The Cisco ISR 4431 is an enterprise branch services router from Cisco’s Integrated Services Router product line. The ISR 4431 integrates with the Cisco DNA infrastructure management platform and the Catalyst SD-WAN (software-defined wide area networking) solution. Its modular design also makes the ISR 4431 extensible with Cisco’s Network Interface Modules (NIMs) to add storage, Ethernet switching, out-of-band (OOB) console server management, and other capabilities.
Cisco announced end-of-sale and end-of-life (EOL) dates for select ISR 4400-series models, including the ISR 4431. Its Cisco-recommended replacement option is the Catalyst C8300, which offers some improvements over the ISR but still suffers from some management, automation, and scaling limitations. However, there are other options on the market that fill these gaps with secure, vendor-neutral, all-in-one branch networking solutions. This guide compares Cisco ISR 4431 EOL replacement options and discusses the advanced features and capabilities offered by Cisco alternatives.
Click here for a list of ISR 4431 EOL products and replacement SKUs.
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Upcoming Cisco ISR 4431 EOL dates
- November 6, 2024 – End of routine failure analysis, end of new service attachment
- August 31, 2025 – End of software maintenance releases and bug fixes
- February 5, 2028 – End of service contract renewal
- November 30, 2028 – Last date of support
Cisco ISR 4431 EOL replacement options
The Cisco Catalyst C8300
The Cisco ISR 4431 suffers from numerous limitations, such as its large physical size and closed ecosystem. Cisco’s recommended replacement option, the Catalyst C8300, has the same problems.
Both devices are 2RU, making them too large to easily install in cramped branches and edge computing sites that may not have a dedicated IT space. Both the ISR 4431 and the Catalyst C8300 are closed platforms, only supporting integrations with Cisco’s third-party partners like ThousandEyes. This prevents teams from utilizing all the security, automation, and monitoring solutions they’re most familiar with (or that work best for their specific use case), increasing the difficulty and complexity of branch network operations. Cisco’s OOB management modules and DNA software are also mostly limited to controlling other Cisco devices, leaving administrators with critical coverage gaps or multiple management solutions to deal with. Overall, these limitations reduce the efficiency, resilience, and scalability of branch network operations.
The Nodegrid Net SR (NSR)
The Nodegrid platform from ZPE Systems addresses many of Cisco’s limitations with vendor-neutral branch services routers (SRs). The Nodegrid Net Services Router (NSR) is a 1RU replacement for Cisco ISR 4431 EOL devices and features advanced branch networking capabilities.
The NSR provides branch gateway routing and switching, vendor-neutral VNF (virtual network function) hosting, and out-of-band management in a single, 1RU device. The NSR’s expansion modules add capabilities like PoE+, cellular/Wi-Fi, edge compute, and additional serial console management ports.
Nodegrid solutions are vendor-neutral, supporting Guest OS and Docker containers for third-party software. Teams can use their favorite tools for monitoring, automation, and security, and even extend these capabilities to legacy and mixed-vendor infrastructure. Organizations can use Nodegrid to create a custom-tailored, all-in-one branch networking solution with all the apps and services needed to deploy, manage, troubleshoot, and recover branch operations. Plus, Nodegrid creates an isolated management plane where teams can recover from ransomware, deploy resource-intensive automated workflows, and ensure 24/7 branch operations, improving resilience and supporting efficient scaling.
Ready to replace your Cisco ISR 4431 EOL products?
The Nodegrid platform delivers vendor-neutral branch network management for improved efficiency, resilience, and scalability. See our Cisco ISR 4431 EOL replacement SKUs below or contact ZPE Systems for help choosing the right Nodegrid solution for your business.