Isocore Testing Independently Validates Cisco 7600 Series Carrier-Class Ethernet Services Edge Capabilities

Cisco Systems(R) (NASDAQ:CSCO) today announced the results of a
test conducted by an independent laboratory at Isocore that validate
the carrier-class scalability, flexibility, reliability and QoS
support of the Cisco 7600 Series platform, a key component of the
Cisco Internet Protocol Next-Generation Network (IP NGN) architecture.
The testing shows the Cisco 7600 Series to be one of the industry's
leading edge-routing platforms, enabling the development of advanced
IP/MPLS services such as the deployment of Layer 2 and Layer 3 VPNs on
a single converged Ethernet network for reduced complexity and lower
total cost of ownership.

"The results observed during this effort clearly demonstrated the
Cisco 7600 Series to be a significantly scalable Ethernet services
edge router for Layer 2 and Layer 3 services," said Dr. Bijan Jabbari,
president of Isocore. "The platform showed consistent stability in
multiple iterations with large configurations during the testing. We
believe that the Cisco 7600 offers the advanced functionality and
extensive scalability expected from a carrier-class edge routing
platform."

The primary focus of the test effort, which was commissioned by
Cisco, was to demonstrate the performance, scalability and stability
of multiple simultaneous services on the Cisco 7600 Series
edge-routing platform, and to verify the capabilities needed for
successful deployment as an edge-routing platform in the IP/MPLS
next-generation networks. The tests focused on evaluating the
capabilities of 7600 edge-routing platform in these areas:

-- Scaling to 15,000 simultaneous Layer 2 and Layer 3 services

-- QoS performance, accuracy and scaling

-- Layer 2 service scaling including Point-to-Point EoMPLS
Pseudowires, VPLS, and H-VPLS

-- QinQ Edge and Ethernet L2 Services using Multi-Point Bridging

-- Routing Protocol Scaling

-- MPLS TE Fast Re-Route convergence time

The service scalability test also included operations,
administration and maintenance (OAM) functionality supported on the
7600 Series. Service providers use this advanced functionality to
provide the visibility and control necessary to extend network
operations from the central office (CO) all the way to the customer
premises.

"The ability to scale both Layer 2 and Layer 3 routing
technologies on a single platform and a single port is critical for
delivering residential and business services over a converged
infrastructure. For example with triple play services it delivers
consistent failure recovery, efficient multicasting and control of
packet loss in deployment of IPTV and other advanced services at the
edge of the network," said analyst Glen Hunt, principal analyst for
carrier infrastructure at Current Analysis. "The Cisco 7600 Series'
advanced functionality in these areas makes it an ideal platform for
development and delivery of entertainment- and business-grade
services."

Isocore noted that the Cisco 7600 did not demonstrate any signs of
instability or loss of functionality in Layer 2 services when Layer 3
services were subjected to additional stress. Furthermore, when
evaluating maximum peering capacity in the Border Gateway Protocol
(BGP) scalability testing, the Cisco 7600 comfortably demonstrated
route scalability with maximum number of BGP peers configured. This
also validates the Cisco 7600 Series' capabilities as an edge platform
supporting a large number of Layer 2 services, along with maximum
Layer 3 route scalability.

"We are very pleased with the results of the Isocore test, which
validate the Cisco 7600 Series' ability to enable innovative services
at the network edge, independent of the underlying access technology,"
said Praveen Akkiraju, vide president of edge routing at Cisco. "The
Cisco 7600 greatly eases providers' transition from multiple
service-specific networks to converged, IP/MPLS networks to increase
revenue and profitability."

A summary of these results is available from the Isocore website:
www.isocore.com/reports/
ISO-12062-Cisco7600SeriesEdgeRoutersEvaluationReportSummary.pdf.

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