4300 Series Router

[GRANT3779]

Looking at the 4300 series specs I am reading the following -

Concurrent software services at speeds up to 2 Gbps. Backplane architecture supports high-bandwidth module-to-module communication at speeds up to 10 Gbps.

What exactly is this describing in the terms of routing packets? Cisco never seem to just say things like they are. Always takes a bit of deciphering...

[Joseph W. Doherty]

I think Cisco is saying, the router is able to route packets, regardless of configuration or packet size at up to 2 Gbps.  Additionally, the hardware supports interior communication of up to 10 Gbps.  I.e. the latter would be like a fabric or bus speed.

[GRANT3779]

So looking here -

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/routers/4000-series-integrated-services-routers-isr/models-comparison.html

One would assume only the 4451 would be capable of the speeds up to 2Gbps? Do you think the 2Gbps statement is referring to the moving packets within the backplane/fabric?

[Collin Clark · Accepted solution]

The 2GB is in reference to aggregate throughput through all router interfaces. For example let's say the router has four interfaces and each was passing 500Mb, then the aggregate of the router performance is 2Gb. If you only had two interfaces then each could run each at 1Gb of throughput. If I remember correctly, that is also calculated per direction.

[GRANT3779]

Thanks gents, that clears up my query.