CISCO ASR1000-SIP40

The Cisco ASR1000-SIP40 is a crucial component in Cisco’s Aggregation Services Router (ASR) 1000 series, acting as a carrier card for Shared Port Adapters (SPAs). Here’s a detailed breakdown:  

Function:

• Interface Processing: The SIP40 is responsible for processing data traffic that comes in and goes out through the SPAs. It essentially acts as a bridge between the SPAs and the router’s internal processing units.
• Modular Design: It allows for a flexible and modular approach to network connectivity. You can populate the SIP40 with various SPAs to customize the router with the specific interfaces you need (e.g., Ethernet, SONET/SDH, etc.).  

Key Features:

• High Bandwidth Capacity: Supports up to 40 Gbps of total bandwidth across its four SPA bays, enabling it to handle demanding network traffic.  
• SPA Compatibility: Works with a wide range of existing and future SPAs, ESPs (Enhanced SPAs), and RPs (Route Processors), offering investment protection and adaptability.  
• Online Insertion and Removal (OIR): Supports OIR for both the SIP40 itself and the SPAs installed in it, minimizing downtime during upgrades or maintenance.  
• Enhanced QoS and Timestamp Support: Provides advanced Quality of Service (QoS) features and precise timestamping capabilities for critical applications.  
• Packet Prioritization: Enables ingress packet prioritization based on Layer 2 or Layer 3 headers to ensure efficient traffic management.  
• Flow Control: Facilitates flow control for the SPAs to prevent network congestion.
• Clocking Distribution: Distributes line clocking reference from a single SPA to the RPs for synchronization purposes.
• Onboard Failure Logging (OBFL): Supports OBFL for troubleshooting and diagnostics.  

Benefits:

• Flexibility: The modular design allows for customization and scalability, enabling you to adapt your router’s interfaces to your evolving needs.  
• High Performance: The high bandwidth capacity ensures that your network can handle demanding applications and traffic loads.
• Reliability: Features like OIR and OBFL contribute to the overall reliability and availability of your network.
• Investment Protection: Compatibility with existing and future SPAs helps protect your investment in network hardware.