TheCisco®10000SeriesRouterintroduces
new forwarding hardware, interface
®
modules, and Cisco IOS
application and utility of the platform has
expanded, offering exciting opportunities
for service providers in the areas of service
definition and reduced operational
expenditure. The focus of the Cisco 10000
Series remains at the edge of the service
provider network.
The network edge has seen transformation
over the past years, with ever-increasing
demands on scalability, performance,
availability, and cost reductions. With its
new capabilities, the Cisco 10000 Series is
positioned to lead this market and define
the next wave of services and solutions.
The Cisco 1000 Series Performance
Routing Engine (PRE-2) offers a quantum
leap in scalability, performance, and
features over its predecessor (the PRE-1).
Coupled with the introduction of OC-48c/
STM-16c uplink modules, the solution is
positioned for higher-speed, higher-density
edge applications. The latest Cisco IOS
Software expands the Cisco 10000 Series
legacy in high-density leased-line and
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)
applications, to include a full-featured
broadband aggregation suite.
This document provides a guideline to
applicationsbestsuitedfortheCisco10000
Series with its latest enhancements.
Software. The
Broadband Aggregation
The term “broadband” coversmany access
technologies, including high-speed,
fixed-access circuits and wireless solutions.
For the purposes of this document,
broadband access is defined as subscriber
connections (business and residential)
accessing the service provider network over
DSL technologies. The Cisco 10000 Series
does not physically terminate DSL circuits
(this is therole of aDSL access multiplexer
[DSLAM]).Itsrole is to aggregate the many
thousands of ATM virtual circuitsbetween
central office locations and a service
provider’s IP network.
Ethernet is another broadband technology.
Long-range Ethernet is emerging as an
alternative to DSL technology in many
metropolitan regions throughout theworld
It is likely to appear as an alternative
transport medium for DSLAMs competing
with ATM.
Ethernet is placed under the “broadband”
umbrella The Cisco 10000 Series offers
aggregationservicesforsubscribersarriving
through traditional ATM broadband as
well as Ethernet broadband. With a rich
history in ATM connectivity and services,
the Cisco 10000 Series is optimized for
ATM-based broadband aggregation,
offering world-class scalability,
performance, and features.
Leased-line aggregation includes “fixed-access” circuits generally focused on connecting business customers to a
service provider network. Products or services offered over such circuits usually fall into one of two categories:
Internet access and virtual private networks (VPNs).
Three main access mediums existfor theleased-line space—time-division multiplexing(TDM) circuitsin the formof
point-to-point connections, Frame Relay permanentvirtual circuits(PVCs), and ATM PVCs.As withthe broadband
application space, Ethernet is becoming more prevalent, with many providers offering alternative high-speed
applications with the technology.
Internet Access and VPNs
Access medium and Layer 2 protocol selection are extremely important to the service provider—they ultimately
define the infrastructure, scalability, performance, and cost of a network. However, many customers of service
providers do not buy access circuits—these are just a means to an end product, such as Internet access or VPNs.
Internet Access
Internet access hasbeen the mainstay for service providers overthe past fiveyears with literally tens ofthousands of
businesses worldwide connecting through access networks to the Internet.
VPNs
VPNs have become acritical business driver asorganizations worldwide rely moreon the distribution ofWeb-based
information and applications. Most enterprise and medium-sized businesses now offer intranet-based services for
everyday operations, and service providers want to be part of this next wave of IT by offering outsourced services.
Much of the high revenue growth over the coming years for the service provider will come from the VPN market.
Many protocols and follow-on applications have been driven by the VPN requirements including protocols and
applications. Cisco has been at the forefront defining such technologies and standards. Multiprotocol Label
Switching (MPLS) is the leading technology used to build scalable VPNs. Many of the world’s largest service
providers have built extensive MPLS networks withCisco products, and arenow offering VPN servicesto thousands
of business organizations.
The Cisco 10000 Series offers a comprehensiveand scalable MPLS feature set and isa leading provider-edge router
in the Ciscoportfolio. Theproduct’sMPLS capabilitiesspan both leased-line andbroadband applications, thelatter
being a growth market in remote working environments. Broad MPLS feature support is becoming increasingly
important as the market matures. The integration of leased-line and broadband capabilities is critical to meet the
needs of service providers wishing to consolidate infrastructure at the network edge.
