Cisco 8000 Series Secure Routers At a Glance
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Secure networking simplified for the AI era
How will you securely support growing application demands, evolving cyberthreats, and emerging quantum computing risks without adding complexity to your network?
Today's networks carry more business-critical data, more encrypted traffic, and more AI-enabled applications than ever before. At the same time, shadow AI, AI-assisted cyberattacks, and evolving security requirements are redefining what modern network infrastructure must deliver.
The Cisco® 8000 Series Secure Routers help organizations securely connect users, applications, and sites wherever business happens. Whether modernizing branch infrastructure, enabling hybrid work, connecting distributed campuses, or scaling enterprise and data center networks, organizations can simplify operations, strengthen security, and prepare for future growth with a single secure networking foundation.
One secure router family. Two operating experiences.
The Cisco 8000 Series Secure Routers let you choose the operational model that best fits your business. Whether you prefer the flexibility of Cisco IOS® XE or the cloud simplicity of Cisco Meraki® MX OS, every secure router is built on a common secure networking foundation that delivers advanced routing, integrated security, and the visibility needed to confidently support today's distributed enterprise.
Cisco 8000 Series Secure Routers (IOS XE)
Built for enterprise branches, campuses, WAN edge, and data centers where performance, customization, and advanced networking capabilities are critical.
Cisco 8000 Series Secure Routers managed by IOS XE
Benefits
● Purpose-built secure networking processor: Deliver hardware-accelerated routing, integrated security, cryptography, and AI-ready performance on a single platform.
● High-performance routing: Scale from enterprise branches to 100 Gigabit Ethernet environments while supporting AI, cloud, and encrypted traffic.
● Enterprise SD-WAN: Simplify large-scale deployments with Cisco SD-WAN, centralized policy management, and automation.
● Post-quantum security: Prepare for emerging quantum computing threats with post-quantum cryptography (PQC) capabilities and Secure Boot.
Cisco 8000 Series Secure Routers (MX OS)
Purpose-built for organizations that want enterprise-grade networking and security with cloud simplicity. These are the new versions of Meraki MX, building on the trusted platform organizations rely on and ready to tackle the networking and security challenges of the AI era.
Cisco 8000 Series Secure Routers managed by MX OS
Benefits
● Cloud-managed simplicity: Deploy, monitor, and manage every location through the intuitive Meraki dashboard with zero-touch provisioning.
● Unified networking and security: Combine advanced routing, SD-WAN, next-generation firewall, and security services in a single platform.
● High-performance, resilient secure connectivity: Deliver up to 20 Gbps of firewall throughput, with cellular options for rapid deployment and reliable failover to support modern applications, internet traffic, and distributed workforces with confidence.
● End-to-end visibility: Monitor application performance, users, devices, and network health from one centralized dashboard.
Cisco Secure Routers unify networking and security to improve performance, strengthen protection, and simplify operations across every environment.
Connectivity and assurance
Deliver resilient, high-performance connectivity with integrated cellular for rapid deployment and reliable failover across MX and IOS XE versions of Cisco Secure Routers. Embedded assurance provides end-to-end visibility to proactively identify issues, accelerate troubleshooting, and keep users productive and customers satisfied.
Integrated security
Protect users, applications, and data with built-in Cisco Firewall, intrusion prevention, segmentation, encrypted traffic protection, and Cisco Talos® threat intelligence.
Operational simplicity
Centralize management and visibility in one place through Cisco cloud control, with the flexibility to use the Meraki dashboard, Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager, or IOS XE automation.
Unified secure access
Support a modern zero-trust architecture by extending secure access beyond the branch with integrated SD-WAN, AutoVPN, and cloud-delivered security. Cisco Secure Routers provide the flexibility to evolve toward a unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) architecture as your business grows.
Built for the Quantum Era
IOS XE versions of Cisco Secure Routers combine a hardware root of trust with NIST-standardized post-quantum cryptography to help protect critical communications and support cryptographic modernization as threats evolve.
Build the foundation for secure networking
Modern networks must do more than move traffic. They must securely connect users, protect applications and data, simplify operations, and adapt to an evolving threat landscape.
The Cisco 8000 Series Secure Routers provide a unified secure networking foundation that brings together advanced routing, security built into the network, flexible management, and post-quantum capabilities on IOS XE versions. With a foundation built to evolve with your business, what could your network help you achieve in the AI era?
To get started, check out the Router Selector Tool.