Cisco 3900 Series Integrated Services Routers

Figure 1.  Cisco 3900 Series Integrated Services Routers

    

Product Overview

The Cisco 3900 Series builds on the best-in-class offering of the existing Cisco 3800 Series Integrated Services Routers by now offering four platforms : the Cisco 3945E, Cisco 3925E, Cisco 3945, and Cisco 3925 Integrated Services Routers.

The Cisco 3900 Series offers embedded hardware encryption acceleration, voice- and video-capable DSP slots, optional firewall, intrusion prevention, call processing, voicemail, and application services. In addition, the platforms support the industry's widest range of wired and wireless connectivity options such as T1/E1, T3/E3, xDSL, copper, and fiber Gigabit Ethernet.

The Cisco 3900 Series offers superior performance and flexibility for flexible network deployments from small business offices to large enterprise offices - all while providing industry-leading investment protection.


Key Business Benefits

The Cisco® ISR G2 routers provide superior services integration and agility. Designed for scalability, the modular architecture of these platforms enables you to evolve and adapt with your growing business needs. Table 1 lists the business benefits of the Cisco 3900 Series.


Table 1. isco 3900 Series Business Benefits

Benefits Description
Services integration • The Cisco 3900 Series routers offer increased levels of services integration with voice, video, security, mobility, and data services.
• The Cisco 3900 Series provides the highest performance and slot densities among the routers in the Cisco ISR G2 portfolio, enabling you to maximize services integration and reducing overall capital expenditures (CapEx) and operating expenses (OpEx).
Services on demand • A single Cisco IOS Software Universal image is installed on each Cisco ISR G2. The Universal image contains all of the Cisco IOS Software technology sets, which you can activate with a software license. With the Universal image your business can quickly deploy advanced features without downloading a new Cisco IOS Software image. Additionally, larger default memory is included to support the new capabilities.
• The Cisco SRE enables a new operational model that allows you to reduce CapEx and deploy a variety of application services as needed on a single integrated compute services module.
High performance with integrated services • The Cisco 3900 Series enables deployment in high-speed WAN environments with concurrent services enabled up to 350 Mbps.
• A multigigabit fabric (MGF) enables high-bandwidth module-to-module communication without compromising router performance.
Network agility • Designed to address customer business requirements, the Cisco 3900 Series with the modular architecture offers increased capacity and performance as your network needs grow.
• The Cisco Services Performance Engine (SPE) modular motherboard enables upgrades to processing capability in the future.
• Dual integrated power supplies provide power redundancy; you can also configure them to provide additional Cisco ePoE power to endpoints.
• Modular interfaces offer increased bandwidth, a diversity of connection options, and network resiliency.
Energy efficiency • The Cisco 3900 Series architecture provides energy-savings features that include the following:
• The Cisco 3900 Series offers intelligent power management and allows you to control power to the modules based on the time of day. Cisco EnergyWise technology will be supported in the future.
• Services integration and modularity on a single platform allows you to perform multiple functions, optimizing consumption of raw materials and energy usage.
• Platform flexibility and ongoing development of both hardware and software capabilities lead to a longer product lifecycle, lowering all aspects of the TCO - including materials and energy use.
• High-efficiency power supplies and scalable power consumption are based on your network needs.
Investment protection • The Cisco 3900 Series maximizes investment protection by supporting:
• Reuse of a broad array of existing modules supported on the original Cisco Integrated Services Routers to provide a lower TCO.
• A rich set of Cisco IOS Software features carried forward from the original Cisco Integrated Services Routers and delivered in a single universal image.
• The Cisco 3900 Series offers extensive growth possibilities as your network expands:
• The SPE modular motherboard enables flexibility for future upgrades.
• The highest scale for module density provides flexibility to add services as your business needs expand.
• A 1-Gb default memory provides headroom to minimize field upgrades.

Platform Architecture and Modularity

The Cisco 3900 Series is architected to meet the application demands of today's branch offices with design flexibility for future applications. The modular architecture is designed to support increasing bandwidth requirements, time-division multiplexing (TDM) interconnections, and fully integrated power distribution to modules supporting 802.3af PoE and Cisco ePoE. Table 2 lists the architectural features and benefits of the Cisco 3900 Series.