General Overview of Broadband Remote Access Server
The Cisco 10000 Series provides aggregation andconnectivity services betweenthe service provider’s access network
and the core IP network (Figure 1).
Figure 1
Service Provider Network Architecture
ATM Network
Cisco
IP Network
Subscriber
DSL
DSLAM
Access
10000
Series
EdgeCore
The access network consists of two main elements: DSL connections between the central office and customer
premises, and an ATM network connecting central offices to the service provider points of presence (POPs). The
access network is responsible for delivering subscriber connections in bulk to the service provider’s IP edge.
The core networkusually consists ofhigh-speed routers meshedtogether with high-speedoptical circuits, providing
connectivity between regional POPs and peering points for Internet access.
The Cisco 10000 Series performs a pivotal role in the aggregation and termination of access technologies,
authentication services, and the switching and routing of IP packets to and from the core.
Baseline Attributes for the Cisco 10000 Series Broadband Remote Access Aggregator
ATM services—A full spectrum of ATM interfaces is available from DS3/E3 copper through to OC-12/STM-4
high-speed optical. Interface choice is coupled with industry-leading densities and the highest scalability of virtual
circuits. The Cisco 10000 Series offers several ATM service classes, including unspecified bit rate (UBR); UBR+;
variable bit rate, non-real time (VBR-nrt); and constant bit rate (CBR) with scalable, accurate shaping at both the
virtual circuit and virtual path layers.
Scalable provisioning services—Industry-leading authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) and Remote
AuthenticationDial-InUserServices(RADIUS)provisioningofbulkconfigurationswiththe“VirtualCircuit Range”
application. Zero-touch provisioning of virtual circuits with the “Auto-Configure” application.
Widest range of high-touch services—Using the Cisco 10000 Series Parallel Express Forwarding (PXF) adaptive
architecture, many per-virtual circuit services are available with zero effect on system performance or scalability.
From per-virtual circuit access control lists (ACLs) through IP multicast to extensive IP qualityof service (QoS), the
Cisco 10000 Series continues to lead the industry with high-value embedded services.
High availability—The Cisco 10000 Series has set the standard with high-availability features for the edge leased-line
aggregationspace. Much of the same technology and applications are used for broadband, enabling service providers
to confidently scale subscriber sessions and performance attributes without the fear of prolonged network outages.
As the concentration of subscriber aggregation on the Cisco 10000 Series increases, the requirement for advanced
high-availability features becomes greater.
RFC 1483/2668 and Remote Bridge Encapsulation (RBE) are synonymous with ATM virtual circuits—they are
traditionally used by service providers that “terminate” subscriber virtual circuits at the network edge and “route”
traffic into the core for Internet orVPN services. The main difference between the two protocols is in thearea of IP
management. RFC 1483/2668 relies heavily on manual provisioning of addresses and routes per subscriber, while
RBE uses DynamicHost Configuration Protocol (DHCP) technology to automatethe provisioning ofaddresses and
routes. RBE is much simpler to provision and offers far greater scalability attributes than RFC 1483/2668.
Many service providersuse theseprotocols for business-classInternet access, particularly where cheaperDSL access
circuits are replacing leased lines. The point-to-point and “always-on” nature of these services make them ideal
candidates for such access protocols. Both protocols are used extensively throughout the broadband application
space, with an installed base of many millions of subscribers.
The subscriber experience is often defined at the broadband remote access server (BRAS) by using ATM or IP-level
rate-limiting capabilities. Both ATM trafficshaping andIP policing/shapingare supported onthe Cisco10000 Series
platform, offering scalable and accurate solutions for both environments (Figure 2).
Figure 2
RFC1483/2668 and RBE
DHCP
Cisco
Subscriber
DSLAM
ATM
10000
Series
IP Network
IPIP
RFC 1483/2668 or RBE
ATM
The Cisco 10000 Series offers a comprehensive Cisco IOS Software feature set that has proven reliability,
interoperability, scalability, and performance for both applications. RFC 1483/2668 is also used extensively for
leased-line applications. The Cisco 10000 Series has supported this protocol for more than three years, and has
thousands of ports terminated.
Point-to-Point Protocol Termination and Aggregation
Two main types ofPoint-to-Point Protocol(PPP) are used throughoutthe broadband space: PPPover ATM (PPPoA)
andPPPoverEthernet(PPPoE). PPPoE can be transported on either ATMvirtual circuits (PPPoEoA) or over Ethernet
(PPPoEoE). In this section, all subscriber connections will arrive on ATM virtual circuits.
