Cisco Systems® announces the availability of the Cisco® IP Solution Center (ISC) 4.1. Cisco ISC is a family of intelligent network management applications that help reduce overall network administration and management costs by providing automated resource management and rapid profile-based provisioning capabilities to accelerate deployment and time to market for Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Metro Ethernet technologies. Cisco ISC also helps reduce operational costs by providing automated workflow-based troubleshooting and diagnostic capabilities for MPLS VPNs. The following applications can operate alone or as a suite:
• Cisco ISC MPLS VPN Management application
• Cisco ISC Layer 2 VPN and Metro Ethernet Management (L2 VPN) application
• Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert, a new product that works with the Cisco ISC family of applications; it can be used on its own or together with Cisco ISC MPLS VPN Management.
Cisco ISC's capabilities include provisioning and automated diagnostics1 of MPLS VPNs, ATM/Frame Relay/Ethernet over MPLS VPNs, ATM/Frame Relay transport over Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol Version 3 (L2TPv3) VPNs, Metro Ethernet VPNs, and planning and configuration of MPLS Traffic Engineering.
Table 1 lists features of Cisco ISC 4.1
Table 1. Cisco ISC 4.1 Features
Feature
Description
Tracking of Layer 3 and Layer 2 resources
Manages resources such as Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) autonomous system, regions, customers, customer sites, access domains, provider administrative domains, virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) names, IP addresses, VLAN IDs, pseudowire virtual circuit IDs, route distinguishers, and route targets.
Rapid profile-based provisioning
Allows service operators to define Layer 3 and Layer 2 VPN provisioning parameters in a service policy; uploads the network element configuration to calculate the change in configuration needed to help ensure successful service activation.
Recognition of incorrect service configuration
Provides postprovisioning validation of the service design in order to determine if the Layer 3 and Layer 2 VPNs are active and functional.
Investment protection from Cisco IOS® Software and line card changes
Provides comprehensive platform and Cisco IOS Software support.
Bandwidth protection planning
Identifies placement of Fast Reroute (FRR) backup tunnels to protect critical network elements. Installs backup tunnels to protect against link, node, or shared risk link group (SRLG) failures.
MPLS Traffic Engineering tunnel placement, repair, and network grooming
Generates MPLS Traffic Engineering tunnel paths that meet user-specified constraints, including bandwidth, affinity, and delay, and proposes fixes to meet user-specified constraints for new tunnel demands. Global reoptimization of primary tunnel placements improves network utilization.
Automated workflow-based troubleshooting and diagnostics of MPLS VPN deployments
The diagnostics performed by Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert are based upon analysis of network failure scenarios across MPLS access, edge, and core.
Carrier-grade infrastructure for large deployments
Provides the following system features:
• Four-tiered distributed architecture
• Thin Web-based GUI client
• Role-based access control (RBAC)
• Extensible Markup Language (XML) over HTTP northbound interface
• Data backup and restore
New Features
The following list describes the primary new features and updates of Cisco ISC 4.1. A complete list of updates is available in the Cisco ISC 4.1 release notes document.
• Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert - Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert is a new product option for Cisco ISC 4.1. It provides automated troubleshooting and diagnostics of connectivity problems in MPLS/BGP VPNs (edge, access, and core). The Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert works with the Cisco ISC family of applications. It can be used on its own or together with Cisco ISC MPLS VPN Management. For more information, check the Cisco MPLS Diagnostics Expert product bulletin at www.cisco.com/go/mde.
• New MPLS VPN Service Discovery and Layer 2 VPN/Virtual Private Line Service (VPLS) Service Discovery modules - These discovery modules add support for the discovery of existing MPLS VPN and Layer 2 VPN services. The discovery modules have also been integrated together into a discovery workflow, controlled and monitored from the Web-based GUI. These modules are available for purchase and can be optionally included or excluded in the discovery process.
• Enhanced support for the provisioning of Metro Ethernet services - These features include VLAN translation (you can enable one-to-one or two-to-one VLAN translation), storm control settings, enhanced Policy for Virtual Circuit ID (VC ID) attributes, Cisco Catalyst® 6500 Series Supervisor Engine 720 support on Cisco 7600 Series routers (no longer require the Optical Service Module [OSM] card), Cisco Catalyst 3750 Metro Series switches, and UNI Port Security.
