Cisco introduced a new packet core platform for mobile networks.
The new Cisco ASR 5500 system, which builds on the packet core foundation acquired with Startent Networks in 2009, brings innovation in the software architecture optimized for signalling-intense smartphone applications. The Cisco ASR 5500 system offers 10x improvement in throughput performance, and introduces the "elastic" software for integrating signaling, data, in-line services, and policy and charging control within a single platform. The elastic software balances processing resources across the control plane, the bearer plane and services.
Cisco's elastic mobile architecture allows applications to intelligently and elastically scale up or down to meet processing requirements. The system is capable of auto-sizing existing network resources to address dramatic variations in network behavior, including access via 3G, 4G and WiFi; along with varying loads of user sessions, transactions, signaling and data throughput.
Services supported include:
- LTE/EPC - Serving Gateway (SGW)
- LTE/EPC - PDN Gateway (PGW)
- UMTS/HSPA - Gateway GPRS Support Node (GGSN)
- CDMA/HRPD/eHRPD - Home Agent (HA).
Cisco ASR 5500 uses the StarOS operating system and offers self-healing capabilities.
Verizon Wireless and Bharti Airtel are already deploying the Cisco ASR 5000 series.
The new Cisco ASR 5500 is available now. http://www.cisco.com
