Cisco Cisco Network Capacity Expansion Getting Started Guide

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What Is Cisco NCE?
Cisco NCE is a transport layer proxy that increases the amount of available bandwidth  
at small to midsized branch offices and remote locations. It is a small-footprint module 
that easily integrates into the modular Cisco integrated services routers (ISRs).
Organizations today are facing numerous wide area network (WAN) challenges.  
Employees around the world need instant access to centrally-located information. 
Branch offices require continuous backup of mission critical data. Users must have  
satisfactory experiences with IP voice and video communication. And of course,  
bandwidth costs must be controlled without sacrificing application performance.
Cisco NCE addresses these challenges by cost-effectively increasing the amount  
of available bandwidth to accelerate data transfer over the WAN. With NCE, multisite  
and global organizations get more data through and more value out of their existing 
WAN links.
Fast Data Transfers
For low-bandwidth, low-latency WAN links, typical gain in data transfer rate is 3 to 8  
times over that provided by TCP.  As latency, packet loss, or congestion increases,  
NCE performs even better, accelerating data transfer up to 20 times.  In challenging 
WAN environments, such as satellite, the gain frequently reaches 30 times.
Network Transparency
Cisco NCE is a hardware extension of Cisco IOS
®
 Software and directly integrated into 
the Cisco Express Forwarding switching path, helping ensure complete transparency  
to other network services and all security provisions.
Cost-Effectiveness
Cisco NCE lowers operational expenses by expanding available WAN capacity and 
eliminating or postponing the need to upgrade bandwidth. It offers a high return on 
investment through its low cost and considerable bandwidth savings. Payback time  
can be as little as a few weeks.
Cisco NCE Benefits
For Your Customers and Employees
Faster access to centrallized back office systems 
Quicker response from revenue generating applications 
Better IP voice or videoconferencing experience
For Your IT Organization
Expansion of available bandwidth 
Reduction in bandwidth utilization 
Increased data transfer rates
For Your Business
Lower operational expenses 
High return on investment 
Lower total cost of ownership
Cisco NCE Framework
Bandwidth specifies the maximum data transfer rate achievable on a WAN link. Latency, 
congestion, and packet loss determine the actual transfer rate. Cisco NCE uses two 
techniques to take transfer rate past the bandwidth limit: virtual bandwidth expansion 
and improved bandwidth utilization. Compression and packet-bundling algorithms 
increase effective bandwidth. Packet flow control and TCP optimization mitigate effects  
of congestion and latency to improve utilization of available bandwidth. The combined 
effect of these technologies results in a dramatic expansion of available WAN link  
capacity and enables extremely fast data transfer rates over the WAN.
Network Capacity Expansion System
Maximizing Bandwith Value At Remote Sites
At-A-Glance
Cisco Network Capacity Expansion (NCE) Framework
Business
Value
Maximize
Bandwidth
Investment
WAN
Limitation
Insufficient
Bandwidth
Network
Congestion
Network
Latency
Impact of
Packet Loss
Technology
Solution
Compression
Data
Bundling
Transport
Optimization
Packet Flow
Control
IT
Benefit
Virtual
Bandwidth
Expansion
Improved
Bandwidth
Utilization
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 C02-462487-00   04/08