Cisco 3845 ISR with CallManager Express

Site-to-site tunnels can be configured in a few steps using yet another wizard, and as well as mobile client tunnels the router also offers Cisco's WebVPN feature for creating SSL VPNs.

VOIP capabilities

IP telephony is covered by Cisco's AIM and CUE modules, which come preinstalled. Cisco offers a new range of IP phones with to connect to the ISR that boast higher-resolution displays and video call support.

All call and handset management is dealt with by Unified Call Manager Express, a web-based interface that allows management with a browser. Cisco has worked hard on reducing installation to dial-tone times and the handsets can be easily registered with the router using a bar-code scanner.

And, once installed on the network, phones are listed in the main interface for easy access. From here you can remotely modify display panels and set up advanced features such as hunt groups, call blocking, dial plans and so on.

For voicemail, a separate module needs to be added that provides a hard disk for storing messages. With this in place, you'll find a new tab on the CallManager management interface for accessing Cisco's Unity Express VoiceMail. From here you can manage individual's mailboxes and distribution lists, configure call handling, prompts and scripts and even add details such as holiday dates.

Two areas that the router doesn't address are anti-virus and anti-spam, but even here the 3845 has an answer. For the former, you use Cisco's NAC (network admission control), which determines an endpoint's security status, or "posture" on the network. This grants access dependant on what is running on the endpoint, which in this case would be anti-virus software.

NAC is enabled by default on all the router's interfaces, but it must have a connection using RADIUS to a Cisco Secure ACS (access control server). Setting up NAC on the 3845, however, is easy enough, as a wizard runs through defining the ACS and creating an exception list for devices such as printers and IP phones. Each client is permitted or denied access by Cisco's NAD (network access device), and this component runs on the router. For anti-spam measures, you'll need to set up access controls from SDM that look for POP3 and SMTP traffic and pass it on to a separate filtering server or appliance.

All in one

Cisco's 3845 is one seriously impressive appliance, one that has the ability to handle virtually all of a business's data services, security and communications requirements.

At only 3U high, the chassis is also incredibly compact in comparison to the equipment you could replace with it, and it also supports a massive range of modules, offering huge expansion potential. Installation and configuration, too, are handled with aplomb.

It's an excellent piece of equipment: well-designed, easy to use, impressively competent and comes highly recommended.