PPP has the flexibilityto span two broadbandarchitectures. The PPPTermination and Aggregation (PTA) methodis
typical for retail applications, andthe “tunneled” method is typicalfor the wholesale architecture. Thissection will
concentrate on the PTA solution (Figure 3).
Service providers that wish to terminate theATMand PPP access protocols and route subscribers’IP packets into the
core network canchoose either the PPPoA or PPPoEoA protocols in the PTAarchitecture. The PPPoEprotocol uses
a PPP client on the subscriber PC and offers the ability to run multiple PCs (or sessions) over a single ATM virtual
circuit. Conversely, the PPPoA protocol offloads the client to the customer premises equipment (CPE). This makes
the configuration of the PC much simpler, but only a single PPP session is supported per DSL connection.
PPPoX protocols are synonymous with the residential broadband market. This popular protocol provides a
well-understood method forsubscriber authentication and IP address management. It has a stronglegacy in thedial
market; consequently,many service providersare comfortable withits deployment. It also offers many features that
enhance scalability and flexibility of service offerings. The Cisco 10000 Series supports a comprehensive PPPoX
application suite, including extensive AAA/RADIUS attributes toallow flexible and scalableprovisioning of services.
One advantage of PPPoX with authentication is service selection. Here, a subscriber can choose a destination
networkor service attributes by selecting different logons or using a Web-basedapplication. This capabilityis known
as Service Selection Gateway.
Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol Architectures
Many service providers offer access to DSL-connected subscribers for the purposes of wholesale services. In other
words, they give subscriber connections to the Internet service provider (ISP) for a percentage of the subscriber’s
monthly subscription. In some cases, a provider will offer both retail and wholesale services. Retail services are
usually reserved for a service provider’s ownISP and willuse aPTAarchitecture, while wholesale services are offered
for alternative ISPs and use tunneling technologies such as Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L2TP).
L2TP technology allows the carrier to present subscriber PPP sessions in bulk to the alternative ISP at a given
remote location, andoffloads authenticationand IPaddress managementservices tothe destinationISP.In theL2TP
model, there are two main devices: the L2TP access concentrator (LAC) and the L2TP network server (LNS). The
Cisco 10000 Series is usually configured as an LAC.
The LAC is situated in the carrier’s POP and provides aggregationfor the Layer 2 access medium (such as ATM). It
also provides aPPP switchingservice for subscribersessions into the appropriate ISP’s L2TPtunnel (Figure 4).After
the session arrives at the destination ISP’s LNS, the PPP session is fully authenticated and IP services are started.
Subscriber IP packets from the LNS are routed to the Internet.
The wholesale provider has little to do with subscriberconnections. The main purpose ofthis architecture is formass
transportation of sessions from the POP to the ISP LNS.
The Cisco 10000 Series operates as a highly scalable LACwith a comprehensive set ofPPP,AAA/RADIUS,and L2TP
attributes. In many cases, an ISP will contract the service provider to dictate the service ratefor the subscriber. This
is usually implemented by ATM traffic shaping capabilities on the Cisco 10000 Series. A single LAC can support
subscriber sessions for many remote ISPs, and it is common to provision a unique L2TP tunnel per destination ISP.
Remote Access to MPLS
RemoteAccesstoMPLS(RA-MPLS)offersservice providers an alternative to L2TP for the provisioning of wholesale
services. Instead of building unique L2TP tunnels per ISP, a unique VPN per ISP is provisioned over an MPLS core
(Figure 5). Layer 2 access protocols are terminated at the service provider’s edge and placed into the appropriate
VPN. Subscriber traffic is routed through the VPN to the destination ISP’s network, and then onto the Internet.
Figure 5
RA-MPLS
RADIUS/AAA
RADIUS/AAA
Cisco
Subscriber
DSLAM
ATM
IP
RFC 1483/RBE or PPPoX
ATM
10000
Series
PE
IP Network
P
P
P
MPLS VPN
P
PE
IP
TheCisco10000SeriesoperatesasahighlyflexibleprovideredgeMPLSdevice, supporting the widest range of Layer
2 encapsulations. It offers an array of per-VPN services, including Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP), AAA/
RADIUS, and DHCP.