• MPLS VPN and L2 VPN reports supported by the Cisco ISC API are now available through the Cisco ISC GUI.
• The Cisco ISC TEM application has been enhanced to support multivendor awareness and Cisco IOS XR Software devices with Cisco IOS XR Software Release 3.2.
• Cisco ISC quality of service (QoS) has been enhanced to support a Metro Ethernet 3.1 solution, including hierarchical QoS support for the Cisco 3750-ME, updated QoS support for Cisco 7600 Series routers, and IP QoS Cisco 12000 (GSR) Series new line card support.
• Updated Oracle database support - Oracle database has been tested with Oracle Database 10g Enterprise Edition Release 10.1.0.2.0 64-bit Production and support of Oracle logical standby.
Important Cisco ISC 4.1 platform and Cisco IOS Software release updates are described in the following list. A complete list of updates is available in the Cisco ISC 4.1 release notes document.
• Cisco ISC MPLS VPN Management application update support of Cisco IOS Software Release 12.0(31)S for Cisco 12000 Series routers; Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(27)SBB for Cisco 7200, 7500, and 10000 series routers; and Cisco IOS Software Release with 12.2(18)SXE for Cisco 7600 Series routers and Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Supervisor Engine 2 and Engine 720
• Cisco ISC L2 VPN Management application and Metro Ethernet services update support for Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(18)SXE for Catalyst 6500 Series and Cisco 7600 Series routers, Cisco IOS Software Release 12.1(22)EA1 for Cisco Catalyst 3550 Series switches, and Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(25)EY for Cisco Catalyst 3750 Metro Series switches
• Cisco ISC TEM application update support for Cisco IOS Software releases 12.0(30)S and 12.0(31) for Cisco 7200 and 7500 series routers, Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(18)SXE for Cisco 7600 Series routers, Cisco IOS Software Release 12.0(31)S for Cisco 12000 Series routers, Cisco IOS Software Release 12.0(30)S3 for Cisco 10000 Series routers, and Cisco IOS XR Software Release 3.2 for Cisco CRS-1 Series and Cisco 12000 Series routers
Upgrade Paths
Cisco ISC 4.0 and 3.x and Cisco VPN Solution Center (VPNSC) customers are encouraged to migrate to Cisco ISC 4.1. Cisco ISC 4.1 simplifies management of multiple technologies by providing an integrated management product for technologies such as Layer 3 VPN (including automated troubleshooting and diagnostics), Any Transport over MPLS (AToM), Metro Ethernet, and Layer 2 tunneled VPNs and MPLS Traffic Engineering. In addition to the set of supported technologies, Cisco ISC 4.1 provides updated hardware and Cisco IOS Software platform support and enhanced infrastructure features such as a four-tiered architecture, off-the-shelf relational database management systems (RDBMS) such as Sybase and Oracle, a Web-based GUI, an XML-over-HTTP northbound API, and enhanced Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). The following paragraphs outline the upgrade paths for existing Cisco ISC and VPNSC customers.
Existing Cisco ISC 4.0 MPLS VPN, L2 VPN, and TEM customers with a current Software Application Support (SAS) contract can order an update kit though the Cisco Product Upgrade Tool at http://www.cisco.com. See Table 12 for ordering information. Customers without a SAS contract can purchase an update kit for a fee. See Table 13 for ordering information.
Existing Cisco ISC 3.x MPLS VPN and L2 VPN Management customers can purchase an update kit for a fee by contacting their Cisco sales representatives. See Table 11 for ordering information.
Existing Cisco ISC 3.x Security Management customers should not upgrade to Cisco ISC 4.1. The Cisco IP Solution Center 3.x Security Management product will continue to be supported only in the ISC Security Management 3.2 product branch.
On August 18, 2004, Cisco Systems announced the end of sale and end of life for Cisco ISC 3.0 and 3.1. The last day to order these products was February 18, 2005. Cisco ISC 3.0 and 3.1 customers are encouraged to upgrade to Cisco ISC 4.1. The last date that Cisco Engineering may release any final software maintenance releases or bug fixes is February 18, 2006. For additional details on the end-of-sale and end-of-life program for Cisco ISC 3.0 and 3.1, please visit: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/netmgtsw/ps4748/prod_eol_notices_list.html.
