The Rogers CLTE-XT is one of the leading enterprise gateway routers on the market today. As businesses continue to adopt more cloud applications and services, having a robust and secure network infrastructure is crucial. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at the key features and benefits of the Rogers CLTE-XT to see why it’s become a top choice for enterprises.
Overview
The Rogers CLTE-XT is designed to meet the needs of medium to large enterprises that require advanced routing capabilities. It delivers high performance, reliability, and security in a compact 1RU form factor.
Some of the key features include:
- High port density with up to 12 Gigabit Ethernet ports
- Modular expansion slots for flexibility
- Redundant power supplies and ventilation fans
- Carrier-grade hardware and software reliability
With the CLTE-XT, enterprises can build a high-speed network backbone to efficiently connect multiple sites, data centers, and cloud services. The router provides policy-based routing, robust QoS, and VPN capabilities for securing site-to-site communications over the Internet.
Detailed Features and Benefits
Let’s take a more in-depth look at some of the standout features of the Rogers CLTE-XT that make it well-suited for enterprise environments.
High Port Density
The Rogers CLTE-XT offers up to 12 Gigabit Ethernet ports in a compact 1U chassis. The high port density allows enterprises to connect more devices and servers without needing additional hardware. There are also two 10GbE SFP+ ports and one RJ-45 management port.
The 12 ports can be used as either LAN or WAN interfaces. This flexible allocation helps optimize connectivity for different network traffic patterns.
Modular Expansion
Enterprises can customize and expand the capabilities of the CLTE-XT using swappable modules. There are 3 expansion slots that support modules such as:
- 4-port 10GbE module
- 2-port 40GbE module
- 8-port T1/E1/J1 module
- 4-port LTE wireless module
This modularity allows the router to adapt and scale up as needs evolve. Additional ports for 10GbE, 40GbE or wireless can be added without replacing the entire chassis.
Redundant Power and Cooling
The Rogers CLTE-XT provides redundant power supplies and cooling fans. The dual hot-swappable power supplies and four cooling fans help prevent outages if one component fails.
This level of reliability is critical for enterprise networks where downtime can severely impact business operations. The redundancy safeguards against hardware failure to maximize uptime.
Carrier-Grade Reliability
The Rogers CLTE-XT is built on a hardened Linux platform optimized for robustness, stability, and high availability. It meets rigorous standards for MTBF (mean time between failures) to ensure long-term reliability.
Additional carrier-grade capabilities include:
- Watchdog timer – automatically reboots device if software hangs
- IPsec hardware encryption acceleration – offloads crypto workloads
- Enhanced high availability features – fast routing convergence using VRRP
Together, these enhancements provide stability and resilience suitable for enterprise environments.
Advanced Routing and VPN
The Rogers CLTE-XT includes advanced Layer 3 routing protocols and VPN capabilities tailored for enterprise WAN connectivity.
Some of the key features include:
Routing Protocols
- OSPF, BGP, RIPv1/v2 for dynamic routing
- Policy-based routing and route filters
- ECMP for load balancing traffic across multiple paths
VPN and Security
- IPSec and GRE VPN with hardware acceleration
- DES, 3DES, AES encryption
- NAT and zone based firewall settings
- DoS protection and packet filtering
Traffic Optimization
- QoS and traffic shaping capabilities
- NBAR2 for traffic classification and priority
These features allow enterprises to securely connect remote offices and implement WAN optimization techniques for maximum performance.
Centralized Management
The Rogers CLTE-XT can be managed using RogersEZ Management System (RMS) for centralized control.
RMS provides an intuitive web GUI and single pane of glass for managing multiple Rogers routers. Key capabilities include:
- Configuration wizards to simplify setup
- Real-time monitoring of router performance metrics
- Automated alerts and notifications
- Role-based administration
- Backup and restore configurations
With RMS, network administrators can easily deploy, monitor, and manage a redundant pair of CLTE-XT routers from one central location.
Application Recognition and Visibility
The CLTE-XT provides granular visibility into network traffic and application performance using NBAR2 (Next Generation Network-Based Application Recognition).
NBAR2 can identify over 1000 different enterprise applications. It gives IT teams comprehensive insight into application usage on the network.
