The three modules supporting remote enterprise locations are the Enterprise Branch, the Enterprise Data Center, and the Enterprise Teleworker.

Enterprise Branch Module

The Enterprise Branch module extends the enterprise by providing each location with a resilient network architecture with integrated security, Cisco Unified Communications, and wireless mobility.

A branch office generally accommodates employees who have a compelling reason to be located away from the central site, such as a regional sales office. A branch office is sometimes called a remote site, remote office, or sales office. Branch office users must be able to connect to the central site to access company information. Therefore, they benefit from high-speed Internet access, VPN connectivity to corporate intranets, telecommuting capabilities for work-at-home employees, videoconferencing, and economical PSTN-quality voice and fax calls over managed IP networks. The Enterprise Branch module typically uses a simplified version of the Campus Infrastructure module design.

Enterprise Data Center Module

The Enterprise Data Center module has an architecture that is similar to the campus Server Farm module discussed earlier. The Enterprise Data Center network architecture allows the network to evolve into a platform that enhances the application, server, and storage solutions and equips organizations to manage increased security, cost, and regulatory requirements while providing the ability to respond quickly to changing business environments. The Enterprise Data Center module may include the following components:

■ At the networked infrastructure layer: Gigabit Ethernet, 10-Gigabit Ethernet, or InfiniBand connections, with storage switching and optical transport devices

■ At the interactive services layer: Services include storage fabric services, computer services, security services, and application optimization services

■ At the management layer: Tools include Fabric Manager (for element and network management) and Cisco VFrame (for server and service provisioning)

The remote Enterprise Data Center module also needs highly available WAN connectivity with business continuance capabilities to integrate it with the rest of the Cisco Enterprise Architecture. The Server Farm module in the campus can leverage the WAN connectivity of the campus core, but the remote Enterprise Data Center must implement its own WAN connectivity.

Enterprise Teleworker Module

The Enterprise Teleworker module provides people in geographically dispersed locations, such as home offices or hotels, with highly secure access to central-site applications and network services. The Enterprise Teleworker module supports a small office with one to several employees or the home office of a telecommuter. Telecommuters might also be mobile users—people who need access while traveling or who do not work at a fixed company site.

Depending on the amount of use and the WAN services available, telecommuters working from home tend to use broadband or dialup services. Mobile users tend to access the company network using a broadband Internet service and the VPN client software on their laptops or via an asynchronous dialup connection through the telephone company. Telecommuters working from home might also use a VPN tunnel gateway router for encrypted data and voice traffic to and from the company intranet. These solutions provide simple and safe access for teleworkers to the corporate network site, according to the needs of the users at the sites.