Cisco C897VA-K9 Full Product Description

1. Short Overview

Suffix Breakdown

• C897: DSL-native ISR G2 platform of Cisco 890 Series optimized for analog POTS telephone copper loops
• VA: Multimode VDSL2 + ADSL2+ enhanced DSL chipset compliant with ITU G.993.2 VDSL2 and G.992.5 ADSL2+ Annex A standards
• -K9: Permanent Cisco cryptographic license bundle enabling AES-128/AES-192/AES-256, 3DES, DES, SHA-1/SHA-2, IKEv1/IKEv2 full encryption suite with dedicated hardware crypto offload

Core Differentiators

1. vs C896VA-K9: C896VA-K9 runs on ISDN Annex B copper loops; C897VA-K9 supports mainstream analog POTS Annex A telephone lines for residential and business DSL deploymentsCisco.
2. vs wireless variant C897VAW-K9: C897VA-K9 omits integrated dual-band 802.11n MIMO WLAN radio; wireless SKUs add built-in wireless access point for on-site mobile client coverageCisco.
3. vs high-upload C897VAM-K9: C897VAM-K9 adopts Annex M for boosted upstream bandwidth; C897VA-K9 uses standard Annex A DSL profiles.
4. vs Ethernet-only C891F / expandable C892FSP: These models have no onboard DSL modem; C897VA-K9 integrates native POTS VDSL2/ADSL2+ primary WAN plus combo SFP/GE fiber-copper backup dual broadband redundancy.
5. vs entry-level metal C887VA-K9: C887VA-K9 only features Fast Ethernet LAN, smaller memory and limited concurrent VPN capacity; C897VA-K9 upgrades to full 8-port Gigabit PoE switching, 1GB DRAM, native inline IPS, DMVPN dynamic VPN and complete EIGRP/BGP enterprise routing stack.
6. vs industrial hardened C819HG series: C897VA-K9 is commercial fanless metal desktop chassis with standard indoor temperature range, not certified for vehicle, railway or extreme outdoor shock/vibration environments.

2. Hardware Interface & Performance Specifications

Dual Primary/Backup WAN Interfaces (Automatic Failover Supported)

1. Integrated Multimode VDSL2/ADSL2+ POTS Port (Annex A)
   Auto-negotiates VDSL2 or ADSL2+ line profiles, fully compatible with global analog POTS copper infrastructure. Supports G.INP impulse noise protection, seamless rate adaptation (SRA), bitswap, TR069 remote DSLAM provisioning, real-time line quality monitoring and Dying Gasp fault detection.
2. Combo GE/SFP Hot-Swappable Gigabit WAN Slot
   Dual-purpose shared port supporting either copper RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet or hot-pluggable GE SFP transceivers (SX/LX/ZX), serving as independent high-bandwidth fiber/copper redundant backup transport pathCisco Russ....

Tertiary ISDN BRI Dial Backup Port

8-Port Full Gigabit Managed LAN Switch Interfaces

• Ports 1–4: IEEE 802.3af PoE capable (requires mandatory 125W high-power universal AC adapter to deliver 15.4W per port for IP cameras, VoIP phones and external wireless APs)Cisco Russ...
• Ports 5–8: Standard non-PoE Gigabit Ethernet
• Full switch feature set: 802.1Q VLAN tagging, port isolation, static MAC security, dedicated DMZ port assignment, broadcast storm control, SPAN port monitoring, LACP link aggregation, Smartport macros and per-port CoS traffic markingCisco

Management & Auxiliary Ports

1. Separate dedicated RJ45 Console port: Independent local CLI configuration via rollover cable, physically separated from AUX port
2. Independent RJ45 AUX port: Standalone secondary serial port for extra out-of-band remote management access
3. Single USB 2.0 Type-A host port: External flash storage for log archiving, offline configuration backup and EEM script automation extensions
4. Hardware reset button, Kensington anti-theft lock slot for physical equipment protection
5. Onboard real-time clock (RTC) for accurate timestamping of logs, security certificates and network event triggers

