The Network Equipment Solutions Blog | Hummingbird Networks

The Pros And Cons Of The ADTRAN 3200

Written by John Ciarlone | Feb 2, 2013 3:00:00 PM

The Adtran NetVanta 3200 is a series of modular access routers whose design is for cost-effective use in branch office connectivity.

This is on networks that are point -to-point or frame relay as well as internet access. It offers a solution for both WAN connectivity and access routing in one compact package. It is also good for use in Virtual Private Networking (VPN) and leased line connections.

Features of the Adtran NetVanta 3200

In order to understand this access router more, you need to look at the following features that it has. They are such as:

  • Desktop chassis 

  • SIP ALG with NAT compatibility 

  • Analog modem module for remote management 

  • Auto-sensing interface 

  • Network Address Translation (hides IP addresses) 

  • VLAN trunking for routing Firewall protection from Denial of Service (DoS) 

  • Interchangeable Network Interface Modules Disaster recovery scheme with PPP dial backup

  • Five-year industry-leading warranty 

The Adtran 3200 is very useful especially in business environments. However, just like any other product, it has its pros and cons.

The pros of the Adtran NetVanta 3200

The Adtran 3200 has several pros that make it a good investment for you once you have purchased it. These are such as

  • It is cost-effective

It offers a low-cost access router platform that is convenient to use. Its use eliminates the costs of training that would be associated with the process of getting industry certifications as well as re-learning new operating systems. This is so because of the standard Command Line Interface (CLI).

  • It is dependable

It increases the performance of the network in WAN connectivity.

  • Fast and accurate network convergence

The use of routing protocols such as OSPF and RIP allow for the accurate convergence of the network as the ADTRAN OS supports both the default and static routes.

  • Observation of security

The ADTRAN OS has a high performance firewall for inspection. This examines the incoming as well as the outgoing packets against security policies. It has logging mechanisms that notify the network administrators when there are any suspicious activities in the network.

  • Proper IP address management

The NAT, Network Address Translation conceals and conserves the IP addresses.

  • Disaster recovery

The ISDN BRI DIM or the Analog Modem provide dial backup to prevent downtime. They dial around a faulty circuit and have full compatibility to the Safe-T-Net ADTRAN based systems. The CLI supports a recovery mechanism for easy and quick backups for configuration scripts.

  • Offers a future in network growth and expansion

This is because the Adtran has great product versatility and corporate backing that allow for the migration into the next generation technologies.

  • Compatibility

As it supports around five VPN tunnels, the NetVanta 3200 is highly compatible with other Adtran series as it supports the encryption of algorithms such as AES, DES and 3DES.

The cons of Adtran NetVanta 3200

While the 3200 has many advantages, it has a few cons. This however does not mean ruling out this router. One of such cons is the loss of signals during use. The Adtran NetVanta 3200 has an option for a wireless signal card; there minor cases of loss of signals, requiring you to change the position of the router for better reception. This is especially if it is near a wall or concrete.

The pros outweigh the cons and do not have so much interference on the operation of the Adtran 3200, which is a highly effective and convenient router to use. The cons are very few proving the efficiency of this router.