What is Cisco SDM (Security Device Manager)

Cisco Router and Security Device Manager (SDM) is a Web-based device-management tool for Cisco routers that can improve the productivity of network managers, simplify router deployments, and help troubleshoot complex network and VPN connectivity issues. Csico SDM is a Graphic User Interface (GUI) that you can use to configure and manage cisco routers.

 

 

If you are using a Cisco Integrated Services Router (ISR), download Cisco Configuration Professional for free. It includes all Cisco SDM features and adds support for Unified Communications.

Cisco SDM supports a wide range of Cisco IOS Software releases and is available free of charge on Cisco router models from Cisco 830 Series to Cisco 7301. It ships preinstalled on all new Cisco 850 Series, Cisco 870 Series, Cisco 1800 Series, Cisco 2800 Series, and Cisco 3800 Series integrated services routers.

Network and security administrators and channel partners can use Cisco SDM for faster and easier deployment of Cisco routers for integrated services such as dynamic routing, WAN access, WLAN, firewall, VPN, SSL VPN, IPS, and QoS.

Types of Router

• Edge router: Also called a Provider Edge router, is placed at the edge of an ISP network. The router uses External BGP to EBGP protocol routers in other ISPs, or a large enterprise Autonomous System.
• Subscriber edge router: Also called a Customer Edge router is located at the edge of the subscriber's network, it also uses EBGP protocol to its provider's Autonomous System. It is typically used in an (enterprise) organization.
• Inter-provider Border Router: This type of router is for Interconnecting ISPs, this is a BGP speaking router that maintains BGP sessions with other BGP speaking routers in other providers' ASes.

• Core Router: A router that resides within the middle or backbone of the LAN network rather than at its periphery. In some instances, a core router provides a step-down backbone, interconnecting the distribution routers from multiple building of a campus (LAN), or Large enterprise Location (WAN). They tend to be optimized for a high bandwidth.

• Wired and Wireless Routers:  Home and small office networking is becoming popular by day by the use of IP wired and wireless router. Wired and wireless routers are able to maintain routing and configuration information in their routing table. They also provide the service of filtering traffic of incoming and outgoing packets based on IP addresses.

 

Router

Routers are layer-3 devices and are responsible for routing, or sending data from one network to another. A router will have multiple network interfaces, with each network connecting to a network or a WAN environment. Routers are typically used to connect the LAN to a WAN environment by having a network interface and a WAN interface connecting to each type of network. The router then passes data from one interface to the other. Routers work with layer-3 addresses, which are logical addresses assigned to the systems that are used to determine how to reach the destination network. Routers use a routing table stored in memory on the router to determine how to reach a system on a destination network.

 

Routers are a great way to filter network traffic as well, because they act as a broadcast domain. Traffic will not cross the router unless it is actually destined for a system on the remote network. Most router administrators do not allow broadcasts to pass through the router.