Evaluation report of Cisco ISR 881 set into multi-service routers

The appearance of "one machine" brings the efficient and quick office way for the enterprise. In today's network era, the new form of "network integration machine" will bring us what kind of new office form? Cisco ISR 881 is a multi-service router (Cisco 881) can be called a "network integration machine", he integrated the router, firewall, IPS, IPSec VPN, VoIP and wireless connection, and many other practical network functions greatly expand the user's network applications. It provides a new working mode for the network office of Small and Medium-sized enterprises and branch offices.

Cisco ISR 881 integrates multiple service routers

Cisco 881 provides four of the 10/100 Gigabit Fast Ethernet interfaces (LANs) that can be managed by the switch, with VLAN support and two ports that support power over Ethernet (PoE) for IP telephony or external access points. A 10/100 Gigabit Fast Ethernet Interface (WAN) for routing management can provide high-performance broadband access services for small organization and remote worker sites with a management interface and support of 802. 11n Wireless connection. A firewall capable of supporting advanced applications that can monitor e-mail, im instant Messaging and HTTP traffic, inter-site remote access and dynamic VPN services, including: IP security (IPSEC) VPN (triple Data Encryption Standard [3DES] or Advanced Encryption Standard [AES]), Dynamic multi-point VPN [DMVPN], which supports the board-accelerated group Encrypted Transport VPN and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) VPN. And with intrusion prevention system (IPS): This depth packet detection function can be effective to prevent pan-wide network attacks. Content filtering can be used to block keywords, protect against adware, malware, spyware, and URL blocking. Cisco 881 also provides 802.11g/n selection for mobility and the quality of Service (QoS) features needed to optimize voice and video applications. In addition, the Web-based Configuration tool Cisco Configuration Professional (CCP) simplifies setup and deployment, while centralized management enables network administrators to view and control the network configuration of remote sites.

Virtual Office: "Office" with You

The combination of the above features enables Cisco 881 to provide users with a new office mode, Virtual office. It can form a virtual office in the network, even if far away, like in the same office for office! Let's take a look at how such a virtual office works.

--Reliable remote connectivity

Information interchange is a difficult problem to be solved in branch offices of enterprises in different places. Safe and reliable and economical to carry on the real-time transmission to the enterprise internal information, may enhance the enterprise the comprehensive processing ability, thus reasonably effectively allocates to the enterprise internal resources and promotes the enterprise the competitive ability.

Cisco 881 's VPN encryption and integration security features, such as firewalls and intrusion prevention, can protect the network from the perimeter when the branch office connects to Headquarters. IT managers can centrally manage remote sites to quickly troubleshoot various network failures. Integrated secure unified WLAN connectivity simplifies deployment and management of remote site devices, and redundant WAN Links support business continuity and enable uninterrupted business operations. So as to ensure the reliable implementation of remote connection, so that branch offices and headquarters together as a whole. Ensure the real-time and reliable transmission of information within the enterprise.

--instant communication with voice communication

When the branch office communicates with the headquarter, voice communication is also an indispensable key. But the cost of communication has always been a problem for enterprises. Can the branch office in different places be able to communicate with the same voice as some machines in the headquarter?

Cisco 881, while extending the corporate network to secure remote sites, can give users the same access to applications as they do at headquarters. This functionality applies both to data and voice applications, where users can extend the company's telephone extensions to remote organizations via IP telephony. Cisco 881 only needs a single device to meet the visibility and control of remote site network security, and the QoS feature allows IP telephony to connect to routers, giving voice traffic a higher priority than data applications. and users through VoIP software on the computer can use headphones and microphones for IP phone communication, or even through video transmission means to carry out "face-to-face" communication. Cisco 881 also has the Srst function, when the branch office network connection and the headquarters break, Srst can ensure that the branch office IP phone communication is still unaffected, effectively meet the needs of internal voice communication, the enterprise can replace the internal telephone switch work.

--wlan connection eases cabling annoyance

Cisco 881 also incorporates security features such as 802.11g/n features and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), including the ability to support IEEE 802.1X authentication with Cisco Extensible Authentication Protocol (LEAP) and Protected EAP (PEAP). As well as the encryption capabilities that support the WPA temporary Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP). Cisco 881, which contains integrated access points, can use either autonomous or Cisco Unified WLAN mode. In Cisco Unified mode, as part of the enterprise WLAN architecture, all WLAN features are centrally managed through Cisco WLAN controllers and Cisco Wireless control systems.

Performance: Security of application

What is the application performance of Cisco 881, which has such a complete application capability? With this in doubt, the Web World Evaluation Lab tested Cisco 881 for its performance. Test using ixautomate test software to test the network layer performance of Cisco 881, using ixload software to test the performance of Cisco 881, and using IXVPN to test Cisco 881 's VPN performance, The wireless performance of Cisco 881 is tested using Ixchariot. The above software is used in conjunction with the Ixia 1600T test instrument. (See figure I for a Test topology diagram)

Figure I: Cisco ISR881 test topology