Cisco 4500/4500-M and 4700/4700-M Series End of Sales Announcement
Overview
The IP Access Business Unit (formerly MSABU) announces the End-of-Sales (EoS) of the 4500/4500-M and 4700/4700-M Modular Access Routers.
Effective May 25, 2000, the IP Access Business Unit is announcing the "End-of-Sales" for the Cisco 4500/4500-M and 4700/4700-M platforms. The 4500-M and the 4700-M systems will be orderable for 6 months after this date. The End-of-Orderability for 4500-M and 4700-M systems will become effective on November 25th, 2000. This decision was made due to the increasing demand for multiservice access platforms, higher slot and port density requirements, and the availability of equivalent functionality and features on the 3600 Series platforms.
This End-of-Sales announcement applies to new system orders only, and does not apply to the existing 4500 and 4700 Series spare products including; Network Processor Modules (NPMs), Flash and DRAM memory, cables, and power supplies that will continue to be available based on component availability from Cisco suppliers through November 2001. Cisco can make no guarantees on the availability of specific NPM's or memory parts due to reliance on its vendors for components and memory. In the cases of memory part obsolescence, Cisco expects that substitutes will be made available. Cisco technical support, including defective part replacement, will continue for 5 years after this date, through November 2005.
End-of-Orderability refers to the time when a product is no longer available for new system purchases. It does not apply to the service and support programs for those products. Cisco will continue to support the Cisco 4500/4500-M and 4700/4700-M for 5 years after the End-of-Orderability date through our SmartNet and Comprehensive Maintenance programs. Customers with either of these service contracts are entitled to free software updates through all Cisco IOS maintenance releases up to and including 12.2 Mainline, 24-hour phone support through the Technical Assistance Centers, and advance replaced hardware for repairs.
Cisco Systems recognizes the importance of protecting customers' investment. Customers often need the ability to update their software to a later release for additional features or bug fixes. Subsequently, software maintenance releases will be available for all IOS feature sets on the Cisco 4500/4500-M and 4700/4700-M through IOS Software Release 12.2 Mainline. However, support of all Cisco IOS feature sets in IOS release 12.2M on the 4500/4500-M can not be guaranteed because of increases in the IOS code size, and the 32MB maximum amount of DRAM memory available on these platforms.
Comprehensive Maintenance customers also receive on-site service. Customers who do not have a maintenance contract can purchase software updates and hardware repair services from Cisco to meet specific requirements rather than full service coverage. Cisco is committed to supporting these systems for a period of five (5) years after the End-of-Orderability date. Table 1 has a complete list of various dates associated with the End-of-Life process.
Product Positioning
Customers are encouraged customers to migrate up to the 3660. The 3660 offers a very cost-effective replacement because in typical configurations it prices out between a 4500 and 4700, yet offers twice the fast and process switching performance, and far greater density. The Cisco 3660 provides significantly improved performance, and greater configuration flexibility with up to six slots and integrated LAN interfaces. The Cisco 3660 Series provides an excellent choice for those environments requiring high availability, cost-efficient, and flexible configurations with the capability to support multiservice integration of voice, video, and data. When even higher performance and specialized high-speed interfaces are required, the Cisco 7200 series is a good solution.
The Cisco 3661 and Cisco 3662 have the versatility to support today's large branch and regional office requirements for data, voice, video, hybrid dial access applications, along with the high-speed connectivity necessary to support the increased bandwidth needs for multiservice applications. The 3600 family of Multiservice Access routers provides higher performance, and a more affordable solution for the midrange to large branch office market spaces then previously available on the 4500/4700-M platforms.
The Cisco 3660 Series family of products shares all the same modules, as of 12.1(1)T, that are available on the Cisco 2600 and Cisco 3600 family (there are over seventy such modules). Moreover, the Cisco 3660 Series provides significantly higher performance and interface capacity with on board LAN ports and six-network module slots.
For example the list price for a 4500-M with IP Only software and 1-port Fast Ethernet is $11,700. The list price for a 4700-M with the same configuration is $14,200. The list price for a 3661(includes IP Only and one on board 10/100 LAN interface) is $10,700. This provides you with an additional 3 slots more then offered on either the 4500-M or 4700-M series. See the platform solution's cost comparison table below for more details.
At the End-of-Orderability date, the 3660 Series will support all the same LAN and WAN functionality as that provided on the 4500/4700-M, with the exception of FDDI port modules. Customer's that require FDDI LAN connectivity should migrate to the Cisco 7200 platforms.
Table 1 4500/4500-M and 4700/4700-M End-of-Life Schedule
End-of-Life Announcement
May 18, 2000
End-of-Orderability
November 25, 2000
End of Systems Shipment
November 31, 2000 (depends on the size of final orders and resultant leadtimes)
End-of-Spares Shipment
May 2001: but individual module availability is dependent on component availability from Cisco suppliers. Many NPMs will be available through the end of 2001.
End-of-Engineering Support
Based on the Cisco IOS Release 12.2 Mainline schedule, which is currently planned for end of support in 1HCY2003
Final Cisco IOS Release supported
The final Cisco IOS Release is 12.2 Mainline: For 4500 and 4500-M, availability of certain feature sets are dependent on IOS code growth and cannot be guaranteed.
End of TAC Support
November 2005
End of Smartnet Contract Renewal
November 25, 2004
Memory Availability
In general, at least 18 months from the End-of-Orderability date. Cisco can make no guarantees on the availability of specific memory parts due to reliance on its memory suppliers. In the few known cases of possible part obsolescence, Cisco expects that substitutes (in some cases larger amounts of memory) will be available.
Network Processor Module (NPM) Availability
All the currently available NPMs are intended to be orderable as spares until May, 2001. Cisco can make no guarantees on the availability of specific NPM's due to reliance on its vendors for components that become unavailable.
Recommended Platform to migrate to:
Cisco 3640 and 3660 Series
Key benefits for migrating to 3660 Series Platforms
•Greater customer investment protection for multiservice voice, video and data applications
•Comparably priced features and functionality available on 3660 Series
•Greatly increased Fast, CEF, and process switching performance
•Analog and Digital voice capabilities
•Higher LAN and WAN port densities
•Integrated Analog and Digital modems available on the Cisco 2600/3600 Series
•ATM-25 and Inverse Multiplexing over ATM (IMA) Network Modules
•Integrated CSU/DSU's for Channelized T1 Network Modules and T1 WICs
•Integrated NT-1 for 4 and 8-port BRI
•Increased maximum DRAM and Flash sizes (up to 64MB Flash and 256MB DRAM on the 3660)
Greater customer investment protection for multiservice voice, video and data applications