New Cisco snatches update

Network vendor Cisco has said that it will buy start-up Arch Rock for an undisclosed amount. The San Franscisco-based firm was developing IP-based wireless network technology which allows data to be collected from sensors used in the emerging "smart-grid" market. 

Laura Ipsen, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco's Smart Grid business unit commented on the move: "Arch Rock's wireless mesh technology enhances Cisco's IP-based, end-to-end smart-grid offerings. This acquisition further positions Cisco as a strategic partner to utilities working to better manage power supply and demand, improve the security and reliability of energy delivery, and optimise operational costs."

The acquisition of Arch Rock signals a growing desire by Cisco to attain first-mover status in the smart grid market. Smart grids are intelligent power distribution systems which allow authorities and consumers to intelligent monitor and conserve electricity consumption. The move itself comes just a day after Cisco announced a wide-ranging partnership with smart meter vendor Itron to develop an communications platform based on the well-known Internet Protocol, rather than the currently-used proprietary ones. That deal also means that Cisco's equipment will become the default for use in Itron's own smart meters. 

Arch Rock will join Cisco's Smart Grid Business unit, when the deal formally completes in the second half of this year.

Cisco Packet Tracer Version 5.3

The Cisco Packet Tracer is a tool for learning and simulating networks interactively for instructors and students of Cisco CCNA. This e-learning software is offered as part of the Cisco Networking Academy. This tool allows users to create network topologies, configure devices, inject packets, and simulate a network with multiple visual representations. Packet Tracer focuses on helping students to understand networking protocols better as taught in the CCNA curriculum.

This product is intended to be used as an educational product that provides exposure to the command line interface (CLI) of Cisco devices to practice and learn by discovery.

Packet Tracer 5.3 is the latest version of this Cisco network simulator, and it’s a key tool to use if you are a student pursuing the CCNA or dedicated to networking. This program creates a physical topology of network devices by simply drag-and-drop devices on the worksheet screen. After clicking on them you can access the configuration console of this device. All Cisco IOS commands are supported and even does the “tab completion” on a command. Once the physical and logical configuration of the network is build, you can do simulations of connectivity (ping, traceroute, etc) all from the device’s own console.

Main Features

The improvements to the new Packet Tracer 5.3 are:

* Support for Windows (2000, XP, Vista) and Linux (Ubuntu and Fedora).
* Allows multi-user and collaborative settings in real time.
* Support for IPv6, multi-area OSPF, route redistribution, RSTP, SSH, and multilayer switches.

Supports the following protocols:

* HTTP, Telnet, SSH, TFTP, DHCP and DNS.
* TCP / UDP, IPv4, IPv6, and ICMPv6 ICMPv4.
* RIP, EIGRP, OSPF multi-area, static routing and route redistribution.
* Ethernet 802.3 and 802.11, HDLC, Frame Relay and PPP.
* ARP, CDP, STP, RSTP, 802.1q, VTP, DTP and PAgP.