Memory & Storage

• DRAM: 1 GB base system memory to process dozens of concurrent IPsec VPN tunnels, dual-stack routing, inline IPS inspection, PoE LAN forwarding and DSL traffic processing
• Flash storage: 256 MB onboard flash; factory preloadedc890-universalk9-mzAdvanced Security IOS image, minimum supported firmware release 15.4(2)T

Front Panel LED Status Indicators

Physical & Power Parameters

• Form factor: Fanless all-metal compact desktop chassis, optional wall-mount bracket available
• Dimensions (H × W × D): 44 mm × 438 mm × 302 mm (1.75 × 17.25 × 12 inches) with anti-slip rubber feet
• Weight: ~2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) without power supply
• Two official power supply options
  1. 60W universal AC adapter (for non-PoE deployments, 12 VDC output)
  2. 125W high-power universal AC adapter (mandatory if PoE LAN ports are utilized)
• Typical maximum power consumption: 26 W under full POTS DSL + combo SFP fiber + all 8 Gigabit PoE LAN ports full load
• Ingress protection: IP20, only suitable for dry indoor commercial office environments

Environmental Operating Specifications

• Operating temperature: 0°C ~ +40°C (32°F ~ 104°F); performance derates 1.5°C per 1000m altitude above 3000m
• Storage temperature: -20°C ~ +65°C (-4°F ~ 149°F)
• Relative humidity: 10%–85% RH non-condensing
• Maximum operating altitude: 3,000 m (10,000 ft)Cisco

3. Hardware Acceleration & Security Engine

• Dedicated onboard crypto co-processor fully offloads IPsec VPN encryption traffic and eliminates CPU bottlenecks under up to 50 concurrent site-to-site and remote access VPN tunnels
• Permanent K9 crypto license unlocks complete enterprise encryption stack: DES, 3DES, AES-128/192/256, SHA-1/SHA-2 hash algorithms, IKEv1/IKEv2 static site-to-site tunnels, Easy VPN remote access and DMVPN hub-spoke dynamic tunnels
• Integrated DSL traffic isolation filters to segregate POTS copper line traffic and protect internal corporate LAN via independent VLAN segmentation

4. Cisco IOS Advanced Security Feature Suite

Multi-Tier WAN Routing & Redundancy (POTS DSL + Combo Fiber/GE)

• Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF), static routing, RIPv1/v2, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, GRE/MGRE tunnel encapsulation, complete IPv4/IPv6 dual-stack support
• Automatic policy-based failover logic between primary Annex A VDSL2/ADSL2+ POTS DSL and secondary combo SFP/GE fiber-copper backup link
• ISDN BRI tertiary dial backup triggered upon simultaneous failure of both main WAN uplinks
• Policy-Based Routing (PBR), multi-NAT pools, PAT overload for logical segmentation of PoE-powered devices and standard wired LAN endpoints
• DHCP server/relay/client, DNS proxy, dynamic DNS, Ethernet OAM / 802.3ah for fiber/copper link health monitoring; dedicated DSL OAM for POTS copper loop diagnostics

Unified Enterprise Security Suite

• Zone-Based Stateful Policy Firewall (ZBFW) for logical isolation of internal corporate LAN, PoE camera/VoIP subnet, DMZ and untrusted internet traffic zones
• Dynamic Multipoint VPN (DMVPN), Easy VPN Server & Client, IKEv2 IPsec encrypted inter-branch tunnels operable over DSL, copper GE or SFP fiber transport
• Signature-based inline Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), Cisco ScanSafe cloud URL filtering, deep NBAR application control for HTTP, FTP, IM and mainstream business applications
• AAA authentication via TACACS+ / RADIUS, 802.1X port authentication available on all 8 Gigabit LAN switch ports
• Secure management only: SSHv2, HTTPS; plaintext Telnet disabled by factory default
• Granular access control lists (ACLs), static MAC address port lockdown on Gigabit switch ports

QoS & DSL/Gigabit Bandwidth Optimization

• WFQ, CBWFQ, LLQ queuing mechanisms for low-latency prioritization of voice, video surveillance, SCADA and POS payment real-time traffic
• NBAR deep packet inspection to classify and prioritize business-critical high-bandwidth traffic over metered POTS DSL and fiber uplinks
• RTP/TCP header compression, DSL traffic shaping and policing to control metered xDSL bandwidth consumption and avoid overage charges
• PoE QoS scheduling to guarantee stable power and bandwidth priority for critical IP cameras and VoIP handsets