Key benefits include:
- Prioritize mission critical apps by application
- Get visibility into bandwidth consumed per application
- Identify unwanted or unsafe applications on the network
- Troubleshoot application performance issues
This level of application intelligence helps enterprises monitor activity, prioritize business-critical apps, and optimize performance.
Ideal Use Cases
The Rogers CLTE-XT is a great choice for enterprises with the following requirements:
- A primary gateway router to connect headquarters and branch offices
- High-speed wired and wireless WAN connectivity
- Secure site-to-site VPN access to business applications
- Stringent uptime requirements demanding redundancy
- Centralized visibility and control over multiple routers
- Application-aware traffic management and QoS
- A foundation for software-defined networking
Here are some examples of ideal use cases:
Regional Banking Networks – Financial institutions can connect bank branches and remote ATMs over encrypted IPSec VPNs. Advanced QoS prioritizes traffic for reliable access to banking systems.
Multi-Site Retail Chains – Large retail stores need to connect in-store systems with high bandwidth to distribution centers and headquarters. The CLTE-XT provides a cost-effective way to build a resilient WAN.
Cloud and SaaS Access – Enterprises adopting SaaS apps need local Internet breakout from branches. The CLTE-XT enables direct, secure connectivity to the cloud.
For network environments with these requirements, the Rogers CLTE-XT offers an optimal enterprise routing platform.
Technical Specifications
Here are the detailed technical specifications for the Rogers CLTE-XT:
Interface Ports | Up to 12 x GbE (10/100/1000) <br> 2 x 10GbE SFP+ <br> 1 x RJ45 Console/OOB |
Expansion Slots | 3 Slots for Modular I/O Modules |
Throughput | up to 94 Gbps |
Routing Performance | 80Mpps (million packets per second) |
VPN Performance | 25 Gbps IPsec, DES/3DES/AES |
Concurrent Sessions | 1 Million |
Redundancy | Dual Power Supply <br> 4x Cooling Fans |
MTBF | 129,000 hours (14.7 years) |
Operating Temperature | 0° to 45°C (32° to 113°F) |
Operating Humidity | 5% to 90% RH |
Network Protocols | IPv4, IPv6, Multicast, Static Routing, RIP, OSPF, BGP, Policy-based Routing |
Traffic Management | QoS, Traffic Shaping, NBAR2 |
VPN & Security | IPsec, GRE, Stateful Firewall, ACLs, NAT |
Management | CLI, Web GUI, RogersEZ Management System |
Regulatory | NEBS Level 3, UL, CE, RoHS |
Power Supply | 100-240V AC Dual Input |
Dimensions | 1.7 x 17.2 x 12.2 in (1U Height) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about the Rogers CLTE-XT:
Q: What is the default admin password for first-time setup?
A: The default admin password is “admin” for first-time configuration. For security, it is highly recommended to change this to a strong, complex password.
Q: Does the Rogers CLTE-XT support stateful firewall policies?
A: Yes, the CLTE-XT supports zone-based stateful firewall settings to enforce security policies between different interfaces and traffic flows.
Q: How easy is it to install new modules for expansion slots?
A: Modules can be installed by the end-user without any special tools. Simply insert the module and fasten the retaining screws. The router will automatically detect it.
Q: What LTE wireless modules are supported?
A: The CLTE-XT supports LTE modules from leading carriers like Verizon, AT&T, Rogers, and global 4G/LTE bands. This enables wireless WAN connectivity.
Q: Can the CLI be accessed remotely via SSH?
A: Yes, administrators can access the CLI shell via SSH for remote management over the network. Encrypted remote CLI access is supported.
Q: Does the RogersEZ Management System support bulk configuration imports?
A: Yes, the RMS supports importing and exporting router configurations in bulk to simplify management at scale.
Conclusion
The Rogers CLTE-XT enterprise gateway router provides an optimal combination of performance, reliability, security, and manageability. With its high port density, modular slots, advanced routing protocols, and application visibility, the CLTE-XT is a great choice for growing enterprise networks. The router cost-effectively lays a solid foundation for connecting sites, data centers, cloud platforms and real-time applications across the WAN.
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