Cell-Site Access Platform Custom-Designed for IP Optimization of Radio Access Networks
Introduction
The Cisco® MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router is a cell-site access platform specifically designed to optimize, aggregate, and transport mixed-generation Radio Access Network (RAN) traffic. It allows mobile wireless operators to significantly lower existing operating expenses (OpEx); cost-efficiently deploy new radio technologies such as UMTS/HSDPA and WiMAX voice and data networks; generate revenue from new cell-site IP-based services; and enable rapid deployment of next-generation mobile services.
Custom designed for the cell site, the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A features a small form factor, extended operating temperature, and cell-site DC input voltages. It comprises a high-performance architecture, driven by a powerful MIPS RISC processor coupled with an optional ATM network processing engine, combined with application-specific Cisco IOS® Software-based operating software tailored for IP RAN transport. The Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A has a modular design, providing flexibility and a variety of connectivity options at the cell site through support for select modules from the Cisco 2800 and 3800 Series Integrated Services Router platforms.
The Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A enables a variety of RAN solutions by extending IP connectivity to GSM/GPRS/EDGE base transceiver stations (BTSs), UMTS/HSDPA Node Bs, CDMA/CDMA-2000/EV-DO BTSs, and other ancillary cell-site equipment. It transparently and efficiently transports cell-site voice, data, and signaling traffic over IP using traditional T1/E1 circuits, including leased line, microwave, and satellite, as well as alternative backhaul networks, including DSL, EFM, Metro Ethernet, and WiMAX. It also supports standards-based Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Internet protocols over the RAN transport network, including those standardized at the Third-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) for IP RAN transport.
The primary Cisco IP Optimized RAN transport solutions, which may be deployed separately or in combination to suit the operator's specific network and business needs, include:
• Optimized RAN transport over IP: Maximizes GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS/HSDPA, and 4G voice and data call density per T1/E1 over the RAN transport network to reduce backhaul transmission costs, which are typically the largest operational expenses in the network.
• Broadband and Ethernet RAN backhaul: Allows for a variety of backhaul transport media enabling higher-capacity and/or lower-cost alternative RAN transport for GSM, CDMA, and UMTS networks, such as DSL, WiMAX, and Metro Ethernet. Higher-speed broadband backhaul, such as DSL and Metro Ethernet, is ideally suited for transport of HSDPA, CDMA EV-DO, and WiMAX data traffic.
• Cell-site operations support networks: Enables telemetry to cell sites for remote operations and network element management of the ancillary cell-site equipment to reduce costly site visits and improve operational efficiency.
• Cell-site IP points of presence (POPs): Offer new revenue-generating IP services and applications at every cell site.
Table 1 lists the advantages and benefits of the Cisco IP Optimized RAN solutions for mobile wireless operators.
Table 1. Important Advantages and Benefits of the Cisco IP Optimized RAN Solutions
Solution
Advantage
Benefit
Optimized RAN Transport over IP
50% measured T1/E1 efficiency gain on GSM and UMTS
Reduced bandwidth needs
Bit-transparent
RAN vendor independent
No change to existing RAN design
Cisco Optimized Pseudo-Wire Emulation (PWE)
Statistical multiplexing
T1/E1 "bonding" with MLPPP
Single converged IP backhaul serving 2G/3G/4G
QoS by traffic type and radio
Dynamic bandwidth sharing
Decouple RAN technology from transport
IMA termination at the cell site
Enhanced reliability
3GPP-compliant transport
Investment protection
Substantial OpEx reduction
Growth in GSM revenue without increasing costs
Expanded call-carrying capacity of existing T1/E1 RAN
Utilization of existing T1/E1 capacity from GSM to also handle UMTS
Ability to begin Node B rollouts immediately and pre-wire additional UMTS capacity
Faster rollouts
Loss of T1/E1 span does not result in loss of service
Multiple traffic classes supported on common network
Per-technology bandwidth monitoring and tracking
Seamless support for natural 2G to 3G migration
Broadband and Ethernet backhaul-ready
Utilize standards as broadband and Ethernet backhaul become available
Reduced ATM spending, investment in IP - the future
Risk-free BSS upgrades
Positioning for 3G evolution to native IP
Broadband and Ethernet RAN backhaul
Backhaul media independent (xDSL, EFM, Metro Ethernet, WiMAX, etc.)
