ASR1000-ESP200-X

Description

The Cisco ASR1000-ESP200-X is a high-performance Embedded Services Processor (ESP) for the Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers, providing up to 200 Gbps of throughput. This module is based on Cisco Flow Processor technology, enabling hardware acceleration for advanced services including crypto-based access security, Network Address Translation (NAT), threat defense with Cisco Zone-Based Firewall (ZBFW), Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), Cisco Unified Border Element (CUBE), and diverse Data-Center-Interconnect (DCI) features. Implemented in Cisco IOS XE Software, these services operate without additional hardware blades.

Cisco ASR 1000 Series Routers, enhanced by the ASR1000-ESP200-X, serve as a Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) platform aggregating multiple WAN connections and network services at line speeds from 2.5 to 200 Gbps. The design includes hardware and software redundancy for industry-leading high availability, positioned at enterprise data center edges, large offices connecting to WANs, or service provider Points of Presence (POPs).

Key Features and Benefits

• High Availability: Redundant hardware components and power supplies provide system and business continuity. The ASR 1006, ASR 1006-X, ASR 1009-X, and ASR 1013 chassis support redundant route processors and ESPs. Stateful intrachassis redundancy contains faults to prevent system-wide failure, offering 99.999-percent availability. In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) support enables changes without downtime, and Cisco IOS XE Software Sub-package Mode allows upgrading individual components quickly.
• Scalable Capacity and Throughput: Cisco Flow Processor-based platform runs advanced services at high speeds without extra hardware. Hardware acceleration processes QoS, cryptography, and ACLs in hardware. Control- and forwarding-plane separation scales planes independently.
• Investment Protection: Software modularity mixes services to meet needs without waste. Pay-as-you-grow licensing with -X models activates higher throughput via software. Reuses Cisco Shared Port Adapters (SPAs) and Network Interface Modules (NIMs).

The ASR1000-ESP200-X enables up to 78 Gbps encryption in multiservice headends and 200 Gbps non-cryptographic throughput, supporting thousands of IPsec tunnels optimized for QoS and IP Multicast.

Enterprise Use Cases

• WAN Edge: Guarantees high-priority applications with Modular QoS CLI (MQC) policies on VLANs or tunnels, limiting low-priority traffic. Classifies using DSCP, NBAR, Flexible Packet Matching (FPM) into hierarchies. Supports 464,000 queues with min/max/excess bandwidth and priority propagation.
• Multiservice, Scalable, Secure Headend: IPsec VPN aggregation scales bandwidth demands, reduces CapEx/OpEx by consolidating routers. Embedded security in Flow Processor supports up to 8,000 IPsec tunnels, 78 Gbps encryption, 200 Gbps throughput with ASR1000-ESP200.
• Embedded High-Speed Firewall: Zone-Based Policy Firewall acts as barrier between zones using MQC policies for Layer 4/7/application inspection. Embedded in Flow Processor with multi-Gbps routing plus QoS, IPv4/IPv6, NetFlow. 2.5-200 Gbps firewall performance, 40,000 sessions/sec logging with NetFlow v9.
• Managed CPE: Branch-office routing over Ethernet compliant with SLAs, multi-Gbps encryption, WAN optimization, small form factors (1-2RU). Software redundancy on select models, 2.5-200 Gbps firewall/NAT, 1.8-78 Gbps encryption, voice/WAN optimization.
• High Performance SD-WAN Aggregation Headend: ASR 1006-X with ESP 200-X supports SD-WAN from IOS-XE 17.5.1 for high-throughput headend. Supports 1x ASR1000-RP3, 1x ASR1000-ESP200-X (no intra-chassis redundancy). Interface modules: EPA-10X10GE, EPA-2X40GE, EPA-QSFP-1X100GE via 1-2x ASR1000-MIP100. Multilayer security with Cisco DNA licensing. Up to 8,000 IPSec SD-WAN overlays, multicloud access, high-density 100/40/10Gig ports. No RP/ESP redundancy, ISSU, OIR; limited modules.

Service Provider Use Cases

• Broadband L2TP LAC/LNS: Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol for PPPoX/IP sessions in STM-1 to 10GE ranges. Triple-play wholesale, per-user firewall/SBC. Scales to 64,000 subscribers, 16,000 tunnels.
• Service Provider Edge L3VPN: Provider edge for ADSL/T1 to GE bandwidths. Integral Flow Processor services: encryption, FPM, NBAR, SBC, multicast. 8,000 VRFs, 1M LDP labels, 4,000 ACLs, 4M IPv4/IPv6 routes.
• High-End Route Reflector: 40 Gbps bandwidth support, high scalability, modular RP/ESP redundancy. 29M IPv4 routes, 64,000 L3 adjacencies.
• Next-Generation Voice/Multimedia – CUBE ENT Edition: SBC for voice/video gateway with IP data. Secure SIP trunks, single WAN edge egress/ingress, separated control/data planes. 16,000 calls, 200 Gbps multimedia with accounting/firewall/QoS, IPv4/IPv6 multicast, high availability, DHCP Relay.

Cisco Software-Defined WAN Integration

Cisco SD-WAN on ASR 1000 with IOS-XE offers cloud-delivered management for secure, flexible services. Benefits: better user experience with app deployment, greater agility with faster ops, advanced threat protection. Integrated security for DIA: app-aware firewall, DNS enforcement (Umbrella), single vManage interface. Application visibility via ThousandEyes integration for hop-by-hop analytics, SD-WAN overlay monitoring, SaaS performance (requires agent license, min 8GB DRAM/bootflash). Unified access security with zero trust model.

Software Licensing

Supports Cisco IOS XE Universal images (with/without payload encryption/Lawful Intercept). Technology packages: IP Base, Advanced IP Services, Advanced Services. Cisco DNA Advantage/Premier subscriptions for WAN portfolio alignment with ISR. Smart Licensing for easy management without PAKs. Cisco ONE Software for flexible WAN licensing with portability, updates via SWSS. Honor-based RTU/session licenses. ThousandEyes requires valid agent license, min 8GB DRAM/storage.

Product Portfolio Integration

The ASR1000-ESP200-X pairs with Route Processor 3 for higher performance/memory/storage. Supports SIPs, MIPs, EPAs for expansion: high-density 10/40/100GE. Redundant power supplies (AC/DC, no mix). Worldwide AC/DC input, front-to-back airflow, NEBS/EMC/safety compliant.