Overview of the ASR1000-RP3-PR=

The ​​Cisco ASR1000-RP3-PR=​​ is a high-performance Route Processor engineered for the ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers. Designed for service providers and enterprises managing bandwidth-intensive applications like SD-WAN and encrypted VPNs, this module delivers ​​3x the processing power​​ of its predecessor (RP2) while maintaining backward compatibility with existing ASR 1000 chassis.

​​Core capabilities include​​:

• ​​Dual 8-core CPUs​​ for 40 Gbps IPSec throughput.
• ​​64GB DDR4 memory​​ to support large-scale routing tables (up to 4 million IPv4 routes).
• ​​Cisco IOS XE Software​​ with native SD-Access and automation APIs.
• ​​Hardware-based encryption​​ compliant with FIPS 140-2 Level 2 standards.

Key Advantages Over Previous-Generation Processors

A frequent user question: Why upgrade from RP2 or RP1 to RP3-PR= in existing ASR 1000 deployments?

​​Critical improvements​​:

1. ​​Throughput scalability​​: ​​50 Gbps per slot​​ vs. RP2’s 20 Gbps, enabling 100G interface utilization without bottlenecks.
2. ​​Energy efficiency​​: 28nm ASIC technology reduces power consumption by 33% under full load.
3. ​​Future-readiness​​: Integrated support for Segment Routing, EVPN, and Cisco ThousandEyes SaaS monitoring.

Deployment Scenarios and User Concerns

​​Question​​: Is the RP3-PR= compatible with all ASR 1000 chassis models?
Yes, but ​​ASR 1001-X​​, ​​ASR 1002-HX​​, and ​​ASR 1006-X​​ chassis require IOS XE 17.6 or later for full feature parity.

​​Question​​: How does it handle failover in redundant configurations?
The RP3-PR= supports ​​stateful switchover (SSO)​​ with sub-second reconvergence, critical for VoIP and financial trading networks.

Sourcing and Integration Guidance

For guaranteed compatibility and Cisco TAC support, purchase the “ASR1000-RP3-PR=” through itmall.sale. Prior to installation, verify chassis power supply capacity—RP3-PR= requires 250W minimum per module.

Practical Evaluation

Having deployed RP3-PR= modules in hybrid WAN environments, I’ve observed their ability to sustain 40G encrypted traffic without CPU spikes—a common pain point with RP2. While the upgrade cost is significant, the ROI becomes clear for networks scaling beyond 10Gbps, where legacy processors struggle with cryptographic overhead. For teams eyeing 400G readiness, this processor isn’t just an upgrade; it’s a necessity.