The Cisco CRS-1 is a non-blocking, self-routed multishelf system that scales from 1.2 to 92 Tbps. The system features the industry's first OC-768c/STM-256c IP interface and supports up to 1152 40-Gbps line-card slots. The system scalability of the Cisco CRS-1 reduces total cost of ownership by simplifying today's networks while protecting investments in capital equipment.
A single CRS-1 rack with 16 slots can process 1.2Tbps (bits per second) of traffic. The system as a whole can grow far beyond that, to 72 network-interface racks and eight special chassis to interconnect those boxes into one virtual system. Speed is a big selling point of the new system, including its 40G-bps WAN (wide area network) interfaces.
Cisco claims that The Cisco CRS-1 will set a new industry standard for reliability, IP service flexibility and scalability, which will enable service providers to become more cost-efficient while delivering a new suite of exciting, multimedia services to business and residential customers. It also claims that the CRS-1 is designed with scalability and in-service upgradeability to last at least 10 years.
During a product-unveiling event today hosted by Cisco at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, Calif., MCI, using Cisco CRS-1 systems, demonstrated the fastest IP intercity transmission ever across MCI's IP backbone at 40-Gbps throughput.
The last time Cisco rolled out a top-of-the-line router, the 12000 Series in 1997, the company expected to sell about 1,000 of the boxes but instead cisco has now sold 25,000. The networking mammoth believes it now has a clearer idea what's coming down the pike and can better prepare carriers for it.
The Cisco CRS-1 is currently in field trials and is scheduled to be available in July 2004. The starting system list price is $450,000 USD.
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