Cisco launches new WAN edge platform

Cisco has released its new Wide Area Networking (WAN) edge platform for secure and automated connectivity to applications across cloud, data center, and edge.

The Catalyst 8000 Edge family provides customers with a high-performance routing platform that, through built-in analytics, delivers greater visibility into network or application problems and drives informed decisions.

For those looking to adopt a Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) architecture, Cisco SD-WAN converges cloud-managed SD-WAN and cloud-delivered security into one solution.

For customers requiring an on-premises solution, full-stack SD-WAN security is supported.

 "With the proliferation of applications, workloads and services becoming more distributed across the edge-cloud continuum, organisations are facing new realities at the WAN edge," says Cisco intent-based marketing group product management vice president JL Valente.

"In building secure multicloud access architectures, IT organisations need the agility to change course and scale quickly along with the needs of businesses. The Cisco Catalyst 8000 Edge Platform bridges the WAN edge and the cloud edge, providing secure, high-performance connectivity for distributed users to any cloud while delivering IT visibility and business agility.

Three models are available, designed for multiple use cases:

• As a high-performance SD-WAN solution, the Catalyst 8500 Series Edge Platform is ideal for data center, colocation, and aggregation sites, and features a high performing SD-WAN offering with integrated 40G and 100G Ethernet ports in a single rack unit form factor.
  It is powered by Cisco's third-generation Quantum Flow Processor, a proprietary Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) built to provide performance, security and rich network services.
   
• The Catalyst 8300 Series Edge Platform is made to handle edge connectivity at branch sites, offering modular access with a diverse set of connectivity choices.
  It also provides customers with up to four times better SD-WAN service performance than the current Cisco Integrated Services Routers (ISRs).
   
• The Catalyst 8000V Edge Software delivers all the same capabilities in software.
  It can be deployed in the cloud or virtualized on a platform such as Cisco's 5000 Series Enterprise Network Compute System (ENCS). 

Wireless mobility via cellular is becoming critical in modern WANs, and Cisco is enabling customers to easily migrate to an Advanced 4G LTE and 5G wireless WAN:

• The Cisco Catalyst Cellular Gateway helps customers deploy wireless WAN without changes to existing infrastructure.
  It elevates cellular to a primary SD-WAN link option with gigabit connectivity to any cloud or location. The initial release supports Advanced 4G LTE CAT 18 speeds, with 5G versions coming soon. 

The Cisco Catalyst 8300 and 8500 series and Cisco Cellular Catalyst Gateways are available today, with the Cisco Catalyst 8000v planned for availability in December 2020.

All are delivered through a subscription-based offer, so customers have continuous access to Cisco innovations as they are added to the subscription.