SAN JOSE, Calif. - September 29, 1997 - Cisco Systems, Inc. today expanded the flexibility ofits 3600 series with the integration of digital modems. The multifunction Cisco 3600 seriesenables enterprise branch offices to consolidate applications, save money and begin buildingextranets to improve internal and external business communications.
The Cisco 3600 series is a highly flexible solution targeted toward enterprise branch officeenvironments and small Internet service providers that require high-performance, high-densityconnectivity for a wide variety of current and emerging applications that include universaldial access and multiprotocol LAN-to-LAN routing. With the integration of Modem ISDN ChannelAggregation (MICA) technologies, the Cisco 3640 can now aggregate as many as 60 analogmodem calls and ISDN B channels over a single dial-in telephone number.
"The Cisco 3600 series delivers the flexibility and performance required to drive all of ourinternal and external networking applications in a single platform," says Jim Williams,President of NTRnet Systems, Inc., a full service Internet service provider based in NorthCarolina . "With the addition of digital modems, this multifunction platform now supports allof our remote users dialing in with a single unified solution backed by the power, security andadvanced features of Cisco IOS Software."
Acquisition Technology Integration
Like the recently announced Cisco AS5300 universal access server, the Cisco 3600 series usesadvanced MICA technologies acquired from Telebit Corp. As with the Cisco AS5300, the Cisco 3600series will support native R2 signaling, the dominant signaling method used for channelized E1networks that are common outside of the U.S.
New digital modem network modules work in conjunction with existing single or dual Primary RateInterface (PRI) network modules to support up to 30 remote modem users per network module. Twonetwork modules support up to 60 concurrent sessions in a single Cisco 3640 chassis. With theaddition of integrated digital modems, the modular Cisco 3600 series now supports all currentforms of dial network access, including multiple ISDN Basic Rate Interfaces (BRIs) andhigh-density asynchronous/synchronous interfaces.
Digital Modem Network Modules
The following new network modules will be available for the Cisco 3640, the NM-6DM, NM-12DM,NM-18DM, NM-24DM and NM-30DM, with 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 modems preinstalled, respectively.Additional digital modems can be easily installed on site with six modem MICA-6MOD upgradecards, providing scalable flexibility as remote users are added. Managed modem softwarelicenses are available in six modem increments. Managed Modem Technology License (MMTL)capabilities enable sophisticated central-site modem management that includes real-timecall-in-progress statistics, monitoring modem activity log, modem hard/soft busy out, and theability to remotely upgrade modem firmware.
The new digital modems support all current V.34 modem technologies plus the Rockwell/LucentK56Flex protocol. Software upgrades will support the industry 56K standard when it becomesavailable.
"Over the past year, the Cisco 3600 series has evolved into the 'Swiss army knife' of remoteaccess solutions. With support for universal dial access and high-density Ethernet, FastEthernet and token ring LAN-to-LAN routing, the Cisco 3600 series will continue to be an idealplatform for new technologies as they come to market," said Ian Pennell, director of marketingof the Network-to-User Business Unit in Cisco's Service Provider Line of Business. "There arehundreds of hardware and software configuration options to choose from, each meeting specificmultifunction application requirements emerging in the enterprise branch office extranet."
The Cisco IOS Advantage
The Cisco 3600 series supports advanced Cisco IOS Software features that enable enterprisebranch office network administrators to securely scale their solutions as user and applicationrequirements grow. Features such as Multichassis Multilink PPP (MMP), the Cisco Stack GroupBidding Protocol (SGBP) and Layer 2 Forwarding (L2F) enable the stacking of Cisco 3600 seriesaccess servers jointly with Cisco AS5300s to aggregate thousands of incoming calls over asingle dial-in telephone number. Cisco IOS software maximizes dial bandwidth through featuressuch as bandwidth on demand and protocol spoofing that significantly reduce line usage and thecosts associated with a remote access solution.
Other value-add software features include the ability to assign individual modems with dial-outcapabilities, comprehensive debugging tools, and broad network management capabilities viaCiscoWorks 4.0. Secure access concerns are addressed with full support for TACACS+, ChallengeHandshake Authentication Protocol/Password Authentication Protocol (CHAP/PAP), and 56-bit DataEncryption Standard (DES) software-based encryption.
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) is theworldwide leader in networking for the Internet. athttp://www.cisco.com.
Cisco IOS is a trademark, and Cisco, Cisco Systems, and the Cisco Systems logo areregistered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All othertrademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
