Cisco Router Makes Guinness World Record Book

Enterprise Networks & Servers, Aug 2004

Guinness World Records has certified the Cisco Carrier Routing System (CRS-1) as the highest capacity Internet router ever developed at 92 terabits (92 trillion bits per second) of total throughput, designed to afford up to 100 times more capacity than previously available. The Cisco CRS-1 becomes the first networking technology to be recognized by Guinness World Records, the authority on record-breaking achievement around the world.

Cisco's CRS-1, announced in May 2004, is a new class of routing system designed for telecommunications service providers to deliver next-generation data, voice and video services over a converged Internet Protocol (IP) network.

This system is suited for large-scale, high-bandwidth applications such as video on demand, online gaming, and real-time interactive services. The IP router, introduced by Cisco in 1984, is the foundation of the public Internet.

"Cisco is proud to have Guinness World Records recognize the Cisco CRS-1 as the world's highest capacity Internet router," said Tony Bates, architect of the CRS-1 and vice-president and general manager of Cisco's Carrier Core and Multiservice business unit.

"The technological advancement of the CRS-1 will provide the capability for Internet services and applications that have never before been available on such a large scale. Millions of people can now look forward to a new suite of exciting, multimedia services both at work and home."

The technological advancement of the CRS-1, for example, could make possible the delivery of high-bandwidth services and applications to entire nations. The CRS-1 with 92 terabits of bandwidth capacity, when augmented by adequate network and transmission capacity, would be capable of the following.

* Download the entire printed collection of the U. S. Library of Congress in 4.6 seconds, as opposed to a dial-up modem transfer rate of 56Kbps which would take 82 years.

* 1 billion people at the same time could play an online game, using real-time voice & chat.

* Give 872Kbps broadband connection to every household in the United States (105,480,101 households).

* 15 million people could watch quality video on demand simultaneously, which requires 6Mbps (6 million bits per second) per user.

* The population of Phoenix, Ariz. (1.3 million) could download a 4 MB song instantaneously. With today's technology, only 9,200 people could download the same song at once.

* Approximately 12,415 people could download a 7.4 GB movie in one second.

* The entire global population (6.4 billion) could have a simultaneous phone call using Voice-over-IP technology.

"As the world advances technologically, it is important that we recognize the innovations that will revolutionize global communications," said David Hawksett, science and technology editor at Guinness World Records. "As soon as we saw the numbers, we were delighted to create a brand new category to acknowledge Cisco Systems and this great achievement in networking technology."