The Cisco ASR 920 Series Aggregation Services Router (ASR) is a full-featured converged access platform designed for the cost-effective delivery of wireline and wireless services. The Cisco ASR 920 Router provides a comprehensive and scalable feature set of Layer 2 VPN (L2VPN) and Layer 3 VPN (L3VPN) services in a compact package. It also enables service providers to deploy Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)-based VPN services from within the access layer. The Cisco ASR 920 Series offers key Carrier Ethernet features that simplify network operation; you can use them for premium services with enhanced service-level agreements (SLAs).
Broadband access
The Cisco ASR 920 Router supports broadband access for delivering "any-play" services (voice, video, data, and mobility) to thousands of subscribers, with quality of service (QoS) on the Cisco ASR 920 Router capable of scaling up to a large number of queues per device. The large number of queues, combined with the three-level hierarchical QoS algorithm, results in an enhanced broadband user experience. This full-featured Layer 2 switch and Layer 3 router supports a variety of broadband applications including IPTV and video on demand (VoD), enhancing and extending the Cisco Evolved Programmable Network (EPN) architecture.
Converged access for mobile applications
Deployed as a converged access platform for mobile backhaul, the Cisco ASR 920 Router can aggregate multiple base stations through multiple Ethernet and IP interfaces and can use MPLS as a transport for mobile backhaul traffic. It provides the timing services required in today's converged access networks by offering integrated support for the Building Integrated Timing Supply (BITS), 1 Pulse Per Second (1PPS), and Time Of Day (TOD) interfaces. The Cisco ASR 920 Router also supports Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) and IEEE-1588 and can act as the source for network clocking for time-division multiplexing (TDM), SDH and SONET, and SyncE interfaces. In addition to the timing services, the Cisco ASR 920 Router can be deployed in small and fully sealed cabinets in outside environments because of its small form factor and durability in extended temperature ranges.
Metro Ethernet access
The Cisco ASR 920 Router is built to meet service provider requirements for Carrier Ethernet access. It is optimized for remote access and central offices for smaller aggregation sites where a full-featured, small-footprint converged platform is needed. The Router offers service flexibility and delivers Layer 2, IP, and MPLS transport for advanced L2VPN, L3VPN, and multicast services.
Power-supply unit: high availability
The Cisco ASR 920 product family offers a choice of AC and DC power supplies. They are redundant and built into the chassis. The Ethernet interfaces are available in copper and fiber, with speeds ranging from 10 Mbps to 10 Gbps.
Powered by the Cisco Carrier Ethernet ASIC
Powered by the Cisco Carrier Ethernet application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), which was designed specifically for service providers, the Cisco ASR 920 Series delivers essential Carrier Ethernet technologies including hierarchical quality of service (HQoS), MPLS, and Virtual Private LAN Services (VPLS). This custom and advanced ASIC design provides uninterrupted line-rate performance while delivering complex services such as access control list (ACL) and HQoS. The Carrier Ethernet ASIC integrates Cisco traffic-management innovation to deliver intelligent packet switching and routing operations.
Service enhancement
In the Cisco ASR 920 Router, each service is assigned enhanced QoS and security attributes. The router provides advanced per-traffic-class metering and offers bidirectional packet-count and byte-count statistics. The service offering is enhanced with operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) functions that include Layer 2 Connectivity Fault Management (CFM), IP service-level agreement (SLA) for Layer 3, and MPLS OAM.
Mobile timing and synchronization services
The Cisco ASR 920 Series provides the timing services required in a converged access network to support mobile solutions including Radio Access Network (RAN) applications, and offers integrated support for the Building Integrated Timing Supply (BITS), 1 Pulse Per Second (1PPS), and Time Of Day (ToD) interfaces. The Cisco ASR 920 Series also supports SyncE with Ethernet Synchronization Messaging Channel (ESMC) and Synchronization Status Messages (SSM) to allow excellent clock-source traceability. The Cisco ASR 920 Series supports IEEE-1588, and can act as the source for network clocking for TDM, SDH and SONET interfaces, and SyncE.
Operational efficiency for Carrier Ethernet access deployments
The Cisco ASR 920 Series features major enhancements that help service providers simplify and facilitate the management of their networks, resulting in diminishing operational costs. This innovative feature set allows the Cisco ASR 920 Series to be deployed in a variety of applications including business service with 10-Gigabit Ethernet User Network Interface (UNI) and Ethernet mobile backhaul. These features enhance performance awareness, facilitate troubleshooting, and simplify service turn-up and restoration, ultimately reducing operational costs. "Dying gasp" for power indicators and four external alarm inputs to detect changes in remote sites further help service providers manage the health of network elements.
