ASR and ISR Selection Checklist: Chassis, Modules, Services and Entitlements
Qualify a WAN router configuration by carrier handoff, hardware dependencies, service features, software rights and test conditions.
Use this checklist when replacing or expanding an ASR or ISR deployment. The target is a supported service configuration, not simply a chassis with enough sockets. Complete the record before approving a module substitution or a used-equipment offer.
1. Capture the installed service
Record the current chassis, modules, adapters, software release and configuration. List carrier handoffs, routing relationships, encrypted services, voice functions and quality-of-service requirements that must remain operational.
Identify whether the change is a like-for-like replacement, an interface expansion or a new service requirement. Each can trigger different support and capacity checks.
2. Resolve the hardware hierarchy
Map the offered interface to the actual host architecture. Some configurations involve a module carrier or adapter dependency in addition to the interface itself. Cisco’s ASR SIP/SPA documentation and T1/E1 NIM documentation cover different architectures and should not be treated as interchangeable instructions. R20R21
| Check | Required record |
|---|---|
| Chassis support | Exact system and applicable hardware/release documentation |
| Interface path | Module, carrier or adapter dependencies and slot placement |
| Carrier service | Physical handoff, framing, signaling or encapsulation |
| Feature requirement | Required routing, encryption, voice or policy function |
| Software rights | Applicable license and support eligibility for the transaction |
| Performance | Test basis with the required services enabled |
A module sharing a connector or rate with the old one is not sufficient evidence of compatibility.
3. Match capacity to enabled services
Define the traffic profile and concurrent functions used for acceptance. Do not compare a basic forwarding figure with a requirement involving encryption, extensive policy or voice processing unless the figure applies to that configuration.
For an illustrative requirement, a router carrying a private circuit and an encrypted backup service should be tested under the intended failover state. The backup service may exercise a different processing path from normal traffic.
4. Check entitlements and lifecycle separately
Hardware ownership does not automatically establish access to every image, update or feature. Confirm the applicable rights and support conditions through the authorized transaction process. Avoid assuming that an installed image proves transferable entitlement.
Use product-specific notices for lifecycle dates. Cisco’s general end-of-life policy describes the milestone process but cannot provide the date for an unidentified chassis or module. R19
5. Prepare the deployment evidence
Retain configuration backups, the provider coordination plan and the rollback sequence. Test circuit establishment, routing and the business services that depend on the router. A successful ping is not a complete acceptance test for a multifunction gateway.
Verify that administrative access remains available during the planned failure or cutover. Record any provider-side changes that cannot be undone by reconnecting the old hardware.
6. Approve or hold the configuration
Approve only when the hardware dependencies, required services and support conditions are resolved. Mark unknown module identity, unsupported release assumptions or missing carrier information as holds rather than quietly substituting a plausible value.
The completed checklist should make the offered configuration comparable with the installed role and the project requirement. It is the basis for a precise sourcing request and a controlled deployment, not a general claim that ASR or ISR products are mutually compatible.
Engineering illustrations
These figures illustrate the design concepts discussed here. They are not measured results, certified configurations or a supplied-equipment list.
Related reading
- WAN Router Changes: Plan Interfaces, Services and a Recoverable Cutover
- Why “ASR-Compatible” Is Not Enough for a Router Module
References
可直接使用的项目资料
按当前任务选择资料。可以先提交已有清单，后续再补缺项。下载模板为英文。