Table 2. Architectural Features and Benefits of Cisco 3900 Series

Architectural Feature Benefits
Modular platform • The Cisco 3900 Series routers are highly modular platforms with several types of module slots to add connectivity and services for varied branch-office network requirements.
• The routers offer an industry-leading breadth of LAN and WAN connectivity options through modules to accommodate field upgrades to future technologies without requiring platform replacement.
• The Cisco SPE on the Cisco 3900 offers the ability to increase the performance of the router with a field-upgradable motherboard as your network needs grow.
Processors The Cisco 3900 Series routers are powered by high-performance multicore processors that can support the growing demands of high-speed WAN connections to the branch office while also running multiple concurrent services.
Embedded IP Security with Secure Sockets Layer (IPSec/SSL) VPN hardware acceleration • Embedded hardware encryption acceleration is enhanced to provide higher scalability, which, combined with an optional Cisco IOS Software Security license, enables WAN link security and VPN services (both IPSec and SSL acceleration).
• The onboard encryption hardware outperforms the advanced integration modules (AIMs) of previous generations.
Multigigabit fabric (MGF) The Cisco 3900 Series introduces an innovative MGF that allows for efficient module-to-module communication, enabling tighter services interactions across modules while reducing the overhead on the router processor.
TDM interconnectivity fabric Unified communications services in the branch office are significantly enhanced with the use of TDM interconnectivity fabric in the router architecture, allowing for scaling of DS-0 channel capacity.
Integrated Gigabit Ethernet ports • The Cisco 3900 Series provides up to four 10/100/1000 Ethernet WAN ports.
• Two of the 10/100/1000 Ethernet WAN ports on the Cisco 3900 Series can support Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP)-based connectivity in lieu of RJ-45 ports, enabling fiber connectivity.
Innovative universal-serial-bus (USB)-based console access • A new, innovative, mini-B USB console port supports management connectivity when traditional serial ports are not available.
• Traditional console and auxiliary ports are also available.
Optional integrated power supply for distribution of PoE and universal DC power supply • An optional upgrade to the internal power supply provides inline power (802.3af-compliant PoE, Cisco ePoE, and Cisco Inline Power) to optional integrated switch modules.
• An optional DC power supply that extends possible deployment environments such as central offices and industrial environments will be available in the future.
Optional integrated redundant power supply (RPS) and PoE boost • Power redundancy is available by installing an optional integrated RPS, thereby decreasing network downtime and protecting the network from power-supply failures.
• When populated with dual integrated power supplies, the Cisco 3900 Series can operate in a configurable PoE boost mode in lieu of redundant power mode whereby the power capacity of the platform is increased to almost twice the normal power to support additional PoE ports.
Designed for flexible deployments The Cisco 3945 and 3925 are designed for Network Equipment Building Systems (NEBS) environments.

Modularity Features and Benefits

The Cisco 3900 Series provides significantly enhanced modular capabilities (refer to Table 3) while maintaining investment protection for customers. Most of the modules available on previous generations of Cisco routers, such as the Cisco 3800 Series Integrated Services Routers, are supported on the Cisco 3900 Series. Additionally, modules used on the Cisco 3900 Series can easily be supported on other routers in the Cisco Integrated Services Router portfolio to provide maximum investment protection. Taking advantage of common interface cards across a network greatly reduces the complexity of managing inventory requirements, implementing large network rollouts, and maintaining configurations across a variety of branch-office sizes.


Table 3. Modularity Features and Benefits

Architectural Features Benefits
Cisco Services Performance Engine (SPE)

• The Cisco 3900 Series offers field-replaceable SPEs.
• These SPEs allow you to protect your initial investment in the Cisco 3900 platform for a longer time period and scale router performance as your network and branch-office needs grow.
Cisco Services Module

