Chapter 2 Preparing for Installation

Site Requirement Guidelines

Site Requirement Guidelines

The environmental monitoring functionality in the Cisco 7200 VXR routers protects the system and components from potential damage from overvoltage and overtemperature conditions. To ensure normal operation and avoid unnecessary maintenance, plan your site configuration and prepare your site before installation. After installation, make sure the site maintains an ambient temperature of 32•F through 104•F (0•C through 40•C), and keep the area around the chassis as free from dust as is practical.

Planning a proper location for the Cisco 7200 VXR router and the layout of your equipment rack or wiring closet is essential for successful system operation. Equipment placed too close together or inadequately ventilated can cause system overtemperature conditions. In addition, chassis panels made inaccessible by poor equipment placement can make system maintenance difficult. Following are precautions that can help avoid problems during installation and ongoing operation.

When you plan the location and layout of your equipment rack or wiring closet, you need to consider how air flows through your router. The Cisco 7200 VXR routers draw cooling air in through the intake vent on the right side of the chassis (when you view the router from the front), and move the air across the internal components and out the exhaust vent on the left side of the chassis.

Temperature sensors on the network processing engine or network services engine and I/O controller monitor the internal air temperature and send warning messages when the internal air temperature approaches a specified threshold. If the internal temperature exceeds the specified threshold, the system environmental monitor shuts down all internal power to prevent equipment damage from excessive heat. (See the “Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Functions” section on page 1-59for temperature threshold information.)

Figure 2-1shows the airflow through the router.

Cisco 7200 VXR Installation and Configuration Guide

 

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Cisco Systems 7200 VXR manual Site Requirement Guidelines, 1shows the airflow through the router

7200 VXR specifications

The Cisco Systems 7200 VXR Series is a robust and highly scalable modular router designed to meet the demands of service providers and enterprises seeking high-performance solutions for their network infrastructures. Launched as part of the Cisco 7200 series, the VXR (Virtual Extensible Routing) variant enhances capabilities while providing effective support for a wide range of applications, including Internet Protocol (IP) routing, Voice over IP (VoIP), and Virtual Private Network (VPN) configurations.

At the core of the 7200 VXR is its modular design, which enables network administrators to customize the router according to their specific needs. The router supports a variety of interface cards, processing engines, and power supply options, ensuring flexibility for diverse network environments. This modularity facilitates easy upgrades and expansions, making it ideal for growing enterprises and service providers looking to future-proof their networks.

One of the standout features of the Cisco 7200 VXR is its impressive routing performance. It can handle a high level of traffic with low latency, which is critical for bandwidth-intensive applications. The router supports a wide array of routing protocols, including Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), and Integrated Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS), providing versatility for various network topologies.

The 7200 VXR also incorporates advanced features for enhanced security and reliability. With support for IPsec VPNs, it enables secure data transmission across untrusted networks. The router also includes features like Quality of Service (QoS) for prioritizing network traffic, ensuring critical applications receive the bandwidth they require even during peak loads.

In terms of scalability, the Cisco 7200 VXR can support hundreds of thousands of routes and MAC addresses, making it suitable for large metropolitan area networks (MANs) as well as enterprise backbone applications. It also provides the capability to support IPv4 and IPv6 networks, preparing organizations for a transition to next-generation internet protocols.

Additional characteristics of the Cisco 7200 VXR include enhanced manageability through the Cisco IOS software, which offers a comprehensive command-line interface and support for network management protocols. The router is also energy-efficient, with options for redundant power supplies that ensure continuous availability and minimal downtime in mission-critical applications.

Overall, the Cisco Systems 7200 VXR represents a powerful solution that combines performance, scalability, and security, making it an excellent choice for organizations looking to enhance their network capabilities in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.