The Route Switch Processor 16 (RSP16) is the newest and highest-performance main system processor for the Cisco 7500 Series Router. The RSP16 supports up to 1 GB of program memory, allowing customers to significantly increase their route tables. The RSP16 provides significant performance enhancements, increasing switching performance by 20 percent and 55 percent compared the RSP8 and RSP4+,respectively. The RSP16 combines all of the routing and high-speed switching functions for the Cisco 7500 series router. In addition to running the system software, the RSP16 contains and executes the following management functions that control the system:
- Sending and receiving routing protocol updates
- Managing tables and caches
- Monitoring interface and environmental status
- Providing Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) management and the interface between the console and Telnet
The high-speed switching section of the RSP16 communicates with and controls the interface processors on the Cisco 7500's internal high-speed buses. This switching section determines the destination of a packet, and switches it based on that decision.