News Release

Cisco Delivers High Density Solution to Regional Office Environments

New synchronous/asynchronous module supports new applications at lower price points
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Jan 21, 1997



SAN JOSE, Calif.-January 21, 1997- Cisco Systems, Inc. announcedtoday a new high density synchronous/asynchronous Network ProcessorModule (NPM) for the regional office Cisco 4500 and Cisco 4700 accessrouters that reduces product life cycle costs and simplifies accessmanagement. The new module delivers cost-effective flexible support forhigh density, low-speed WAN aggregation, IBM/Legacy integration andsupport and asynchronous device integration and support.

The new module is equipped with two high speed serial ports thatsupport full duplex T1 and E1 rates (up to 2.048 Mbps) and 16 lowerspeed synchronous/asynchronous ports. The 16 lower speed ports areindividually configurable as either synchronous ports for Wide AreaNetwork (WAN) aggregation at speeds up to 128 kbps or as asynchronousports for modems, terminals, or specialized asynchronous equipment atspeeds up to 115 kbps.

"These high density configurations enable new applications for theregional office at dramatically lower price points," said Kevin Kennedy,vice president and general manager of the Access Business Unit at CiscoSystems. "With an installed base of more than 150,000 Cisco 4000 seriesrouters worldwide, customers can now take full advantage of the modulardesign of these solutions by affordably adding new functionality whileprotecting their initial investment."

High Density, Low Speed WAN Aggregation

Equipped with two of the new NP-2T16S modules, the Cisco 4500 orCisco 4700 now supports as many as 36 synchronous ports. This is asignificant improvement over the previous maximum serial density whichpeaked at eight ports using two of the NP-4T NPMs leaving one NPM slotfor LAN connectivity. This increase in density also makes more efficientuse of the three available module slots and in many cases opens a slotfor additional flexibility.

IBM Serial Concentration

The Cisco 4500 and Cisco 4700 have a proven track record of bothhigh performance and robust Cisco IOS IBM software features includingData Link Switching (DLSw) plus, Synchronous Data Link Control (SDLC),Advanced Peer-to-Peer Networking (APPN) and Bisynchronous support. Thenew NP-2T-16S module significantly increases the customer's ability toupgrade or replace existing network infrastructure with a single Cisco4500 or Cisco 4700.

Asynchronous Integration

Scalable asynchronous support now offered with the NP-2T16S NPMlowers life cycle costs and simplifies regional office accessmanagement. The asynchronous ports support modem callers, asynchronousterminals and specialized equipment including security alarms andautomation equipment. The NP-2T16S NPM is the most cost-effectivesolution to deploy in the regional office as it supports asynchronousconnectivity together with low and high speed serial connectivity.

Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) is the leading global supplier of enterprise internetworking solutions,including routers, LAN and ATM switches, dial-up access servers andnetwork management software. These products, integrated by the CiscoIOS TMsoftware , link geographically dispersed LANs,WANs and IBM networks. Cisco news and product/service information areavailable at World Wide Web site http://www.cisco.com. Cisco isheadquartered in San Jose, CA.

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