Cisco Route Processor Module for Cisco MGX 8000 Series Multiservices

The Cisco Route Processor Module (RPM-PR), is a high-performance route processor module for the Cisco MGX^™ 8000 Series of Multiservice Switches, which allows service providers to quickly enable new, high-margin IP services using Cisco IOS^® Software at a low marginal cost. The Cisco RPM-PR provides high-quality, scalable, IP and ATM integration using Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) technology to create scalable Internet solutions. The Cisco RPM-PR allows the additions of an MPLS control plane for use by the Cisco Virtual Switch Architecture. The MPLS control plane can be used concurrently with the PNNI and Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP) control planes on the Cisco MGX 8000 family of multiservice switches.

The Cisco RPM-PR brings enhanced performance and functionality to the RPM modules Router Blades for the MGX 8230, 8250 and 8850 Series. Improvements include a high-performance, NPE-400 processor capable of processing more than 350,000 pps, greater DRAM and Flash capacity, and hardware-based error checking and correcting (ECC).

The Cisco RPM-PR enables functionality such as Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) aggregation, IP virtual private networks (VPNs), IP quality of service (QoS), and IP routing.

The Cisco RPM-PR is a double-height line card, which connects to the MGX midplane through an internal OC-6 ATM cell bus. The Cisco RPM-PR supports up to two single-height back cards: four-port Ethernet and one-port Fast Ethernet.

Key Features

The RPM-PR offers the following features:

•High performance

•Over 350,000 pps forwarding

•Up to 512-MB DRAM

•32-MB Flash memory

•Support for 2000 virtual interfaces

•Single bit repair and double/triple bit detection ECC support for DRAM

•1:N redundancy

•Robust IP support

•Border Gateway Protocol Version 4 (BGP4)

•Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)

•Routing Information Protocol (RIP) Versions 1 and 2

•Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (IGRP)

•Enhanced IGRP (EIGRP)

•Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS)

•Static routes

Functionality

Software

The Cisco RPM-PR runs Cisco IOS Software and offers industry leading IP services and solutions. The Cisco RPM-PR supports all major routing protocols used today in service provider environments. The solutions and services the Cisco RPM-PR supports include:

Multiprotocol Label Switching

MPLS is an innovative approach that uses a label-based forwarding scheme which allows service providers to quickly and cost-effectively provision new customers as well as easily offer high-margin value-added services. MPLS offers the security and QoS of Layer 2 transport such as Frame Relay or ATM, but with the any-to-any connectivity of IP

MPLS-Virtual Private Networks

MPLS-virtual private networks (VPNs) deliver IP VPNs with the security and QoS of ATM and Frame Relay. By using Layer 3 routing protocols (such as BGP), the Cisco RPM-PR dynamically establishes network reachability without the complexity of configuring an overlay "mesh."

The Cisco RPM-PR can separate VPN-specific traffic by application, source, destination, and many other criteria. In a MPLS-VPN network architecture, the Cisco RPM-PR can behave as a provider edge router (PE) for providing VPN services. Some MPLS-VPN mechanisms supported on the Cisco RPM-PR are:

• Multiprotocol BGP extensions

•VPN "route-target" extended BGP community attributes

•MPLS forwarding across backbone

• Multiple routing/forwarding instances on the provider edge router