Cisco 1841 or 887M??

Mr Footlong

Mr Footlong

Mr Footlong

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Hi there.

I am many things but a Cisco expert I am not. Currently I have a customer that I arranged for a SDSL (Annex M) 2Mbit link for which they run all their remote user IP telephony from. The company that providedthe connection provided a Cisco 1841 Router and backup line card added that runs a backup ADSL connection in the event of the primary line going down so it swaps over automatically I am told.

This has been pretty well faultless and the customer has another site where I want to put in the exact same link but the same company that provided it earlier this year are now recommending a Cisco 887M unit. I don't know much about Cisco units but am I right in thinking that this is so they can save money at their end? Does the 887M have the same facility for a addon module to allow a failover backup ADSL line?

I have got them to agree to installing a 1841 with backup line card like they did for the first install, at the same charge. What would actually be best in the opinion of the Cisco experts here? Whatever they put in they manage themselves. I just want to make sure that the customer is getting the best performing/most reliable kit for their money!

Thanks,

Nick :).
 
The 1841 and 887M are around the same speed in terms of pps forwarding.
Thhe 1841 is modular and can take 2 HWICs, the 887M cannot.

Now the sticking point is - the 887M cannot take SDSL.

Some offered SDSL services are actually Annex M ADSL2+, rate limited on the download to give more room on the upload. Effectively achieving 2mbit up and down without the equipment otherwise required.

It's important you find out whether the service is actually SDSL, or ADSL being sold under this name.
 
Hi. I just called it SDSL Annex M as the cheeky buggers in most of the provider companies try to make people think that is what they are getting. It is Annex M ADSL2+ rate limited like you say. I was just labelling it as they did :).

Would you want a 1841 with additional card like they already have be your choice or the 887M and would the 887 be able to control both a main line and a automatic failover bacckup line like the 1841 they have does, at least according to the provider?

Thanks,

Nick.
 
Sorry I've just dug up the performance card for Cisco routers;
http://www.cisco.com/web/partners/downloads/765/tools/quickreference/routerperformance.pdf
The 1800 / 1900 series completely blow the 800 series out of the water in this regard.

A 1841 or 1941 is going to be at least £700 new, plus yearly smartnet support (Which is about £125 for 8x5x4 iirc).
An Annex M HWIC is another £300 on top.
Plus another line card for failover...
It would be at least £1300+ for this.

The 887M does support failover;
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/routers/ps380/data_sheet_c78_459542.html
"For added reliability, customers can also use the integrated 3G or ISDN backup or connect through an external modem if the primary broadband link fails. Integrated secure unified WLAN connectivity simplifies the deployment and management devices at the remote site. Redundant WAN links offer business continuity, enabling non-disruptive business operation." This is done through SRST afaik.
The failover would not be ADSL in any case with the 887.
 
I'd be asking for a 1921 tbh, the Annex M bundle with IP Base is about £600 iirc so add another £300 or so for a 2nd HWIC and you'd be sorted assuming that IP Base would meet your needs.

We've just got a couple of nice new 2921's here and the improvements in performance over the 2821's we also have is quite large, I'd imagine the same sort of differences is found between the 1841 and the 1921's.

800 series is much cheaper as Yamahahahahahhaa points out, but I wouldn't really say it was appropriate if you're after fallback with ADSL (though what kind of backup a 2nd line from the same provider, probably - I'd go as far as certainly - from the same backhaul service is is up for debate).
 
The sales guy just rang me and I toldd him that I wanted to go with the 1841 with additional line card option. He then mentioned that they would have been providing 2 887M's using HSRP. I asked him how this would provide failover protection in a configuration where they have just 1 VPN router unit physically connected directly to 1 of these 2 887's via it's WAN interface.

He didn't even bother to try answering that but instead said that the 1841 would be easier allround. The customer wants to keep using these guys and I want to make sure that they are always happy to manage their own kit so tbh, I don't want to rock the boat with asking for a different kind of router again ;). If the general concensus is that the 1841 with card is a better option all round that the 887M in HSRP configuration (not factoring in a router failure of course, just general comparison), then I am more than happy with that!

Thanks,

Nick :).
 
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