UMTS, HSPA, EVDO, WiMAX offload
Cisco optimized PWE and IETF PWE3
ATM PVC routing for UMTS
Rapid network expansion
Single converged IP/Ethernet/MPLS backhaul
Lower-cost broadband IP backhaul options
Substantial OpEx reduction
Quick response to growth demands
Simplified network management and backhaul provisioning
Ability to route different traffic types over different backhaul media types
Optimal matching of backhaul network capacity and SLA
Multi-radio/multi-backhaul capability
Load-balancing across backhaul options
Backup paths
Cell-site IP POPs and operations support networks
New revenue-generating services
Intelligent IP services
Cell-site telemetry and LAN extension
4G-ready
Ability to reach new customers
RAN security
Fewer site visits and shorter mean time to repair (MTTR)
Rapid deployment of next-generation services
The Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router (Figure 1) delivers a compact, high-performance, and modular cell-site access platform designed specifically for IP optimization of RANs, enabling profit-enhancing solutions for today's mobile networks and offering flexibility to evolve as future growth and business needs require.
Figure 1. Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router
Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router Overview
The primary hardware and software features of the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router are described in the following overviews.
Hardware Overview
The Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A includes the following hardware features:
• Stackable, low-power, 1-rack-unit (RU), 12.5-inch-deep, 19-inch rack-mount form factor with front-to-back airflow
• Time-division multiplexing (TDM) backplane
• Common clock distribution across the chassis
• Front-panel access cabling and LED indicators
• Two integrated 10/100BASE-T LAN ports
• Three integrated WAN interface card (WIC) slots that support select modules from the Cisco MWR 1900 Series, and the Cisco 2800 and 3800 Series
• One network module slot supporting select network modules from the Cisco 2800 and 3800 Series
• One ATM Advanced Integration Module (AIM) processor card (required for UMTS)
• 115.2-Kbps console and auxiliary ports
• -10 to 55°C (-4 to 131°F) extended operating temperature
• 20 to 60V DC (±) universal power supply
• MIPS RISC processor
• Support for the Cisco 2-Port T1/E1 RAN Voice/WAN Interface Card providing a dedicated TDM hardware processor for Cisco GSM Abis/Ater Optimization over IP, CESoPSN, and SAToP
• T1/E1 protection switching on Abis, Ater, Iub, and backhaul T1/E1s between 1:1 redundant Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A platforms
• Simple GUI-based management with Cisco Mobile Wireless Transport Manager (MWTM)
Software Overview
The software available for the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A supports Cisco IOS Software running on the MIPS RISC processor, and microcode running on the optional Cisco AIM network processor to provide hardware-acceleration to increase performance of ATM network services such as ATM cell segmentation and reassembly (SAR), ATM AAL0 (for AAL2 voice/data), AAL5, and IMA v1.0 and v1.1.
The software for the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A is tailored for IP RAN transport, and includes several Cisco IOS Software features specifically developed for such applications. These features include Cisco patent-pending Optimized Pseudowire Emulation (PWE), or GSM Abis/Ater and UMTS Iub Optimization over IP, which provides optimization to improve backhaul transport efficiency. Another important feature is Cisco ATM PVC Routing, which provides the ability to route different types of3G traffic over different types of backhaul media, while providing load-balancing and backup paths. For example, in some DSL backhaul networks the downlink supports much higher capacity than the uplink. Cisco ATM PVC Routing optimally matches HSDPA transport to these asymmetric backhaul networks by routing higher-bandwidth downstream traffic over DSL links, while the lower-bandwidth upstream traffic is routed over "bonded" T1/E1 links. In addition, the software supports Cisco patented redundancy and failover logic, diagnostics functions, and relay control enabling inter-router T1/E1 protection switching, which provides 99.9998 percent availability using the Cisco T1/E1 Protection Switching VWICs (product codes: VWIC-2T1/E1-RAN, VWIC-2MFT-T1-DIR, and VWIC-2MFT-E1-DIR).
