MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 8, 1992 -- A new modular router platform designed specifically to provide cost-effective internetworking services in regional and branch office environments has been introduced by Cisco Systems, Inc.

The Cisco 4000 series of three-slot modular routers allows cost-effective mixing of Token Ring, Ethernet and serial interfaces in one chassis.

Three interface module types -- single Ethernet port, single Token Ring port and dual serial port -- can be ordered in any combination, allowing the Cisco 4000 to offer a variety of configurations: two serial ports with one Ethernet or one Token Ring port for branch offices; two serial ports with two Ethernet or two Token Ring ports for regional nodes or larger branches; two serial ports with one Ethernet and one Token Ring port for mixed-media environments; and four serial ports with one Ethernet or one Token Ring port to concentrate up to four branches into a regional office.

First Low-End Option for Multi-Media Internetworking

"Until now there have been no truly cost-effective low-end options for multimedia internetworking that retain high-end modularity and flexibility," said David Gudmundson, Cisco product marketing manager. The Cisco 4000 is the first to address the needs of budget-constrained installations with diverse equipment and changing environments."

Diverse Applications for Regional and Branch Environments

Gudmundson said the Cisco 4000's low cost and modularity make it ideal for use in integrating mixed-media environments, connecting IBM hosts to remote terminals at high speeds, or setting up a regional node to connect branch offices.

In regional offices with both Token Ring and Ethernet LANs, the 4000 can be used to exchange data at a fraction of the cost of a high-end router. The 4000 handles both local data transmission between media types within the office, and remote transmission between offices. One of the serial interface's two ports can be used for dial-on-demand and dial backup, or to provide additional redundancy.

Organizations that handle substantial terminal-to-mainframe traffic can configure the 4000 with four serial ports and one Token Ring port to help consolidate previously separate Token Ring and SDLC SNA networks. Instead of using multiple modems and low-speed serial lines to exchange data between hosts and remote terminals, the user can have high-speed T1 lines routing traffic through a 4000. Transmission is not only dramatically faster, but less expensive because of reduced phone line use. This approach also protects the user's investment in IBM 3274 cluster controllers.

The Cisco 4000 can serve as a regional node, economically connecting branch offices with a larger regional office. Configured with one Token Ring and four serial ports, the 4000 routes traffic from an IBM host at the regional office across T1/E1 lines to branch offices equipped with two-port Cisco 3000 routers connected to local Token Rings or Ethernets.

Platform Overview

The Cisco 4000 lets the network manager plug interface modules directly into the motherboard from the top of the chassis. The unit can be upgraded to accommodate changing requirements simply by sliding out the motherboard, which is mounted on a slideout tray, and inserting new modules. Front and rear panel indicators facilitate monitoring of network activity and interface functions. Aggregate system performance is approximately 14,000 packets per second (Ethernet wire speed).

The Cisco 4000 is based on a 40-MHz MC68030 processor, with 4MB DRAM expandable to 16 MB. The use of Flash EPROMs as a standard feature permits reliable cost-effective remote software updating, maintenance and servicing.

The Token Ring module has a single interface, software-selectable for four or 16 megabits per second, implemented using Texas Instruments' TMS380C16 CommProcessor chip set and Madge driver code. The Ethernet module has a single interface, software-selectable for AUI or 10BaseT connectors, implemented using AMD's 7990 LANCE chip. The serial module has two interfaces supporting data transmission at rates up to 4 Mbps in leased-line, circuit-switched or packet-switched networks (including X.25, SMDS and frame relay).

Fully software-compatible with Cisco's full line of internetwork router/bridges, the Cisco 4000 supports all the advanced features the company has developed for IBM internetworking, including new Phase IV features introduced last week.

Offering the most comprehensive protocol support in the industry, Cisco products support routing for over 15 protocols, including OSI, TCP/IP, DECnet, XNS, IPX, VINES, AppleTalk, SNA NetBIOS and SDLC; optional bridging support for X.25, DDN X.25 and frame relay. Cisco routers also support the RIP, OSPF and IGRP routing protocols and standard SNMP-based network management.

Pricing/Availability

Available beginning in October, the Cisco 4000 is priced from $7,600 to $10,900 (U.S. list), depending on configuration.

Cisco Systems, Inc., is the leading global supplier of high-performance, multimedia and multiprotocol internetworking products, including routers, bridges, communication servers and router management software. Cisco technology can be used to build enterprise-wide networks linking an unlimited number of geographically dispersed LANs. Cisco is publicly traded over-the-counter under the NASDAQ symbol CSCO.

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Posted: Dec 15 14:55:43 1992