Cisco Debuts XR 12000 Series Routers

Cisco Systems introduced its new Cisco XR 12000 Series router, featuring secure virtualization, continuous system operation, and multiservice scalability. The Cisco XR 12000, which is powered by the same Cisco IOS XR software as the full-size Cisco CRS-1 Carrier Routing System, scales from 2.5 Gbps to nX 10 Gbps per slot.


The Cisco XR 12000 leverages a Service Separation Architecture (SSA) to isolate public and private services through the secure virtualization of a single router into separate physical and logical routing domains. The Service Separation Architecture allows service providers to consolidate multiple networks and services onto a single, "virtualized" platform while keeping each network and service instance separate and secure. This includes the complete physical separation of network and system resources between each logical routing instance on the Cisco XR 12000. Traffic flows and management-and control-plane functions are isolated on a per-routing instance.


The Cisco XR 12000 platform leverages distributed processing intelligence to scale services like FR/ATM, L2/L3 VPNs. Cisco's new Interface Flexibility (I-Flex) design for Shared Port Adapters (SPAs) and SPA Interface Processors (SIPs) supports a wide range of interface options for the Cisco XR 12000 Series.


The Cisco XR 12000 Series is expected to be available in June 2005. The base configuration for the Cisco XR 12000 starts at a list price of $45,500. Upgrade options for the Cisco 12000 routers start at a list price of $12,500. Four models are available.


Service providers currently evaluating the platform include BellSouth, the China Education and Research Network (CERNET), KDDI Labs, Germany's national research and education network (Deutsches Forschungsnetz), and New York's NYSERNet.
http://www.cisco.com/go/ipngn