The Cisco IOS Software features supported on the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A include:
• Cisco Optimized Pseudowire Emulation (PWE)
• Cisco Abis/Ater and Iub Optimization over IP
• ATM Pseudowire Emulation Edge to Edge (PWE3) over MPLS and L2TPv3; Transparent Cell Transport Service/ATM Port Mode; ATM AAL5 CPCS-SDU Mode; ATM AAL5-SDU Mode; ATM N:1 and 1:1 VCC cell mode; ATM Port Cell Relay Service; ATM VCC Cell Relay Service
• Structure Agnostic TDM over Packet (SAToP) and Circuit Emulation Service over Packet Switched Network (CESoPSN)
• Ethernet PWE3 over MPLS; VLAN mode and port mode
• ATM, TDM, and Ethernet PWE3 redundancy
• IEEE 802.1q and IEEE 802.1p
• Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS)
• Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol Version 3 (L2TPv3)
• Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)
• Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) and Multi-link PPP (MLPPP)
• Asymmetric PWE3, PWE3 over MLPPP, and PWE3 over GRE for HSDPA Offload
• User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and compressed Real Time Protocol/compressed UDP (cRTP/cUDP), Address and Control Field Compression (ACFC)
• Inverse Multiplexing over ATM (IMA v1.0, 1.1), ATM cell packing, ATM SAR, ATM AAL0 (for AAL2 voice/data), AAL5, ATM Class of Service (CoS) features CBR, VBR-nrt, VBR-rt, and UBR, per virtual circuit (VC) queuing, pre-ATM VC shaping for VBR-nrt, IP CoS map to ATM QoS services, ATM PVC Routing
• High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC)
• Hot Standby Routing Protocol (HSRP), Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol, Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), Routing Information Protocol (RIP), IP Multicast, Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD), IS-IS
• IP Precedence, traffic shaping and policing, Priority Queuing (PQ), Weighted Fair Queuing (WFQ), Class-Based Weighted Fair Queuing (CBWFQ), Low Latency Queuing (LLQ), Weighted Round Robin (WRR), DiffServ
• PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE), PPP Authentication Protocol (PAP), Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP), Secure Shell (SSH) Protocol Version 2, access control lists (ACLs)
• Network Timing Protocol (NTP)
• Network Address Translation (NAT), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), IP Control Protocol (IPCP)
Table 2 lists important features and benefits of the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router.
Table 2. Important Features and Benefits of Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A
Feature
Benefit
Custom-Built for the Cell Site
Small form factor
• 1-RU/12.5-in.-deep chassis preserves limited rack space available at the cell site
Universal DC power supply
• Compatible with the range of DC input voltages specifically available at cell sites
• Facilitates deployment at either 27 VDC or -48 VDC cell sites
Extended operating temperature
• Functions reliably in cell sites subject to higher operating temperatures
• Low power operation makes more efficient use of cell-site batteries and produces less heat
Front panel access cabling and LED indicators
• Facilitates easy access and at-a-glance activity status
High-Performance Architecture Designed for RAN Aggregation, Optimization, and Transport
Hardware-accelerated network services
• Provides hardware-accelerated GSM Abis/Ater and UMTS Iub transport over T1/E1 or IP backhaul with up to 50-percent traffic optimization or greater, CESoPSN, SAToP, ATM PWE3 over MPLS and L2TPv3, and Ethernet PWE3 over MPLS
• Enables ATM segmentation and reassembly and IMA
Hardware-accelerated network services
• Achieves proven transparency in GSM, UMTS, and CDMA networks
Unique software bundle for RAN transport and optimization
• Customized Cisco IOS Software-based software boosts performance and availability of IP optimized RAN applications and backhaul-independent transport
Cell-Site IP Connectivity
Optimized RAN transport over IP
Broadband and Ethernet RAN backhaul
Cell IP POPs
• Maximizes voice and data call density per T1/E1
• Provides higher-capacity and lower-cost alternative RAN transport backhaul media
• Enables new revenue-generating IP services and applications; cell-site telemetry
Investment Protection
Modular architecture
• Combination of WICs and network modules gives greater flexibility to customize for specific network requirements, and to create new configurations as requirements change
• Network interfaces are field-upgradeable to accommodate future technologies
Cisco IOS Software
• Supports Cisco IOS Software features in common with the Cisco 2800 and 3800 Series routers
• New releases of Cisco IOS Software add support for new services and applications
• World-class Cisco IOS quality of service (QoS) features allow concurrent GSM/UMTS or CDMA and IP application traffic to be transported over a common backhaul network without any impact to GSM/UMTS or CDMA traffic and voice/data quality
Platform Manageability
Cisco MWTM
• Allows simplified and scalable network element management, performance monitoring, and advanced statistics reporting
High Availability
Inter-router T1/E1 protection switching
• Provides 99.9998-percent availability for less than one minute per year of downtime with 1:1 redundant configuration using Cisco T1/E1 RAN VWICs
Specifications
Table 3 lists the system specifications for the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router.
Table 3. Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A System Specifications
Description
Specification
Processor types
MIPS RISC processor
Performance
Up to 6 GSM/CDMA BTS-facing TDM T1/E1 links or 8 UMTS Node B-facing ATM T1/E1 links
Flash memory (compact flash memory)
External: 128 MB
System memory
256 MB (DRAM default)
Integrated WIC slots
3
Network module slots
1
AIM slots
1
Onboard LAN ports
2 10/100 Fast Ethernet ports
Console port
1 (up to 115.2 Kbps)
Auxiliary port
1 (up to 115.2 Kbps)
Power
DC only
Dimensions (H x W x D)
1.72 x 12.5 x 17.5 in. (4.37 x 31.75 x 44.45 cm)
Weight (without network modules or WICs)
10.5 lb
Rack mounting
19 in.
