Cisco Cisco Performance Agent 1.0 Data Sheet

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Understanding network capacity and needs of the branch office

With Cisco Performance Agent, a few simple commands in Cisco IOS Software deliver tremendous value to

customers, allowing them to adequately assess the quality of network transactions, application performance, and

user experiences across their network.

Cisco Performance Agent delivers combined metrics by gathering data from Cisco IOS Software monitoring tools

such as NetFlow, NBAR, and NAM. The data is then consumed by Cisco NAM 5.1 at the data center, thereby

delivering a complete and simple solution.

Integration

Because Cisco Performance Agent is a part of Cisco IOS Software, it is tightly integrated into the network fabric.

Such a close integration helps ensure that any network optimizations through WAAS and metrics collection

happen simultaneously without the added overhead of another interception. The tight integration has the added

benefit of minimal configuration and compatibility with commonly used Cisco IOS Software services. Network

transparency and preservation of IP and TCP header information allow ease of operation and interoperability with

network services such as quality of service (QoS), NetFlow, NBAR, access control lists (ACLs), firewalls, and

VPNs.

Low Total Cost of Ownership

Cisco Performance Agent is cost-effective and provides the lowest TCO of any solution currently on the market,

since it is an integrated solution. By integrating Cisco Performance Agent into Cisco IOS Software and Cisco

Integrated Services Routers Generation 2 (ISR G2), Cisco Performance Agent reduces capital expenditures

(CapEx), operating expenses (OpEx), support costs, and the number of branch-office devices required. Cisco

Performance Agent eliminates the need for expensive infrastructure.

Figure 1 shows the Cisco Performance Agent solution with exports from Cisco IOS Software sent over to Cisco

NAM 5.1.