Transitioning away from ATM

[spfister336]

We have 3 or 4 older sites that connect back to our central site using ATM over 2 T1s. This connection is for both voice and data. Equipment is a 3640 router and 8510 switch. These are our last sites on ATM, and we'd like to move them away from ATM as soon as we can.

Looking at the Cisco documentation, it looks like we could use 3925s at the central site and at each of the remote locations, with VWIC3 cards (we're using VWIC first generation cards now in the 3640s), and use the drop and insert capability to handle voice and data. I had done some setups like this at a previous job... it's been a couple of years, but hopefully I still got the concept. If I've got this correct, what do we need for the connection to the phone system?

[paolo bevilacqua]

To what are you transiotion? Why drop and insert ? Why such a big router like 3925 ?

[spfister336]

We're looking to transition from ATM to direct point-to-point T1s. I thought drop and insert would allow us to provide about the same bandwidth for voice and data that the site is receiving now (about 800k voice and the rest data) over 2 T1s. And I was under the impression that the 3925 was a successor to the 3640. Whatever is a better choice, I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks!

[Kimberly Adams]

Are you running the drop and insert configuration on the routers due to having a PBX system that doesn't have VOIP capabilities?  I have set that configuration up before for that exact reason.  My usual recommendation is the host site will have a larger router to host all the remote connections and still enough resources.  At the remote sites, depending how big, you can probably get away with a 2911 or 2921 router if you need a little more capability.

When it comes to the T1's are they going to be bundled and on an MPLS network?

Thanks,

Kimberly

[spfister336]

Yes, that's correct... the PBXes are older and do not support VOIP. So, we could have a 3925 at the central site, and maybe 2911s at the remote sides? What modules would we need to support voice and data? And no, I don't think the T1s are going to be bundled and on an MPLS network.

Thanks for the responses!

[paolo bevilacqua]

You can use as small as 2901... however the best choice if moving really forward, would ethrnet or MPLS, and VOIP, not T1s and not drop an insert because these are not very scalable and not very current technology. You don't need the PBX do do VoIP, the router would do everything.

You should select a reputable consulant, or certifies cisco partner to work on this

[spfister336]

What would be a good choice for the routers, both at the central site and remote site if we wanted them to handle VOIP? It will probably need to be over 2 point-to-point T1s still. I think we're looking for more cheap rather than scaleable for now. I'd love to get these sites on ethernet, but I don't know when that will be possible.

[paolo bevilacqua]

Models in current production are the 1861, and the ISR G2 29xx. All these are higly voip capable.