AGS+ Hardware Architecture

The AGS+ router was an improved version of the original AGS router. The AGS (without the plus) was based on a Motorola 68000 series CPU (M68k) and used media interface cards interconnected by a relatively slow 155-Mbps data bus called the Multibus. Due to the speed limitations of this processor and the Multibus, packet switching performance was limited to the range of 7000 to 14,000 packets per second (pps) even with fast switching—pretty anemic by today's standards. In fact, under some conditions the Cisco 2500 series routers can outperform these switching speeds!

The Cisco AGS+ and 7000 routers were designed before the advent of high speed computer buses and economical RISC-based CPUs. So, when Cisco's engineers ...

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