__ The Cisco 12012 Gigabit Switch Router __
Among the first routers designed for the fat pipes and bandwidth-hogging apps of tomorrow, the Cisco 12012 GSR is one of the engines underlying John Chambers' New World Network.
Routers, of course, hum away in the air-conditioned operation centers of ISPs and corporate IT departments, determining the most efficient path for the rising tide of data traffic. The underlying TCP/IP protocols divide everything - from email and Web pages to the inevitable streaming video - into manageable data packets, which are independently sent from router to router and reassembled at their final destination.
Switching internally at up to 60 Gbps, the 12012 GSR can achieve a data-throughput speed of 2.5 Gbps per slot, compared to the 400 Mbps of Cisco's 7500 series, the workhorse of today's networks. The throughput increase is due primarily to the grid architecture of the high-speed switch-fabric circuitry that connects the 12012's various line cards. Even line cards, the interface between router and network, have been upgraded for the 12012 to process data packets much faster.
Of course, speed doesn't come cheap. The 12012 starts at $37,000 and can exceed $500,000, depending on configuration.
Top blower
Superheated growth may drive up Cisco's stock price, but overheating is a sure cause of router death. Top and bottom blowers circulate the constant supply of cooled air.
Cable-management tray
Keeps wires out of the way yet accessible to every line card.
Gigabit route processor
The brains of the outfit. The GRP knows the topology of the network and stays abreast of, say, the fastest way for a packet to get from SF to NYC, and it distributes this information to the line cards.
Reset switch
Insert paper clip to depress - truly cutting edge.
Alarm card
Flashes and beeps warn of high temperatures, voltage surges, and fan troubles. When shutdowns are necessary, the alarm card triggers an external alert.
Line cards/expansion slots
The router's interface with every form of pipe, be it an Internet backbone or Ethernet line. Hot-swappable line cards can be added into the expansion slots without downtime.
Air-temperature LEDs
Helps technicians keep their cool. The operating temperature must stay below the red zone of 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Switch Fabric
The switch-fabric circuitry syncs gigabit-speed communication between the line cards and the GRP - this grid architecture is a long way from the bandwidth free-for-all inside old-school routers.
Clock and scheduler cards
The clock and scheduler cards decide which data gets access (and when) to the switch fabric, the line cards, and the GRP.
Air filter
Air is drawn in then blown through the card cages and power-supply bay.
Power supplies
With room for four AC-input or two DC-input power supplies, the 12012 GSR ensures the always-on economy is always on.
Power switch
Note location for January 1, 2000.
Bottom blower
