Cisco Gigabit Ethernet Dual-Identity Enhanced High-Speed WAN Interface Card The Cisco Gigabit Ethernet Dual-Identity Enhanced High-Speed WAN Interface Card (EHWIC) is a versatile and compact form factor card that brings both Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) and copper (RJ-45) Gigabit Ethernet connectivity to Cisco Integrated Services Routers (ISRs). This card is designed to accelerate applications such as Ethernet WAN access, inter-VLAN routing (IVR), and high-speed connectivity to LAN switches. Enhanced Performance and Flexibility The single-port Cisco Gigabit Ethernet EHWIC provides Gigabit Ethernet optical and copper connectivity to the Cisco Integrated Service Router Generation 2 (ISR G2). This enables branch offices to cost-effectively use high-speed uplinks in various environments. The enhanced performance of Gigabit Ethernet in Cisco ISR G2 routers allows for new applications and services, as well as greater capacity for existing IVR and bridging capabilities. The EHWIC includes one SFP slot and a copper RJ-45 port, providing flexibility for the user. The SFP port supports a Cisco SFP and operates at 100/1000 Mbps, while the RJ-45 port operates at 10/100/1000 Mbps. The SFP port also supports digital optical monitoring (DOM) as specified by the industry-standard SFF-8472 multisource agreement (MSA), allowing for real-time monitoring of parameters such as optical output power, optical input power, temperature, and more. Advanced Cisco IOS Software Capabilities Cisco IOS Software provides enhanced capabilities for the EHWIC, including hierarchical quality of service (HQoS), Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), IP Security (IPsec), and Layer 3 VPNs. As a true routed port card, the EHWIC-1GE-SFP-CU interface can be configured with an IP address directly, eliminating the need for VLAN trunking. This makes it well-suited for situations where fiber connectivity is desired, while still providing the flexibility of an RJ-45 copper connection. Applications The EHWIC is ideal for a variety of applications, as shown in Figure 2. It can be used to connect to branch-office LANs, as well as EWAN services. On the LAN side, the card can support multiple VLANs for network segregation, while on the EWAN side, it can support various VPN types for traffic segregation. With Cisco IOS Software, the EHWIC also enables HQoS applications such as traffic shaping and Network-Based Application Recognition (NBAR). Overall, the Cisco Gigabit Ethernet Dual-Identity Enhanced High-Speed WAN Interface Card provides a cost-effective and versatile solution for high-speed connectivity in branch office environments. Its compact form factor and advanced capabilities make it a valuable addition to any Cisco ISR G2 router.