• A service-module slot replaces the network module and the extension module for voice and fax (EVM) slots and is offered on Cisco 3900 Integrated Services Routers.
• Each service-module slot offers high data-throughput capability:
• Up to 4-Gbps aggregate toward the router processor.
• Up to 2-Gbps aggregate to other module slots over the MGF.
• Service-module slots are highly flexible, with support for doublewide service modules, which are service modules that require two service-module slots. Doublewide service modules provide flexibility for higher-density modules.
• Service-module slots provide twice the power capabilities relative to the network-module slots, allowing flexibility for higher-scale and better-performance modules.
• An adapter module enables backward compatibility with existing network modules, enhanced network modules (NMEs), and EVMs.
• You can manage power to service-module slots by extensions similar to the Cisco EnergyWise framework, so your organization can reduce energy consumption in your network infrastructure. Full Cisco EnergyWise support will be available in future software releases.
Cisco Enhanced High Speed WAN Interface Card (EHWIC)
• The EHWIC slot replaces the high-speed WAN interface card (HWIC) slot and can natively support HWICs, WAN interface cards (WICs), voice interface cards (VICs), and voice/WAN interface cards (VWICs).
• Three integrated EHWIC slots on the Cisco 3945E and Cisco 3925E or four integrated EHWIC slots on the Cisco 3945 and Cisco 3925 allow for flexible configurations.
• Each HWIC slot offers high-data-throughput capability:
• Up to 1.6-Gbps aggregate toward the router processor.
• Up to 2-Gbps aggregate to other module slots over the MGF.
• Flexibility to support doublewide modules is enabled by combining two EHWIC slots. Up to 2 doublewide HWIC (HWIC-D) modules are supported.
Cisco Internal Services Module (ISM)
• A single ISM slot provides flexibility to integrate intelligent services modules that do not require interface connections in the Cisco 3945 and Cisco 3925.
• Each ISM slot offers high-data-throughput capability:
• Up to 4-Gbps aggregate toward the route processor.
• Up to 2-Gbps aggregate to other module slots over the MGF.
• The ISM replaces the AIM slot; existing AIM modules are not supported in the ISM slot.
• You can manage power to ISM slots by extensions similar to the Cisco EnergyWise framework, so your organization can reduce energy consumption in your network infrastructure. Full Cisco EnergyWise support will be available in future software releases.
Cisco High-Density Packet Voice Digital Signal Processor (DSP) Module (PVDM3) Slots on Motherboard
• PVDM3 slots natively support PVDM3 modules, providing support for richer density for rich-media voice and video.
• Each PVDM3 slot connects back to the system architecture through a 2-Gbps aggregate link through the MGF.
• Investment protection for PVDM2 modules is supported through an adapter module.
• You can manage power to the PVDM slots by extensions similar to the Cisco EnergyWise framework, so your organization can reduce energy consumption in your network infrastructure. Full Cisco EnergyWise support will be available in future software releases.
Compact Flash Slots Two external Compact Flash slots are available on the Cisco 3900 Series Integrated Services Routers. Each slot can support high-speed storage densities upgradable to 4 GB in density.
USB 2.0 Ports Two high-speed USB 2.0 ports are supported; they provide secure token capabilities and storage.

Unified Communications, Collaboration, and Voice-Gateway Services

The Cisco 3900 Integrated Services Router is the foundation for collaboration in branch offices of any size and is a critical component of Cisco's video architecture (Medianet) and enterprise Unified Communications solution. With embedded voice services and a wide range of telephony interfaces supported, the Cisco 3900 Series delivers maximum deployment flexibility for the distributed enterprise. Unified communications is enabled through a rich signaling and media-processing infrastructure, including a variety of protocols, media interworking, signal and media security, transcoding, conferencing, and QoS. Cisco Integrated Services Routers feature a wide range of voice-gateway interfaces, supporting a broad array of signaling and physical network interfaces. The performance improvements introduced with the Cisco 3900 Series help ensure that branch-office employees benefit from the same productivity advantages and wide breadth of services and applications as those enjoyed by the headquarters-based employees.

The Cisco 3900 Series enables a full range of existing and emerging video services, with scaling improvement to support Cisco TelePresence® conferencing, security, and session control. Cisco Unified Border Element extends these capabilities for business-to-business TelePresence communications.

The Cisco 3900 Series adds support for the new Cisco High-Density Packet Voice Digital Signal Processor Module (PVDM3), which has been optimized for concurrent voice and video support. The PVDM3 modules support all voice-gateway functions of earlier generations of PVDMs, and add higher density and more processing power to support emerging rich-media applications. The Cisco 3900 Series can support up to 4 onboard PVDM3 slots, able to scale up to 768 G.729a channels.


