Feature Story

September 14, 2004

Today networking is no longer about speeds and feeds. It's about services. Anyone can get a fast connection, but what you do with that connection is the key to maximizing network investments and boosting productivity. With the introduction of Cisco Systems' new integrated services routers—the 1800, 2800 and 3800 Series—companies have unprecedented options for the types of communications they can run over their corporate networks. Cisco's new access routers can boost the communications capabilities for branch offices as well as small and mid-sized businesses by supporting integrated data, voice, and video all on one device. And each router comes with a full quiver of embedded, state-of-art security technologies. With the Cisco integrated services routers, organizations are no longer limited to mere "connections." Now they can run all their communications on a single, IP network. Most importantly, these new routers provide crucial building blocks for the future of networking. They are not only impressive machines, but they are key pieces in Cisco's unique systems approach to building networks.

News@Cisco spoke with Mike Volpi, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco's Routing Technology Group, about the new integrated services routers, their role in Cisco's overall networking strategy, and their importance to its customers.

How do the new integrated services routers support Cisco's overall networking strategy?

Mike Volpi: The new integrated services routers are key building blocks to our unique systems approach to networks. Fundamentally, each part of the network must work well together to provide the best value to the customer. Our new integrated services routers deliver that value by helping businesses of all sizes establish the foundation they need to help protect, grow and optimize their networks. Our customers tell us they expect their networks to be highly secure, reliable and adaptable. They want to quickly and confidently deploy the mission-critical business applications they need today while laying a foundation for the future. So, by tightly integrating data, security, voice, and video services inside a single routing system, we're providing them the best of both worlds: the industry's leading security services as part of Cisco's Self-Defending Network plus the most advanced IP Communications solutions and services on the market.

How do the new integrated services routers further Cisco's development of the Intelligent Information Network?

Mike Volpi: The Intelligent Information Network is Cisco's technology vision and roadmap for the evolution of networking over the next three to five years. It charts the move from basic connectivity products to unified network systems. In this multi-phased development, the first phase involves the integration of security, voice and wireless LAN capabilities into core switching and routing products, enabling platforms that can cost-effectively deliver on the promise of a converged network. The capabilities of the new integrated services routers bring a large part of this first phase of the Intelligent Information Network to fruition.

An integrated, systems approach to networking has obvious advantages, but customers still want high-performance components. How does Cisco's new integrated services routers address this requirement?

Mike Volpi: Well, by embedding and integrating security, voice, and video services inside the router customers gain modularity and adaptability. Because these services are built right into the router's motherboard, the router's "real estate" is increased by freeing up the network modules and interface cards that were formerly used for those services. As a result, customers have more flexibility in the type and number of services they deploy, both today and in the future. With the new integrated services routers, we're providing up to five times the service density, seven times the performance, and four times the memory over the previous generation of products to ensure that customers will have the networking capacity and capabilities they need as their businesses grow. Today, customers can quickly and easily deploy applications like caching for Web application acceleration or software distribution, business video for corporate or educational learning, and network analysis for traffic monitoring. And because of the modularity of the design and flexibility of the network module form factor, customers and service providers will be able to easily add other advanced services as new and innovative offerings become available in the market.

While the new integrated services routers offer significant advantages, how has Cisco addressed the needs of customers who are not ready to upgrade or are concerned about maximizing their future networking equipment investments?

Mike Volpi: Today, the majority of customers expect that their networking equipment will last four to six years. Cisco has responded to the market by delivering products that are "future-proofed" and built to address key requirements such as security and cost-reduction. Customers will find that Cisco's new integrated services routers not only address what they need in the short term but also what they anticipate they'll need in the near and long term—whether that's IP communications, video, wireless, security, or intelligent application services. However, to ensure maximum investment protection for its current customers, Cisco has engineered cross-compatibility between its existing access routers and modules and the new integrated services routers. Plus, Cisco will continue to add new features to its existing generation of access routers and has committed to the availability of the products until at least 2006.

What industries and types of customers will benefit most from the new integrated services routers?

Mike Volpi: Because of the breadth of the new integrated services routers portfolio, they are appropriate for virtually any of our networking customers. Small and mid-sized companies can use them to run their network connections to the Internet and other outside networks, larger enterprises can connect their branch offices and retail sites, and managed services providers can help meet the communications needs of their customers across all horizontal and vertical markets. For example, the integrated services routers will benefit retailers by enabling secure encryption and easy virtual private network deployments for fast, secure credit card transactions. They will help financial institutions by providing better investment protection with higher services modularity and redundancy. Educators can use the new routers for running integrated video for remote learning applications. Government agencies can establish more secure voice communications while gaining an array of productivity boosting IP-based phone applications. And, of course, our service provider customers can extend new capabilities and increased value to their customers.