SAN JOSE, Calif., April 10, 2000 - Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet, today announced the Virtual Private Network (VPN) Module for the Cisco 1700 Series Access Routers. This announcement furthers Cisco's strategy of enabling New World services for the Internet Economy.

VPNs provide a cost-effective, secure way to access networks by delivering the security of private networks when using public or shared infrastructures such as the Internet. As more employees work away from the office and more businesses allow suppliers or other partners access to the network, the need for more robust security features becomes paramount. With the introduction of the VPN module for the Cisco1700 Series Routers, Cisco is offering growing companies and branch offices an enterprise-quality VPN solution that greatly increases data protection, integrity and authentication reducing exposure to security risk. The Cisco 1700 platform has been designed to support voice over data networks, broadband and security for small and medium businesses and small branch offices.

The Cisco VPN Module for the 1700 Series Access Routers helps small/medium businesses (SMBs) and small branch office customers mitigate security risks by deploying industry-leading encryption and data authentication standards. The module performs encryption and other IPsec related tasks in hardware, resulting not only in T1/E1 wire-speed VPN performance, but also freeing up the Cisco 1700 main processor and memory to perform other router, voice and firewall functions.

"As growing companies increase their reliance on the Internet, their need for security increases," said Ron Westfall, senior analyst, Current Analysis. "Just as these businesses would protect the security of their physical location, they need to protect their electronic business as well. Cisco's VPN Module for the 1700 Series Access Router is the latest addition to their robust security offerings for SMBs and enterprise branch offices. By including essential security features such as 3DES and IPsec, Cisco is offering smaller companies the same security measures employed by global enterprises."

Enterprise-Class VPN Functionality

A VPN delivers the benefits of a private network to a private network: security, manageability, and quality-of-service. By enabling secure use of public networks, such as the Internet, VPNs remove the requirement for leased lines, thereby lowering operational expenses. The module implements VPNs through IPsec - an industry-wide standard for assuring the privacy, integrity and authenticity of information crossing public IP networks.

In addition to reducing operational costs, VPNs enable smaller businesses to deploy sophisticated remote access services. For companies that need dial-up links to multiple sites, such as tele-workers or field sales professionals, VPNs are a cost-effective alternative to 800-services and modem banks. By reducing the need for leased lines, deployment of VPNs can reduce costs by as much as half when compared to the use of Frame Relay.

"We often meet with customers who need to provide their smaller sites with a secure remote access solution for their corporate intranet and extranet," said Harry Haramis, master network architect, Exodus Communications. "Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for us to have to sacrifice functionality or performance to meet the budget requirements of these customers. The VPN Module for the Cisco 1700 series will enable us to deliver top-of-the-line VPN performance to our customers at a price that fits their budget."

The module fits into expansion slots in the Cisco 1720 and 1750 router chassis. It encrypts data using DES and 3DES algorithms at speeds suitable for full duplex T1/E1 serial connections. Combined with the Cisco 1700 Series platform, the module enables as many as 100 encrypted tunnels for concurrent sessions with mobile users and other sites. The module's functionality offers premium security while maintaining the performance of application traffic.

In addition to encryption, the module supports a variety of other IPsec-related tasks including hashing, key exchange and storage of security associations. By combining multiple security techniques, companies can minimize the risk of network penetration or data interception. The Cisco 1700 Series Access Routers offer firewall protection, preventing network penetration; certificate management, ensuring that the devices the network communicates with are the intended recipients or disseminators of information; and VPN functionality, protecting data integrity.

"Cisco believes that growing companies should not have to compromise network security," said Joseph Ammirato, director of marketing, Remote Internetworking Business Unit at Cisco Systems. "With the introduction of the VPN Module for the 1700 Series Access Routers Cisco is furthering its efforts to make enterprise-quality security available to small offices. By delivering this level of security to SMBs and small branch offices, Cisco is helping these companies take full advantage of the cost savings achieved by using the Internet."

Cisco 1700 Series Access Routers

The Cisco 1700 Series is a family of secure, modular access routers designed for small offices and small- and medium-sized businesses. It delivers flexibility, integration and investment protection. The Cisco 1700 Series enables customers to tailor an access solution to suit their needs today and cost-effectively implement new services, including VPN access and integrated multiservice voice/data applications as needed.

Pricing and Availability

The Cisco VPN Module for the Cisco 1700 Series Broadband Access Routers are currently shipping with a U.S. list price of $1,000.