VoiceXML Application Services

The Cisco 3900 Series inherently provides standards-certified VoiceXML browser services. VoiceXML is an open-standard markup language used to create voice-enabled web browsers and IVR applications. Just as HTML enables you to retrieve data with a PC, VoiceXML enables you to retrieve data using voice or dual-tone-multifrequency (DTMF) telephony input. The Cisco 3900 Series can deliver a much higher range of concurrent voice-gateway services combined with VoiceXML browser services, for more than 300 sessions on the Cisco 3945.


Integrated Network Security for Data, Voice, Video, and Mobility

Security is essential to protect a business' intellectual property while also ensuring business continuity and providing the ability to extend the corporate workplace to employees who need anytime, anywhere access to company resources. As part of the Cisco Self-Defending Network (SDN) - an architectural framework that allows organizations to identify, prevent, and adapt to network security threats - the Cisco 3900 Series Integrated Services Routers facilitate secure data transactions and secure collaboration.

The Cisco IOS Software Security technology package for the Cisco 3900 Series offers a wide array of common security features such as advanced application inspection and control, threat protection, and encryption architectures for enabling more scalable and manageable VPN networks. The Cisco 3900 Series offers onboard hardware-based encryption acceleration to provide greater IPSec throughput with less overhead for the route processor when compared with software-based encryption solutions. Cisco Integrated Services Routers offer a comprehensive and adaptable security solution for branch offices that includes features such as:

        • Secure connectivity : Secure collaborative communications with Group Encrypted Transport VPN, Dynamic Multipoint VPN (DMVPN), or Enhanced Easy VPN
        • Integrated threat control : Responding to sophisticated network attacks and threats using Cisco IOS Firewall, Cisco IOS Zone-Based Firewall, Cisco IOS IPS, Cisco IOS Content Filtering, and Flexible Packet Matching (FPM)
        • Identity management : Intelligently protecting endpoints using technologies such as authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) and public key infrastructure (PKI)


Wireless and Mobility Services

        Wireless LAN/WAN : The Cisco Integrated Services Routers supporting the Cisco Unified Wireless Architecture enable deployment of secure, manageable wireless LANs (WLANs) optimized for remote sites and branch offices, including fast, secure mobility; survivable authentication; and simplified management. The Cisco Wireless LAN Controller Module on the Cisco 3900 Series routers allows small and medium-sized businesses and enterprise branch offices to cost-effectively deploy and manage secure WLANs. Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers work in conjunction with Cisco lightweight access points and the Cisco Wireless Control System (WCS) to provide systemwide WLAN functions, managing up to 6, 12, and 25 access points. As components of the Cisco Unified Wireless Architecture, Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers present network administrators with the visibility and control necessary to effectively and securely manage business-class WLANs and mobility services such as enhanced security, voice, guest access, and location services.

        Wireless WAN : Cisco third-generation (3G) wireless WAN (WWAN) modules combine traditional enterprise router functions such as remote management, advanced IP services such as voice over IP (VoIP), and security with mobility capabilities of 3G WAN access. Using high-speed 3G wireless networks, routers can replace or complement existing landline infrastructure, such as dialup, Frame Relay, and ISDN. Cisco 3G solutions support 3G standards High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) and Evolution Data Only/Evolution Data Optimized (EVDO), offering you a true multipath WAN backup and the ability to rapidly deploy primary WAN connectivity. For more information about 3G solutions on Cisco Integrated Services Routers, please visit

        Integrated LAN Switching : The Cisco 3900 Integrated Services Routers support the new Cisco Enhanced EtherSwitch® Service Modules, which greatly expand router capabilities by integrating industry-leading Layer 2 or Layer 3 switching with feature sets identical to those found in the Cisco Catalyst® 3560-E and Catalyst 2960 Series Switches performing local line-rate switching and routing. The new Cisco Enhanced EtherSwitch Service Modules take advantage of the increased power capabilities on the Cisco 3900 Series platforms. Additionally, the modules enable Cisco energy and power initiatives: Cisco EnergyWise, Cisco ePoE and per-port PoE power monitoring, and integrated redundant power system (RPS)-enabled PoE boost. These technologies allow you to meet increased endpoint power requirements without increasing the total power consumption of the branch office.


