Routing and Gateways

Network Router: An Integrated Services Approach

The network router is quickly evolving from a device dedicated to connecting disparate networks to an integrated services device capable of multiple functions beyond routing. Cisco customers are increasingly deploying integrated services routers, or sophisticated network routers that can deliver voice, video, data and Internet access, wireless, and other applications.

Benefits of the Integrated Services Network Router

Growing companies, especially those opening new offices, can take advantage of integrated network router solutions that are highly secure, flexible, and built to be compatible with future technologies.

One Device, Multiple Functions: An integrated services network router enables organizations to take advantage of numerous built-in technologies such as voice, wireless, and advanced security systems while ensuring the quality of service (QoS) prioritization their network applications demand. Because the network services are built in or can be easily added to the integrated services network router, companies can install one sophisticated device rather than purchase separate products to provide each individual function.
Same Access at Headquarters and Remote Sites: An integrated services network router gives all workers—even those at branch offices or remote sites such as a home or hotel room—the same access to business applications, unified communications, and videoconferencing. Modular solutions allow you to install the features you need for a particular office, and upgrade equipment when needs change or an office expands.
Centralized Management: An integrated services network router approach means technical staff at headquarters can manage the network from a central location. This allows technical departments to allocate resources to priority projects while providing reliable service to employees in all locations.?
Integrated Network Security: An integrated services network router, with its systems approach, allows companies to transfer responsibility for security and reliability from individual computers and users to the network itself. This helps protect companies from the influx of viruses, malicious code, and other infections that end users’ laptops might unknowingly acquire.

By installing a complete solution and managing it centrally, companies can protect valuable corporate data using multiple types of protection, such as encryption, firewall filtering, antivirus protection, and intrusion detection and prevention.

The Value of Integrating Applications in the Network

Businesses today demand more from their networks than ever before. Networks today now need to support all forms of media—including data, voice, and video—to enhance business communications and lower operating costs. Access has also changed, as thousands of new devices connect to the network via wireless and wired connections.

To solve these pressing challenges, organizations need their networks to contain intelligence and play an active role in securely integrating applications in a way that is easy to manage. Intelligent networks integrate many advanced applications into an adaptable, pervasive, and collaborative system.

Integrated Security:
In today's environment , a mix of point-product solutions is no longer sufficient protection. Network security must be pervasive and integrated into the fabric of the network infrastructure itself. The network becomes the main point of control for preventing and responding to security threats from internal and external sources. An integrated strategy includes multiple types of protection and dramatically improves the ability of networks to identify, prevent, and adapt to security threats. Such systems help to ensure information privacy, protect against threats, and control access to corporate resources.

IP Communications:
Voice, video, and other types of data are woven into a converged network. IP Communications—which includes IP telephony as well as unified messaging and voicemail; customer contact applications; and audio, Web, and rich-media conferencing tools—demonstrates the power of an intelligent network. Tight integration into the infrastructure means that each new application—video, Web, or telephony—is just another media type rather than an entirely different communications system. The applications themselves can intelligently communicate with the infrastructure to meet the constantly changing needs of the system.

Wireless:
Wireless cannot be viewed as an isolated application, especially when wireless access points scale into the hundreds or thousands. An intelligent network provides the framework that enables a wireless LAN solution to take full advantage of existing tools, knowledge, and resources of the wired infrastructure to address critical wireless LAN security, deployment, and control issues.

IP-based voice, wireless, and security are only the first in a new wave of advanced applications that are beginning to powerfully change the ways in which businesses operate. Organizations must consider how they can best enable their networks today so that their companies can continuously take advantage of new applications quickly, secure them easily, and manage them efficiently in pursuit of their business goals.