SAN JOSE, Calif. -- March 9, 1998 -- Cisco Systems, Inc. today announced enhancements to the Cisco AS5200 universal access server including Modem ISDN Channel Aggregation (MICA) technology that enables support for native R2 signaling for global communications. Available as an option on the Cisco AS5200, these new integrated features have been introduced at a price 20 percent below the current AS5200 price, making the Cisco AS5200 with MICA technology the industry's price/performance leader.
The company also announced that according to recent reports from Dataquest and Dell'Oro Group, Cisco continues to gain momentum in the dial access market. Dell'Oro Group's fourth quarter 1997 results show Cisco as the new unit shipment leader for access concentrators at 28.5 percent. The Dataquest results show that Cisco has significantly increased access concentrator market share while maintaining its lead in the access server market. "Cisco shipments grew 30 percent sequentially, and the company is the new shipment leader in the volatile concentrator market," said Ritu Saini, Dataquest analyst. "In addition, Cisco put forth a sterling performance by increasing its revenue 53 percent sequentially in access concentrators, and it continues to lead in the server market."
Cisco AS5200 Universal Access Server: Scalable Price/Performance Leader
The Cisco AS5200 universal access server provides medium-density solutions to meet the needs of midsized and smaller Internet service provider installations and those of medium-sized corporations that provide both digital and analog access to an enterprise network. The platform is unique in offering price/performance leadership in combination with a rich and robust set of features.
With standards-based Cisco IOS software, the Cisco AS5200 supports the Cisco DialOut capability, which allows network users to use Network Access Server (NAS) ports for both inbound and outbound communications. The Cisco AS5200 also supports per-user or group configuration and modem pooling. Additional features include deployment of virtual private dial networks (VPDNs), class-of-service functionality and X.25 and Frame Relay enhancements. Moreover, the Cisco AS5200 benefits from the resiliency, high-availability, scalability and security features designed into Cisco's Dial Access Stacking Architecture (DASA). Comprehensive security solutions include support for both the RADIUS and TACACS+ protocols, access lists and network address translation (NAT) functionality. The redundant backhaul capability provides high availability for geographically dispersed points of presence (POPs), and the rich dial/modem management capability and support for multiple types of signaling round out the platform's complete set of functionality.
MICA Technology, Native R2 Signaling and Support for V.90
The Cisco AS5200 universal access servers will benefit from advanced MICA technology, further extending the leadership price/performance of Cisco dial platforms. MICA technologies support native R2 signaling, the signaling method most commonly used for channelized E1 networks outside the U.S. Introduction of the MICA modems into Cisco AS5200 will also afford price protection to Cisco customers, who will now be able to use the same MICA modules across the Cisco AS5200, AS5300, AS5800 and Cisco 3600 series platforms.
The MICA digital modem technology offers "any-to-any" multisession functionality for current analog modem standards, including K56Flex, supplying value-added functions for ISDN channels and channelized E1/T1. These modems in the Cisco AS5200, AS5300, AS5800 and Cisco 3600 series have a free software upgrade to the recently introduced V.90 draft specification, which is designed to upgrade current K56flex and x2 modems to a new interoperable standard for 56-kbps connectivity. The V.90 draft specification was endorsed on February 6, 1998, by a committee of the ITU in Geneva, Switzerland.
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is theworldwide leader in networking for the Internet. News and information areavailable athttp://www.cisco.com.
Cisco IOS and MICA are trademarks, and Cisco, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.
