The document introduces the new Cisco ISR 4221 router. It is a 1RU desktop-sized router that provides 35-75 Mbps throughput. It supports SD-WAN, security features, and 2x8 integrated switch ports in a compact form factor, making it suitable for small branch offices. The ISR 4221 is the newest addition to the Cisco 4000 Series routers which include the 4400, 4300, and 4200 subseries and run the Cisco IOS XE operating system to deliver integrated services up to layer 7.

1. The New ISR 4221, the New Cisco DNA-Ready Platform
Cisco has updated its Cisco 4000 Series Router Family. The new
member-Cisco 4221 ISRs has been added to this popular family.
What benefits does this new 4221 ISRs bring to us? Customers nickname the
Cisco ISR 4000 Series as the “Swiss Army Knife” of branch networking. It is
praised for its versatility and adaptability all in one box – very much like the
pocket utility knife. And the new ISR 4221 is no different: small, but mighty.
Now the Cisco 4000 Series contains six platforms: the 4451, 4431, 4351,
4331, 4321 and the new 4221 ISRs
What’s New on ISR 4421? The ISR 4221 is mightier than the ISR G2, vis-
à-vis ISR 1921 and 1941. It is a desktop-like, industrially designed 1RU box
priced cost-effectively for mid-markets.
Cisco ISR 4221 Key Highlights:
1. It meets all digital network requirements
You can check the newest Benefits of Migrating to Cisco 4000 Series
Integrated Services Routers here:

2. 2. With respect to performance, the ISR 4221 kicks it up a notch with
throughput starting at 35 and upgradeable up to 75 Mbps.
3. Despite a 1RU form factor, this economical “Swiss Army Knife” has
unmatched values in its class for a few reasons:
a. It has multi-services support for SD-WAN and is programmable and
automated with APIC-EM controller and IWAN app for consistent business-
driven and policy-based operations across network domains.
b. It is an application-aware platform complete with Intelligent Path Control
(PfR), application visibility (NBAR2) and Network Contention Control (H/QoS).

3. c. It comes with Cisco IOS built-in security features for complete branch
threat defense, such as Zone-based Firewall, FirePOWER Threat Defense,
Network Address Translation (NAT), and IPSec VPN.
d. It is a standard-based Linux virtualization platform. With Linux Virtual
Container (LXC), signed network service like Snort IPS can be spin up as
virtual machine any time.
e. It is equipped with up to 2×8 integrated switch ports – a true all-in-one
platform – for pop-up or micro branches where the average square footage is
as little as 350-sf.
f. It supports IPv6 and legacy WAN connectivity, such as 3G/4G LTE, for IoT
use cases such as ATM/Kiosk or industrial environments without dedicated
MPLS transport.
For in-depth details, you can check out Model Comparison: ISR 4321 vs. 4331
vs. 4351 vs. 4431 vs. 4451 Router
The new Cisco ISR 4221 is available beginning mid-November. And it will ship
with latest Cisco IOS-XE release.
Introducing the Cisco IOS XE Open Service Containers
More about the Cisco 4000 Series ISRs Family
The Cisco 4000 Series is built on a multicore CPU architecture. It runs
modular Cisco IOS XE Software, which allows the platform to use to full
advantage a distributed multicore architecture. The architecture of the Cisco
4000 Series separates control- and data-plane operations and integrates an
industry-first services plane. This design delivers full-featured integrated
services up to Layer 7 at high performance, with the ability to deliver
application-aware network services while maintaining a stable platform and a
high level of performance during periods of heavy network traffic.
The 4000 Series consists of three subseries of routers–the 4400 Series, the
4300 Series, and the 4200 Series.
Cisco 4000 Series ISRs Performance Comparison

4. Throughout the 4000 Series, all platforms come with fixed maximum
performance levels. One fixed base performance level is delivered as the
factory default, with an optional performance-on-demand license to increase
the base forwarding throughput. This scenario enables deployment in high-
speed WAN environments through performance-on-demand licensing to
double or, for one of the platforms, triple the router capacity without any
hardware upgrades.
All 4000 Series platforms have their fixed performance levels set well within
actual capacity, with the result that performance does not necessarily degrade
when a service is added to the configuration. This setup provides a
deterministic performance, eliminating a network administrator’s guesswork
when planning for new services.
OIR (online insertion and removal) is supported on the Cisco 4000 Series
(But the Cisco 4221 does not support OIR.) for the following scenarios:
● Surprise insertion or removal of any NIM in any of the NIM slots
● Surprise insertion or removal of any SM-X in the SM-X slots
● Surprise insertion or removal of any power supply or system PoE conversion
module
● Surprise replacement of the system fan tray; note, however, that this
replacement must take place quickly enough that the system does not
overheat, and depending on altitude and ambient temperature, the amount of
time can vary greatly
Note that SM-X and NIM modules allow replacement only for like-to-
like modules. A faulty module can be replaced with a good module of the

5. same type but cannot be replaced with a completely different module of a
different type.
There is only one PVDM slot on the motherboard across the Cisco 4000 Series.
But the ISR 4221 does not have any PVDM slot.
…
Learn more about ISR 4221 via the following resources:
 Nov 8th at 12 noon PT – tune in to Cisco Champion Radio to hear
Dax Choksi and Lauren Friedman discuss key highlights about the ISR
4221.
 Nov 10th at 9:30 a.m. local time – at Cisco Live Cancun, catch a
new product introduction PSO session (PSOCRS-2221) with
Shankarnarayan Dharmarajan and also see a live demo of the new
WebUI.
 Cisco.com – for your perusal, view a collection of collaterals about
ISR 4221: At-a-Glance, Data Sheet, and FAQ
The main info from http://blogs.cisco.com/enterprise/introducing-new-cisco-
dna-ready-platform
More Related Topics about Cisco ISR 4000
Say Something about Cisco 4400 and 4300 Series
Migrating to Cisco 4000 Series ISR…Benefits You Get
Cisco 4000 Series ISR, Top Choice for Today’s Branch Offices