Solved: 2821 CCME K9 best practice regarding ADSL

davieshuw · ‎11-01-2007

Hi. Im in the process of speccing up a replacement for our UC500.

Im wondering if it is wise to use the 2821 as our Internet gateway (ADSL) aswell as our phone system (so general day to day web design, remote VPN connections to customer sites and allowing remote telephone workers in). Eventually there will be around 40 users needing web access.

OR would it be better to use the 2821 as a phone system only and use another router, such as the 1841 ADSL router with the K9 pack for dealing with a few VPN's and the remote workers?

Id be interested in your opinions.

Thanks

paolo bevilacqua · ‎11-01-2007

This is the classic dilemma, single box Vs many many boxes.

Advantages of 'single box': Less cost (sometime), less admin, less points of failure (what isn't there can't break).

Advantages of 'many boxes': clear demarc between roles and no possibility that one functionality influences the other (E.g.a crash in VPN code brings down the telephones too).

Cisco as always touted the 'all integrated' approach as an advatage agaisnt the competition that often cannot do it,

except that the very moment of closing the deal with customers, invariably the second approach become much more recommended for reasons easy to understand.

Bottom line, the 2821 can do both things (and more) without any problem. Also having two boxes is nice and has advantages. This is really up to you to decide!

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paolo bevilacqua · ‎11-01-2007

This is the classic dilemma, single box Vs many many boxes.

Advantages of 'single box': Less cost (sometime), less admin, less points of failure (what isn't there can't break).

Advantages of 'many boxes': clear demarc between roles and no possibility that one functionality influences the other (E.g.a crash in VPN code brings down the telephones too).

Cisco as always touted the 'all integrated' approach as an advatage agaisnt the competition that often cannot do it,

except that the very moment of closing the deal with customers, invariably the second approach become much more recommended for reasons easy to understand.

Bottom line, the 2821 can do both things (and more) without any problem. Also having two boxes is nice and has advantages. This is really up to you to decide!

davieshuw · ‎11-01-2007

Yep its a difficult one isnt it :) I think i'll go for the 1841 router for our internet access, that way if the phone system dies at least we have web access to keep the programmers happy.

Cheers, always good to hear a CCIE's input :)

paolo bevilacqua · ‎11-01-2007

Hi, it's my pleasure to offer input, I always try to bring just common sense into any reasoning.

Thanks for the nice rating (first this month), and good luck!