Have you seen the Cisco Application eXtension Platform (AXP) which enhances the capabilities of the Cisco ISR by enabling a tighter integration between the branch network, IT and application infrastructure. The Cisco AXP further lowers TCO by providing an open Linux based platform to develop and host custom and third party applications directly on the Cisco ISR.

Key Features

• Supported by Cisco 1841, 2800 Series, and 3800 Series Integrated Services Routers
• Linux-based integration environment with downloadable SDK
• Extensible Cisco CLI with Cisco IOS APIs
• Multiple applications support with the ability to segment and guarantee CPU, memory, and disk resources
• Certified libraries to implement C, Python, Perl, and Java applications

Value Proposition: The Network as a Platform

• Allows development partners to fully use the Cisco installed base and channel vehicles
• Creates new roads to revenues and higher margins for Cisco development partners and channel partners
• Increases customer satisfaction and loyalty by moving from a product-centric to a solution-centric approach
• Continues to lower total cost of ownership

The AXP is a Linux blade that runs in the Cisco integrated services router and allows third-party applications to be tightly integrated with the router using APIs. AXP provides an application hosting infrastructure that affords Cisco integrated services router customers the opportunity to run all or portions of their branch applications on an integrated services router service module. The AXP will be available to commercial application vendors and customers as a new platform capable of running their applications inside of an integrated services router, rather than on a traditional standalone server. AXP provides a powerful platform to create complete solutions with the integrated services router.

The AXP comes in either an AIM or Enchanced Network Module form factor and both connect to the integrated services router backplane using an internal Gigabit Ethernet connection. That connection results in an integrated services router interface (for example, Integrated Service Engine 1/0 or Service Engine 0/0) and an AXP interface (for example, eth0). Subinterfaces can be created under each of these as well (subinterfaces are not configurable today on AIM service modules). The NME service modules have an external Gigabit Ethernet interface as well.The hardware differences of each are outlined below:

More information regarding the Cisco AXP can be found at the following locations:

AXP Data Sheets