Remote Management & Automation

• Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) for mass standardized deployment of enterprise branches and ISP POTS DSL CPE
• Cisco IOS Embedded Event Manager (EEM): Scriptable triggers for DSL line drop, fiber link loss and automatic ISDN dial backup activation with alert notifications
• SNMP v2c/v3, remote syslog, IP SLA end-to-end link performance monitoring, dedicated MIBs for SFP fiber diagnostics and DSL copper loop telemetry
• Compatible with Cisco Configuration Professional (CCP) web GUI for simplified CLI-free deployment and daily monitoring of routing, security, PoE, fiber and DSL subsystems
• GOLD non-disruptive onboard diagnostics for continuous remote hardware health checks of DSL modem, SFP fiber, copper Ethernet and PoE subsystems

5. Typical Deployment Scenarios

1. POTS Copper Retail Multi-Redundant Secure Gateway with PoE
   Primary Annex A VDSL2/ADSL2+ POTS DSL handles daily retail transaction traffic, combo SFP fiber/GE copper serves as high-speed redundant backup. The 8-port Gigabit PoE LAN switch powers POS payment terminals, office PCs, VoIP phones and multi-camera surveillance arrays. VLAN segmentation separates sensitive payment infrastructure from staff corporate LAN and public internet threats. Persistent IPsec DMVPN tunnels transmit transaction and video data securely back to corporate headquarters, while zone firewall + inline IPS block external intrusion risks.
2. Mission-Critical POTS Enterprise Satellite Office
   Three-layer WAN redundancy (DSL primary, fiber/GE secondary, ISDN BRI tertiary dial backup) meets strict enterprise business continuity requirements. Full Gigabit PoE switching eliminates separate power injectors for cameras and VoIP devices, with full EIGRP/BGP support for seamless integration into the corporate core routing domain.
3. Service Provider Managed POTS Business CPE
   Uniform hardware platform enables ISPs to deliver either Annex A VDSL2/ADSL2+ DSL or SFP fiber/copper Metro Ethernet services to enterprise subscribers. Centralized ZTP mass deployment and remote SNMP/TR069 monitoring support managed security, PoE and high-bandwidth networking service packages.
4. Campus Remote Building PoE IoT & Surveillance Edge Router
   PoE ports connect IP cameras, access control hardware and environmental sensors; combo SFP fiber uplink provides high-throughput backhaul to the campus core. Automatic copper GE failover ensures uninterrupted video and sensor data transmission during fiber outages, while POTS DSL acts as primary connectivity for locations without full fiber coverage.
5. POTS-Line Teleworker Small Office VPN Gateway
   Deployed at remote employee residences with standard Annex A POTS copper circuits, multimode DSL delivers stable primary transport for encrypted Easy VPN tunnels to corporate headquarters. PoE ports power home IP cameras and VoIP equipment, and integrated security services defend all wired Gigabit endpoints against malware and unauthorized access.

6. Standard Package Contents of C897VA-K9

Separately Sold Optional Accessories

• RJ45 rollover console cable for local CLI configuration
• GE SFP fiber transceivers (SX/LX/ZX) for combo fiber WAN uplink
• POTS DSL copper line cord, ISDN BRI telephone line cord for dial backup
• 60W non-PoE AC power supply / 125W high-power PoE AC power supply
• Spare replacement universal AC power adapter
• USB flash drives for log archiving and offline configuration backup
• CAT5e/CAT6 Ethernet patch cords for LAN and copper GE WAN connections

Software Licensing Information

• The-K9suffix includes a permanent built-in cryptographic license; no extra purchase required for IPsec, AES encryption and secure management protocols
• All core routing, multi-layer DSL/fiber failover, xDSL OAM management, PoE power control, firewall, inline IPS, QoS, ZTP and Gigabit managed switch features are fully included in the base Advanced Security IOS image; no additional paid feature licenses needed
• No wireless AP or cellular modem licenses apply (corresponding hardware is omitted from this wired POTS DSL SKU)

Short Commercial Catalog Summary for Quotation