ATLANTA, Sept. 12, 1994 -- Cisco Systems has introduced two integratedaccess router/wiring hubs that combine in a single box all the LAN/WANrouting and wiring concentration functions needed to connect small remoteoffices to corporate internetworks.
The two new models of the Cisco 2500fixed-configuration accessrouter incorporate managed hub functionality to provide users with 8 or 16Ethernet repeated ports. Versions with 8 or 16 Token Ring repeated portsare under development.
Result of Cisco-LanOptics Joint Development Pact
The products are the result of an October 1993 jointdevelopmentagreement between Cisco and LanOptics Ltd. of Israel, under which thetwofirms teamed to integrate Cisco's router technology with LanOptics' hubtechnology for distributed corporate network applications.Kevin Kennedy, Cisco's director of access products, said, "Theemergence of networking at more and more small sites has raised concernover the cost of equipment for those sites and the level of local expertiseneeded to set up and operate that equipment. This concern is presentwhether a Fortune 1000 company is extending its corporate internetwork tooutlying branches, or a small business wants to link up a few officesaround town.
"Our new products address these concerns by combining hubbing androuting in a single box without sacrificing any of the capabilities ofeither. The customer need only install, configure and manage one box,without worrying about externally cabling two devices together. He savesmoney and space in the bargain. And adding a new user simply meansplugging in an RJ-45 jack."
Full Suite of Cisco IOS Routing Features
The two integrated router/hubs offer the full suite of protocols andfeatures available on Cisco's Internetwork Operating System (IOS) with thestandard Cisco 2500 models. In addition to one logical Ethernet interface(which through 10BaseT RJ-45 connectors becomes 8 or 16 repeated LANports), each unit has two synchronous serial interfaces operating at up toT1/E1 speeds, and one low-speed asynchronous serial interface. The unitssupport such packet- and circuit-switched services as Frame Relay, X.25,X.25 DDN, SMDS, V.25bis and ISDN, as well as dial-on-demand routing (usingWAN links only when necessary) and dial backup (bringing up a secondarydial-up link when a primary leased line fails or is congested). Alsoavailable are SDLC consolidation (connecting a local SDLC device to acorporate internet via a synchronous port), and Telnet/LAT/X.25 protocoltranslation.Hub ports and router interfaces can be configured via Telnet or Cisco'sPC-based Configuration Builder software, and can be managed locally orremotely through the CiscoWorksseries of management applications and other SNMP-basedmanagement systems.
Each unit is available with one of three feature sets of Cisco'sInternetwork Operating System: the basic IOS IP feature set, themission-specific IOS Desktop feature set or the comprehensive IOSEnterprise feature set. All include Cisco's AutoInstall feature, whichallows fast, economical router installation with no technical expertise ateach remote site.
Pricing and Availability
Cisco's integrated router/hub products will be available in November.Price ranges (U.S. list) are as follows, with specific prices depending onthe IOS feature set selected.
Model 2505: 8 Ethernet repeated ports $3,095 - $4,595 Model 2507: 16 Ethernet repeated ports $3,595 - $5,095Both models include two synchronous serial ports, one low-speedasynchronous serial port, 4 MB of Flash EPROM and 2 to 6 MB of system DRAM(expandable to 18 MB) depending on the IOS feature set chosen.
Since the Cisco 2500 family of remote access routers wasintroduced inJanuary 1994, more than 40,000 units have been shipped to customers.
Posted: Wed Dec 9 11:57:42 PST 1998