The Cisco 10000 Series has provided leased-line aggregation services for tens of thousandsof business customers and
hundreds of carriers (Figure 6). The provider edge is the dividing line between the various access technologies and
networks used topresent customer connectionsto the carrierand the coreIP transport networkused for Internetor
VPN connectivity.
Figure 6
Leased-Line Architecture
TDM/SONET
ATM
Cisco
10000
IP Network
Series
Frame Relay
AccessEdgeCore
The Cisco 10000 Seriesprovides severalservices atthe edge,from Layer2 circuittermination toadvanced switching
and IP routing, along with many IP services.
Baseline Attributes for the Cisco 10000 Series Leased-Line Aggregator
Interface diversity and density—Offers one of the broadest ranges of physical and logical interfaces in the industry,
from low-speed copper to high-speed optical channelized. All major worldwide interfaces are supported, enabling
the global service provider to select a single product for worldwide deployments. Using high-speed channelized
interfaces, the Cisco 10000 Series is able to boast the highest interface densities in the industry.
High-performance IP services—Using the Cisco 10000 Series PXF adaptive processing architecture, the range of IP
services continues to expand as the product and market matures. The Cisco 1000Series Performance Routing Engine
(PRE-2) expands the Cisco 10000 Series link efficiency mechanisms to include Multilink Frame Relay, and many
other IP services have been enhanced over the PRE-1 implementation.
Rich MPLS feature set—Many service providers are deploying VPN-based solutions for additional revenue growth
in 2003 and beyond. The Cisco 10000 Series has proven its versatility, performance, and availability as a
next-generation provider edge router. The PRE-2/Full Sail release builds on this feature set to expand and increase
performance in this important application space
Leased-Line Aggregation Architectures and Applications
Channelized Aggregation Architecture
The Cisco 10000 Series was introduced to the service provider market more than three years ago. From the start, it
has focused on the aggregation of low-speed, very-high-density leased-line circuits by using channelized interfaces
(Figure 7).
Figure 7
Channelized Architecture
Channelized
Interface
T1/E1
Cisco
10000
Series
IP Network
TDM/SONET
IP
IP
PPP or HDLC
SONET/SDH
The Cisco 10000 Series offers the widest suite of channelized modules, ranging from copper E1/T1to optical O-12/
STM-4, allowing the Cisco 10000 Series the diversity for all leased-line applications. Recent channelization
enhancements to the optical modules help ensure worldwide coverage of configuration options. In a typical Cisco
10000 Series application, the provider usually situates the aggregator in a centrally located POP and backhauls
individual customer connections from central offices across the SONET/SDH networks. Add-dropmultiplexers are
devices at either end of the opticalnetwork that provide aggregationof low-speed customer connections(T1/E1) and
aggregation into higher-order optical interfaces in thecentral POP. Popular Layer 2 encapsulationsinclude PPP and
High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC), both with comprehensive support on the platform. Numerous IP services
are fully supported over channelized interfaces, including IP QoS, ACLs, IP multicast, and security services.
Frame Relay Aggregation
Frame Relay continues to dominate service provider markets in many regions and is the preferred technology for
Layer 2 VPNs. Over the past three years, many providers have taken advantage of their investment inFrame Relay
networks for overlay IP services (Figure 8).
Many service providers offer IP Internet accessand VPN products overexisting Frame Relayaccess networks. Frame
Relay packet switched networks allow flexibility to build in contention and to better dimension infrastructure
resources based on traffic profiles, allowing better economies of scale. When aggregating Frame Relay circuits, the
Cisco 10000 Series is usually located in acentral POP and connects to local switch nodesthrough copper or optical
interfaces. Typically, these connections are effected with nonchannelized interfaces. Frame Relay data-link
connection identifiers (DLCIs)are terminated on the Cisco 10000 Series with customer IPtraffic routed throughthe
core network. Frame Relay encapsulation is supported on the full range of packet interfaces, including channelized
and nonchannelized modules. Numerous FrameRelay optionsand servicesare supportedon theplatform, including
traffic shaping and QoS.
ATM Aggregation
ATMis prevalent in many incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) and PTT access networks, and many providers
use the technology as the foundation for multiservice platforms. Over the pastseveral years, ATM has been used to
provide transport services for many applications, including backhaul for DSL servicesand leased-line emulationfor
Internet and VPN services.
