In a move to expand performance of traditional local area networks, Cisco Systems Inc. Wednesday introduced new
“wide area network” (WAN) capabilities with the introduction of the FlexWAN
module.
Cisco’s (CSCO)
latest offering enables enterprise customers to benefit from scalable
bandwidth and intelligent services with a smooth migration path toward
optical networking. It offers a wide range of WAN protocols and media
options while delivering wire-speed intelligent network services. The
FlexWAN module for the Catalyst 6000 family supports multiple Cisco
7200/7500 series WAN port adapters and offers scalability up to OC-3 speeds.
Cisco’s FlexWAN module is a splash in the Catalyst 6000 family evolution
toward becoming one of the most scalable, intelligent and versatile
networking platforms in the marketplace. The ability of the Catalyst 6000
family to scale up to OC-192 and 10 Gigabit Ethernet coupled with Cisco’s
proven experience with intelligent Internet-enabled offerings demonstrates
the company’s commitment to providing flexible solutions for customers.
The Catalyst 6000 family meets strict enterprise requirements with its hardware-based Access
Control Lists and filtering mechanisms that provide customers with the
traffic security features to either deny traffic or tailor the network for
individual users. It provides capabilities for multi-protocol label switching, extensive security and
quality of service for Internet and intranet applications.
“As companies adjust to the Internet-driven model of e-commerce, there has
been a huge expansion of infrastructure requirements — both in the LAN and
out to the WAN,” said Dave Passmore, research director at The Burton Group.
“Organizations that want to stay ahead of the curve will look for a clear
migration path from existing networks to higher-speed, more intelligent
solutions that can readily deploy new emerging applications at strategic
locations across the entire network.”
The FlexWAN module is available now for $21,995.
