The ongoing online video boom is beginning to lift a lot of networking hardware boats. A good example is the accelerated sales of Cisco Systems’ (CSCO) CRS-1 routing platform. The San Jose,Calif.-based giant said today that AT&T is going to buy these monster routers for its backbone network. Video is not the only reason, of course, but it makes up a big part of the all-IP networks that are becoming commonplace.
Cisco counts most major phone companies and large cable operators as CRS-1 routing platform customers. The company is having its analyst day later this week, and one can expect more details about CRS-1 and the impact of video on Cisco sales.
It’s without a doubt a great victory for Cisco. Traditionally Cisco doesn’t have much success in the Network Backbone’s arena, comparing to Nortel and/or Alcatel-Lucent.
This news is encouraging for Cisco. Traditionally Cisco hasn’t had much success in the Backbone Network arena when you compare with Nortel or/and Alcatel/Lucent. But for the past couple of years It has been lucrative again, as service providers plan on deploying more services for end users.
Hmmm, 40GB port mirroring to the NSA closet. Not too many boxes can do that.
Just a quick note re Cisco momentum in the core/backbone — publicly announced CRS-1 customers to date (since intro in 2004) include AT&T, BT, Cable & Wireless, Comcast, China Telecom (ChinaNet), China Education and Research Network (CERNET), Deutsche Telecom, Korea Telecom, FREE, MTS Allstream, MTN, the National Institute of Informatics’ SuperSINET research network in Japan, Neuf Cegetel, National LambdaRail, NTELOS, Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center(PSC), SaskTel, Savvis, Softbank, Yahoo! BB, Savvis, Sprint, Swisscom, Shanghai Telecom, Strato Medien, Teliasonera, Terremark, Telstra, VTR and XO.
Congratulations to AT&T, the good folk who bought the Avici semi-functional monstrosities.
FYI, all of the major broadband service providers are more than customers, they’re also apparently channel partners within the Cisco Powered Program
http://cisco.com/go/cpn/intro
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The long haul 40 Gig capability of the CRS-1 is documented at 1000 kilometers before regeneration. Last I looked no major competitor doing that. Rumor has it this distance may be set to double real soon…all this and port density too…I think I need to buy more Cisco (and stock in the local power companies cause these units need a lot of juice to run).
I am happy for Cisco. Video is a growing technology. Virtela Communications can deliver solid, dependable, predictable bandwidth to support video, and also combines security solutions.
Tom Blodgett
http://www.virtela.com
4-09-08