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Architecture—Features and Benefits
The Cisco 2800 Series architecture has been designed specifically to meet the expanding requirements of enterprise branch offices and small-to-
medium-sized businesses for today’s and future applications. The Cisco 2800 Series provides the broadest range of connectivity options in the
industry combined with leading-edge availability and reliability features. In addition, Cisco IOS Software provides support for a complete suite
of transport protocols, Quality-of-Service (QoS) tools, and advanced security and voice applications for wired and wireless deployments.
Table 1. Architecture—Features and Benefits
Feature Benefit
Modular Architecture
• A wide variety of LAN and WAN options are available. Network interfaces can be upgraded in the field
to accommodate future technologies.
• Several types of slots are available to add connectivity and services in the future on an “integrate-as-
you-grow” basis.
• The Cisco 2800 supports more than 90 modules, including most of the existing WICs, VICs, network
modules, and AIMs (Note: the Cisco 2801 router does not support network modules).
Embedded Security Hardware
Acceleration
• Each of the Cisco 2800 Series routers comes standard with embedded hardware cryptography
accelerators, which when combined with an optional Cisco IOS Software upgrade help enable WAN
link security and VPN services.
Increased Default Memory
• The Cisco 2811, 2821, and 2851 Routers offer 64 MB of Flash and 256 MB of DRAM memory.
• The Cisco 2801 router comes with 64 MB Flash and 128 MB DRAM memory.
Integrated Dual Fast Ethernet
or Gigabit Ethernet Ports
• The Cisco 2800 Series provide two 10/100 on the Cisco 2801 and Cisco 2811 and two 10/100/1000
on the Cisco 2821 and Cisco 2851
Support for Cisco IOS Software
Release 12.3T Feature Sets
• The Cisco 2800 helps enable end-to-end solutions with full support for the latest Cisco IOS Software-
based QoS, bandwidth management, and security features.
• Common feature and command set structure across the Cisco 1700, 1800, 2600, 2800, 3700 and
3800 series routers simplifies feature set selection, deployment, management, and training.
Optional Integrated Power Supply
for Distribution of Power Over
Ethernet (PoE)
• An optional upgrade to the internal power supply provides in-line power (802.3af-compliant Power-
over-Ethernet [PoE] and Cisco standard inline power) to optional integrated switch modules.
Optional Integrated Universal
DC Power Supply
• On the Cisco 2811, 2821, and 2851 routers an optional DC power supply is available that extends
possible deployments environments such as central offices and industrial environments (Note: not
available on the Cisco 2801).
Integrated Redundant-Power-Supply
(RPS) Connector
• On the Cisco 2811, 2821, and 2851 there is a built in external power-supply connector that eases the
addition of external redundant power supply that can be shared with other Cisco products to decrease
network downtime by protecting the network components from downtime due to power failures.