On April 1, 2003, Cisco Systems announced the end of sale and end of life for the Cisco VPN Solution Center (VPNSC) 1.x and 2.x. Cisco VPNSC is no longer being sold. Cisco VPNSC customers are encouraged to migrate to Cisco ISC 4.1, which provides additional application support in the areas of QoS, L2 VPN, MPLS VPN diagnostics, and MPLS Traffic Engineering (Table 2). The end of software maintenance for Cisco VPNSC products was reached on August 1, 2005. For additional details on the end-of-sale and end-of-life program for Cisco VPNSC 1.x and 2.x, please visit: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/netmgtsw/ps2327/prod_eol_notices_list.html.
Availability
Cisco ISC 4.1 and associated minor release update kits will begin shipping on December 13, 2005. Customers can order these new products through normal Cisco sales channels beginning December 2, 2005.
Ordering Information
Tables 2 through 13 provide ordering information for Cisco ISC applications and SAS.
Table 2. Cisco ISC 4.1 Entry Points and Combo Packages
1. Cisco ISC 4.1 incremental activation license upgrades are only applicable to customers that have already bought tier upgrades of 10,000 activation licenses and beyond.
Table 7. Cisco ISC 4.1 Activation License Tier Upgrades for TEM
Part Number
Description
TEM-ISC4.1-20NTU
Cisco ISC 4.1 TEM 20-node activation license
TEM-ISC4.1-50NTU
Cisco ISC 4.1 TEM upgrade from current 20 to 50-node activation license
TEM-ISC4.1-50N-INC
Cisco ISC 4.1 TEM 50-node incremental upgrade beyond 50 nodes1
1. Cisco ISC 4.1 TEM incremental node license is only for customers with current 50 nodes licenses or beyond.
Table 8. Cisco ISC 4.1 Metro Ethernet Broadband Aggregation Packages and Activation License Tier Upgrades
Any activation license (500, 1500, 3000, 6000, 10,000, 20,000, 30,000, or 50,000 connections )
Cisco ISC 4.1
ISC3.X-4.1-UP-K9
Table 12. Update Options from Cisco ISC 4.0 to 4.1 for Customers with SAS Contract
Currently Owned
Type of Activation License
Update To
Update Kit to Request
Cisco ISC MPLS VPN Management 4.0
Any activation license (200, 500, 1500, 3000, 6000, 10,000, or more)
Cisco ISC 4.1
ISC4.1-MPLS-SR-K9
Cisco ISC L2 VPN Management 4.0
Any activation license (200, 500, 1500, 3000, 6000, 10,000, or more)
Cisco ISC 4.1
ISC4.1-L2VPN-SR-K9
Cisco ISC TEM 4.0
Any activation license (20, 50, 100, or 150 nodes)
Cisco ISC 4.1
ISC4.1-TEM-SR-K9
Cisco ISC 4.0 customers with Cisco SAS contracts can request the minor update kits above from the Cisco Product Upgrade Tool at http://www.cisco.com/upgrade.
Table 13. Update Options from Cisco ISC 4.0 to 4.1 for Customers Without SAS Contract
Currently Owned
Type of Activation License
Update To
Update Kit to Order
Cisco ISC MPLS VPN Management 4.0
Any activation license (200, 500, 1500, 3000, 6000, 10,000, or more)
Cisco ISC 4.1
ISC4.1-MPLS-UP-K9
Cisco ISC L2 VPN Management 4.0
Any activation license (200, 500, 1500, 3000, 6000, 10,000, or more)
Cisco ISC 4.1
ISC4.1-L2VPN-UP-K9
Cisco ISC TEM 4.0
Any activation license (20, 50, 100, or 150 nodes)
Cisco ISC 4.1
ISC4.1-TEM-UP-K9
Technical support services are orderable on these products through Cisco SAS programs. Service part numbers can be found on online Cisco ordering tools and price lists.
For More Information
For more information about Cisco ISC, visit http://www.cisco.com/go/isc or contact your local account representative.
