Edge Routers

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Edge routers are typified by distinguishing external (Internet-facing) and internal interfaces.

• placed at the network perimeter
• can perform framing to repackage data from the private LAN frame format to the WAN Internet access frame format
• customer’s router is referred to as customer’s edge (CE)
• service provider’s router is referred to as the provider’s edge (PE)

• routers designed to service medium to large networks are complex and expensive
  • feature specialized processors to handle routing and forwarding processes
  • feature memory to buffer data
  • support plug-in cards for WAN interfaces
  • support for different methods of configuring site-to-site VPNs