Standard components
Front-to-back airflow
1-RU-high chassis
Front-panel access cabling and LED indicators
Table 4 lists the power specifications for the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router.
Table 4. Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Power Specifications
Description
Specification
DC-input power and power dissipation
47W maximum
DC-input voltage rating
20 to 60 VDC, 27 VDC or -48V DC nominal, 60 VDC maximum
-10 to 55°C (-4 to 131°F) except WIC-2A/S card, which has an operating temperature range of 0 to 50°C (32 to 122°F), and NM-1A-OC3SMI, NM-1A-T3, and NM-16ESW cards, which have operating temperature ranges of 0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F)
Non-operating temperature
-40 to 85°C (-40 to 185°F)
Relative humidity
5 to 90 percent non-condensing, ±5 percent
Operation altitude
1600 m/5248 ft, 3000 m/9840 ft, maximum 113°F (45°C) ambient
Noise level
59 dB
Airflow
32 cfm
Table 6 lists the regulatory standards compliance specifications for the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router.
Table 7 describes the network modules supported on the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router.
Table 7. Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Network Modules
Network Module Part Number
Description
NM-2W
Network module with 2 WAN card slots
NM-1A-OC3SMI
ATM OC-3 network module
NM-1A-T3
DS-3 ATM network module
NM-16ESW
16-port 10/100 EtherSwitch network module
Table 8 describes the WICs and VWICs supported on the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router.
Table 8. Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A WICs and VWICs
WIC and VWIC Part Number
Description
VWIC-2T1/E1-RAN
2-port T1/E1 Protection Switching RAN VWIC, optimized PWE, PWE3
VWIC-2MFT-T1-DIR
2-port T1 with CSU/DSU, drop and insert (1/0 multiplexing), and protection switching relays
WIC-2A/S
2-port asynchronous/synchronous serial WIC
Table 9 describes the Advanced Integration Modules (AIMs) supported on the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router.
Table 9. Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A AIMs
AIM Part Number
Description
AIM-ATM-8
8-T1/E1 high-performance ATM segmentation and reassembly (SAR) advanced integration module
Table 10 describes the network management software available for the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router.
Table 10. Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Network Management
Software Part Number
Description
MWTM-6.0-BASE-K9
Mobile Wireless Transport Manager 6.0 Base Media Kit
MWTM-6.0RA-STBY-K9
Mobile Wireless Transport Manager 6.0 Standby Mode Software License for IP RAN
RANO-MWR-RTU
Manageability for MWR 1941-DC-A License
Ordering Information
Table 11 describes the ordering information for Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Routers.
Table 11. Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router
Cisco MRW1941-DC-A Part Number
Description
MWR-1941-DC-A
High-performance, 10/100 dual Ethernet mobile wireless edge router with extended temperature, 20 to 60 VDC, 3 WIC slots, 1 network module slot, 1 AIM slot
MWR-1941-DC-2T1/E1
Bundle: MWR 1941-DC-A and 1 RAN VWIC (2 T1/E1 ports)
MWR-1941-DC-4T1/E1
Bundle: MWR 1941-DC-A and 2 RAN VWICs (4 T1/E1 ports)
MWR-1941-DC-6T1/E1
Bundle: MWR 1941-DC-A and 3 RAN VWICs (6 T1/E1 ports)
MWR-1941-DC-8T1/E1
Bundle: MWR 1941-DC-A and 4 RAN VWICs (8 T1/E1 ports)
MWR-1941-DC-10T1/E
Bundle: MWR 1941-DC-A and 5 RAN VWICs (10 T1/E1 ports)
Summary
In current cellular networks, the RAN accounts for a significant percentage of total operational expenditures. By using the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router, operators can simplify and optimize their current RANs with a compact, high-performance, and modular cell-site access platform, reducing operating costs and enhancing profit opportunities. These flexible and agile RANs can easily adapt to accommodate new radio and networking technologies and services as future growth and business needs require.
Service and Support
The award-winning service and support offerings from Cisco provide presales network-audit planning, design consulting, network implementation, operational support, and network optimization. By including service and support when purchasing the Cisco MWR 1941-DC-A Mobile Wireless Edge Router, customers can confidently deploy a network architecture using Cisco expertise, experience, and resources.