Figure 9
ATM Architecture
ATM
Interface
Business
Customer
T1/E1
Cisco
10000
Series
IP Network
ATM
IP
IP
RFC 1483
SONET/SDH
When used as an ATMaggregator, theCisco 10000Series isusually placedin acentral POPand connectedto alocal
ATMswitching node through optical interfaces. ATMvirtual circuits are terminated on the device, and customer IP
traffic destined for the Internet or VPN is routed onto the core network.
The Cisco 10000 Series offers a full range of ATM interfaces, from DS3/E3 copper through OC-12/STM-4. The
platform supports ATM classes of service (CoSs), including UBR, UBR+, VBR-nrt, and CBR with extensive IP QoS
to ATM CoS interworking. A rich ATM feature set is supported, including accurate and scalable traffic shaping as
well as operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) facilities.
Ethernet Aggregation
Ethernet is becoming more prevalent inmetropolitan areas throughoutthe world, withmany providers nowoffering
high-speed Internet and VPN access over local fiber-optic networks (Figure 10).
Figure 10
Ethernet Architecture
Gigabit
Ethernet
Business
Customer
Ethernet
Cisco
10000
Series
IP Network
IP
IP
Ethernet
SONET/SDH
Many enterprise customers use Ethernet technology for the “hub” site within a VPN network. “Spoke” sites are
generally connected to the service provider’sinfrastructure with lower speed fixed circuits, suchas those mentioned
previously. Customer connections are usually defined as 802.1Q virtual LAN (VLAN) logical interfaces under the
main Ethernet interface. The Cisco 10000 Series supports both Gigabit and Fast Ethernet interfaces with a rich set
of high-value IP services, including QoS and ACLs.
Most providers now offer Layer 3 VPN services as service offering of higher value than Internet access. MPLS
technology has allowed providers to target small to medium-sized businesses for outsourced VPN services. The
“build once, sell many” approach of the network design provides scalability and flexibility with respect to VPN
products and services. MPLS provider edge functions and a valuable array of associated features and services are
offered on the Cisco 10000 Series, spanning all interfaces and encapsulations from low-speed broadband to
traditional leased-line applications to high-speed Ethernet.
Combined Broadband and Leased-Line Applications
Figure 12
A Combined Leased-Line and Broadband Architecture
Broadband Protocols
Cisco 10000
Series
VPN
Ethernet
Internet
Acess
Lease-Line Protocols
The demarcation between leased-line and broadbandapplications has becomeless clear overthe past fewyears. DSL
circuits are competing in the traditional leased-line space, with many service providers offering Internet and VPN
services over these lower-cost alternatives to dedicated TDM. The role of the leased-line aggregator has been
expandedtoincludethe termination of many traditional broadband interfaces andencapsulations.Intoday’smarket,
the provider is continuously looking at ways to reduce costs and consolidate the number of edge products.
Combining leased-line and business-class DSL access is one option that many providers are introducing.
Conclusion
The introduction of the Cisco 10000 Series Performance Routing Engine (PRE-2) and associated line cards greatly
expands the utility of the Cisco 10000 Series across numerous service provider edge applications. The introduction
of scalable broadband services and the enhancements to the leased-line application position the Cisco 10000 Series
with Performance Routing Engine (PRE-2) as the market leader. The importance of leased-line and broadband
applications in a single edge device is likely to increase over the coming years, as service providerscontinue to look
at ways toconsolidate infrastructure costs.The Cisco 10000Series is bestpositioned to take advantage of the “new
edge” application with increased flexibility, performance, scalability, and availability.
Cisco Systems, Inc.
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San Jose, CA 95134-1706
USA
www.cisco.com
Tel: 408 526-4000
800 553-NETS (6387)
Fax: 408 526-4100
European Headquarters
Cisco Systems International BV
Haarlerbergpark
Haarlerbergweg 13-19
1101 CH Amsterdam
The Netherlands
www-europe.cisco.com
Tel: 31 0 20 357 1000
Fax: 31 0 20 357 1100
Americas Headquarters
Cisco Systems, Inc.
170 West Tasman Drive
San Jose, CA 95134-1706
USA
www.cisco.com
Tel: 408 526-7660
Fax: 408 527-0883
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Cisco Systems, Inc.
Capital Tower
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Singapore 068912
www.cisco.com
Tel: +65 6317 7777
Fax: +65 6317 7799
Cisco Systems has more than 200 offices in the following countries and regions. Addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers are listed on the
Cisco Web site at www.cisco.com/go/offices
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