routers
Cisco is readying enhancements to its edge routers that are designed to help corporate and carrier customers support multiple services, such as Ethernet, frame relay, ATM and broadband aggregation, across a wider variety of platforms.
The company says common software features traversing Cisco’s 7200, 7600, 10000 and 12000 lines will let users support services on routers with different configurations and densities instead of having to rely on a specific model for a specific service.
The upgrades, to be rolled out over the next nine months, come at a time when the 20-year-old company faces perhaps the greatest challenge yet to its foundation technology: routing. Cisco lost significant market share in carrier core routing in the third quarter even as it has attempted to navigate a profound product transition to its new top-of-the-line core carrier router, the CRS-1, and its new operating system. Meanwhile, Cisco is fighting off new or reinvigorated competition in the corporate and Asian markets from Juniper and Huawei Technologies.
“While Cisco is in this transition, they remain vulnerable,” says Mark Seery, an analyst at RHK. “There has never been a better time to attack Cisco, especially in the service provider market. However, if Cisco gets through this technology chasm, their position will be extremely strong.”
Cisco was stingy on details of the upcoming enhancements, discussed last week during the company’s annual analyst conference. But the 7200, which serves as a large branch office or corporate aggregator, will see IPSec VPN and other security extensions in a couple of software releases, says Mike Volpi, senior vice president in Cisco’s routing technology group.
The 7600, which is used in enterprise and carrier networks, will inherit the 7200’s VPN features and gain a smaller chassis for lower density requirements as well as software upgrades that will improve its high-availability features. Cisco also plans to increase the router’s performance and unveil line cards to enhance carrier edge capabilities.
Cisco is prepping a next generation of its 10000 series routers, which are used in carrier networks. Volpi says to expect enhanced broadband aggregation features and increased capacity. Cisco also will roll out software upgrades to provide a common release cycle to better align the router’s leased line and broadband aggregation features.
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