Cisco Catalyst 8540

The use of a router is important to those who connect to the web. Generally, a router is a networking device that buffers and forward data packets to their respective destinations known as the process of routing. It usually works on layer 3 of OSI model, switch on layer 2 that connects devices to form a Local Area Network (LAN) and a hub on layer 1. Routers are like an intersection that connects streets where streets act as switches.

Cisco has been a leading router vendor for years as it offers considerably faster networking products that enables people to make powerful connections for their business, education, and other related activities. As a proof of their work, they came up with Catalyst 8500 series MSR such as the Cisco Catalyst 8540 that provides high bandwidth and performance ideal for aggregating multiprotocol traffic from multiple wiring closets or workgroup switches. It can also be deployed as a Layer 3 switch providing nonblocking routing for IP, IPX, and IP multicast and as a multiservice ATM switch or an integrated Layer 3 multiservice ATM switch.

The Cisco Catalyst 8540 Multiservice Switch Router is a rack-mountable platform that measures 43.9 cm wide, 64.1 cm depth, stands 46.4 cm tall, and weighs 31.7 kg. It has a 256 MB DRAM memory with 8 MB installed flash memory, which is internally expandable up to 16 MB and even up to 20 MB using PC flash cards. Cisco Catalyst 8540 Multiservice Switch Router when used with an ATM Router Module (ARM) supports both Ethernet and ATM interfaces in a singles chassis.

The enhanced ARM for the Catalyst 8540 MSR provides seamless integration of Layer 3 and ATM by leveraging RFC 1483 and 1577 support as well as integrated Access Control List (ACL), routing table entries, Jumbo Frame Support and migration path to MPLS and IP QoS advanced. Owners will be glad to know that using the OC-12c Packet-Over-SONET (POS) Uplinks of their Catalyst 8540 Multiservice Switch Router will make them more effectively scale their MAN/WAN infrastructure. Aside from these, the two-port enhanced Gigabit Ethernet Module that provides built-in ACL functionality and routing table entries is now ideal for supporting Layer 3 and gigabit backbone applications for wire-speed performance of the Catalyst 8540 MSR. With the use of the Long Reach version of ATM OC-48c Super Support Adapter Module, owners are able to experience connecting to sites with high capacity link spans of up to 80KM.

Cisco Catalyst 8540 Multiservice Switch Router provides 24 million packets per second (PPS) and 40G nonblocking switching fabric that means that the total switching capacity of each Catalyst 8500 series platform is greater than what is needed to switch the total traffic load. It could be deployed with two route processor modules where the secondary module can be loaded with a new software image, can be used as the primary without any need to reboot for easy maintenance, and reduces mean time to repair. With these features, every owner surely loves having their own Catalyst 8540 as their router.