Table 4. Cisco 3900 with Cisco IOS Software Feature and Protocol High-Level Support

Feature Support
Protocols IPv4, IPv6, static routes, Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), Enhanced IGRP (EIGRP), Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), BGP Router Reflector, Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS), Multicast Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMPv3), Protocol Independent Multicast sparse mode (PIM SM), PIM Source Specific Multicast (SSM), Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol (DVMRP), IPv4-to-IPv6 Multicast, MPLS, Layer 2 and Layer 3 VPN, IPSec, Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol Version 3 (L2TPv3), Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD), IEEE802.1ag, and IEEE802.3ah.
Encapsulation Generic routing encapsulation (GRE), Ethernet, 802.1q VLAN, Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), Multilink Point-to-Point Protocol (MLPPP), Frame Relay, Multilink Frame Relay (MLFR) (FR.15 and FR.16), High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC), Serial (RS-232, RS-449, X.21, V.35, and EIA-530), PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE), and ATM.
Traffic Management QoS, Class-Based Weighted Fair Queuing (CBWFQ), Weighted Random Early Detection (WRED), Hierarchical QoS, Policy-Based Routing (PBR), Performance Routing, and NBAR.

Table 5. Specifications of Cisco 3945E, 3925E, 3945, and 3925 Integrated Services Routers

  Cisco 3945E Cisco 3925E Cisco 3945 Cisco 3925
Embedded hardware-based cryptography acceleration (IPSec + Secure Sockets Layer [SSL]) Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express Sessions** 450 400 350 250
Cisco Unified SRST sessions 1500 1350 1200 730
Total onboard WAN or LAN 10/100/1000 ports 4 4 3 3
RJ-45-based ports 4 4 3 3
SFP-based ports 2 2 2 2
Service-module slots 4 2 4 2
Doublewide service-module slots 1 1 1 1
EHWIC slots 3 3 4 4
Doublewide EHWIC slots 1 1 2 2
ISM slots 0 0 1 1
Online insertion and removal (OIR) Services modules Services modules Services modules Services modules
Onboard DSP (PVDM) slots 3 3 4 4
Memory DDR2 ECC DRAM: Default 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB
Memory DDR2 ECC DRAM: Maximum 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB** 2 GB**
Compact Flash (external): Default Slot 0: 256 MB Slot 1: None Slot 0: 256 MB Slot 1: None Slot 0: 256 MB Slot 1: None Slot 0: 256 MB Slot 1: None
Compact Flash (external): Maximum Slot 0: 4 GB Slot 1: 4 GB Slot 0: 4 GB Slot 1: 4 GB Slot 0: 4 GB Slot 1: 4 GB Slot 0: 4 GB Slot 1: 4 GB
External USB 2.0 slots (Type A) 2 2 2 2
USB console port (Type B) (up to 115.2 kbps) 1 1 1 1
Serial console port (up to 115.2 kbps) 1 1 1 1
Serial auxiliary port (up to 115.2 kbps) 1 1 1 1
Power-supply options Internal: AC, PoE, and DC* Internal: AC, PoE, and DC* Internal: AC, PoE, and DC* Internal: AC, PoE, and DC*
Redundant power supply Internal: AC, PoE, and DC* Internal: AC, PoE, and DC* Internal: AC, PoE, and DC* Internal: AC, PoE, and DC*

Table 6. Cisco 3900 Ordering Information

  Cisco 2901
CISCO3945E/K9 Cisco 3945 with 4 onboard GE, C3900-SPE250/K9, 3 EHWIC slots, 3 DSP slots, 4 SM slots, 256MB CF default, 1 GB DRAM default, IP Base
CISCO3925E/K9 Cisco 3925 with 4 onboard GE, C3900-SPE200/K9, 3 EHWIC slots, 3DSP slots, 2 SM slots, 256MB CF default, 1 GB DRAM default, IP Base
CISCO3945/K9 Cisco 3945 with 3 onboard GE, C3900-SPE150/K9, 4 EHWIC slots, 4 DSP slots, 1 ISM slot, 4 SM slots, 256MB CF default, 1 GB DRAM default, IP Base
CISCO3925/K9 Cisco 3925 with 3 onboard GE, C3900-SPE100/K9, 4 EHWIC slots, 4 DSP slots, 1 ISM slot, 2 SM slots, 256MB CF default, 1 GB DRAM default, IP Base