SAN JOSE, Calif., October 7, 2002 - Cisco Systems, Inc. today unveiled a new compact, three-slot modular switching chassis, the Catalyst® 6503, a new 48-port 10/100 line card that supports Cisco inline power standards for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and Cisco Catalyst 6503 and Cisco Catalyst 6506 switch-based security systems for firewall and virtual private network (VPN) applications. The new additions enable enterprise customers to standardize on one platform with cost-effective, end-to-end deployment options to introduce VoIP in the wiring closet, wireless local area networks (LAN) connectivity, and integrated network security throughout the enterprise.

Consistent Platform from the Wiring Closet to the Network Core

The new 3-slot Cisco Catalyst 6503 chassis complements the existing portfolio of 6-, 9- and 13-slot Catalyst 6500 Series to give customers a single, consistent product line to operate and manage across network topologies. By combining the new, cost-effective 48-port 10/100 Ethernet module with the 1 to 3 second stateful failover capabilities on the Catalyst 6500 Series, customers can support latency sensitive applications, such as VoIP in the wiring closet, for greater uptime in a converged network. The new module will also support the emerging IEEE 802.3af inline power standards via a user-installed "daughter" card to support standards-based VoIP wiring closet deployments in the future.

By using one platform from the wiring closet to the network core, customers can minimize total cost of ownership through a common architecture for optimized compatibility, simplified configurations and reduced training and staffing costs. "The introduction of the Catalyst 6503 and inline power ready Ethernet modules opens the Catalyst 6500 architecture to a wider range of applications and enterprises," stated Current Analysis' Enterprise Infrastructure Principal Analyst, Joel Conover. "Customers have the flexibility to implement the Catalyst 6500 throughout the network for operational consistency and management."

Integrating High Performance Security Services within the Network Infrastructure

The recent introduction of a range of security and content modules can help customers drive a campus-wide security implementation with intrusion detection in the wiring closet, firewall services in the data center, as well as site-to-site virtual private network (VPN) services, and secure sockets layer and content deployment services for secure web server applications. These deployments can be further simplified with the new Catalyst 6503 and 6506 switch-based security systems: Cisco Catalyst 6503 Firewall Security System, Cisco Catalyst 6506 Firewall Security System, Cisco Catalyst 6503 IPsec (IP Security) VPN System, and Cisco Catalyst 6506 IPsec VPN System.

The Cisco Catalyst 6503 Firewall Security System and the Cisco Catalyst 6506 Firewall Security System provide 5 Gbps firewall performance in a chassis with one open module slot or four open module slots, respectively, to give customers the flexibility to add performance, port density, redundancy, or other services such as intrusion detection. Similarly, the Cisco Catalyst 6503 IPsec VPN system and the Cisco Catalyst 6506 IPSec VPN system provide 1.9 Gbps VPN performance in chassis with three modular slots and six modular slots.

"We see great potential for a high-performance, small, Layer 3 switch with redundant power supplies that fits in a 4 rack-unit space," explained Leonard Thompson, LAN/WAN manager, at ARRIS a leading provider of broadband solutions. "By combining a firewall module or a VPN module with the new 10/100 Ethernet module with inline power support in a compact chassis, we can cost-effectively increase network security with redundant configurations that support existing firewall and VPN implementations."

Pricing & Availability

The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series is a key component of Cisco AVVID (Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data) and supports both Catalyst® Operating System and Cisco IOS® Software. The Catalyst 6503 chassis will be available in October 2002 at a starting price of $2,995. The 48-port 10/100 Ethernet modules are available now at a starting price of $5,995. The optional Cisco inline power daughter card for the modules is also available now at a starting price of $1,495.

Each of the Cisco Catalyst 6503 and 6506 switch-based security systems will be available in October 2002. The Cisco Catalyst 6503 Firewall Security System and the Cisco Catalyst 6503 IPsec VPN System will share a common starting price of $59,995. The Cisco Catalyst 6506 Firewall Security System and the Cisco Catalyst 6506 IPsec VPN System will also share a common starting price of $64,995. For more information, please visit http://newsroom.cisco.com.