Cisco unveiled its next generation core router designed for handling the expected traffic growth of video transmission, mobile devices and new online services through this decade.
The Cisco CRS-3 triples the capacity of its predecessor, the Cisco CRS-1 Carrier Routing System, with up to 322 Terabits per second (Tbps) -- which is 12X of the capacity of its nearest competitor, according to the company. The CRS-3, which represents a $1 billion investment by Cisco, leverages the company's in-house developed QuatumFlow Processors. Several models of the CRS-3 will be offered, with commercial shipments expected later this year. Cisco will continue to offer the CRS-1 core router series.
The Cisco CRS-3 continues to feature the mid-plane design used in the Cisco CRS-1 with a three-stage switch fabric based on a Benes architecture.
Cisco said it is building tight linkages between the Cisco CRS-3, Cisco Nexus family and Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) to enable unified service delivery of cloud services. Several key innovations behind the CRS-3 platform:
- Network Positioning System (NPS) -- provides Layers 3 to 7 application information for best path to content, improving consumer and business experiences while reducing costs.
- Cloud virtual private network (VPN) for Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) -- enables "pay-as-you-go" for compute, storage and network resources by automating Cisco CRS-3 and Cisco Nexus Inter-Data center connections for Cisco UCS.
- Cisco QuantumFlow Array Processor -- which unifies six chips to enable new levels of service capabilities and processing power.
AT&T recently tested the Cisco CRS-3 in a successful completion of a field trial of 100-Gbps backbone network technology, which took place in AT&T's live network between New Orleans and Miami.
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