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Cisco Systems Inc. this week launched 14 new routers along with a host of enhancements that target the branch office and remote worker market as well as the largest enterprises and service providers.
The new routers broaden the companys modular access portfolio, while most of the enhancements add next-generation MPLS (MultiProtocol Label Switching) and IP capabilities to its midrange router line.
Meanwhile, the San Jose, Calif., company also agreed this week to its first acquisitions of the year. The purchase of Hammerhead Networks Inc., of Billerica, Mass., will augment Ciscos IP aggregation portfolio of cable, broadband and leased-line products with Hammerheads software line, Cisco said. Cisco will exchange common stock worth up to $173 million for outstanding shares of Hammerhead.
Another acquisition, of Navarro Networks Inc., of Plano, Texas, will complement Ciscos development of Ethernet switching solutions with Navarros processor design expertise, the company announced. Cisco will exchange as much as $85 million worth of stock in exchange for outstanding shares and options of Navarro.
Both acquisitions are expected to close in the fourth quarter of Ciscos 2002 fiscal year.
The launch of 14 modular access routers includes the new Cisco 3700 Series Applications Service Routers, with the Cisco 3745 and Cisco 3725 priced at $12,000 and $8,500, respectively.
In its line of 2600 Series Modular Access routers, the company added the 2691 ($6,295), the 2651XM ($4,195), the 2650XM ($3,295), the 2621XM ($3,095), the 2620XM ($2,295), the 2611XM ($2,495) and the 2610XM ($1,995).
The Cisco 1700 Series Modular Access Routers line gained the 1760 ($1,595) and the 1721 ($1,195), while to its broadband router portfolio Cisco added the 827H ADSL Router ($649), the SOHO 77H Broadband Router ($549) and the Cisco SOHO 71 Dual-Ethernet Router ($350).
The company also rolled out an enhancement to the 3700 and 3600 Series Routers with a 36-port 10/100 EtherSwitch high-density service module, priced at $29,995.
Within the midrange router line, Cisco introduced a series of enhancements to its Cisco 7200, 7300, 7400, 7500 and 7600 Series routers. Though aimed largely at service providers, these routers also are in use by some of the largest corporations, officials said. For enterprises, the enhancements to the multiservice routers are mainly focused on introducing more advanced quality-of-service, high availability and security services.
The enhancements also provide increased support for MPLS and new IP standards. Cisco is adding a new Layer 2 VPN service offering over a common MPLS-based backbone. The second phase of IP Version 6 is also being made on the Cisco 7200, 7400 and 7500, the company said.