Cisco CPAR is About to Expire: How to Move On?

Jul 18, 2023 / Kron

Considering that today's business world is a fundamental element of digital transformation, it is highly important for the IT systems of businesses to deliver comprehensive end-to-end solutions to ensure the sustainability of the workflow. AAA (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting) protocols embody a highly comprehensive privileged access management system to provide you with everything you will need to ensure sustainability in your workflow.

Today, AAA protocols that are widely used in basic network components like cellular networks, firewalls, routers, and keys are smoothly controlled by Cisco CPAR (Cisco Prime Access Registrar) which has a policy-based operating system. However, Cisco CPAR announced October 28, 2024, as the end-of-support date, after which it won't offer software maintenance and updating services.

The announcement came as the software has reached its end-of-life despite being an AAA protocol that is widely used in the telecommunication (Telco) industry and by Internet service providers (ISPs), leading to confusion on the side of telecommunication agencies. In this blog post, we will introduce you to our AAA solution that meets everything Cisco CPAR offers for your infrastructure.

What is Cisco CPAR?

Cisco CPAR is a policy-based security server that allows you to incorporate authentication, authorization, and accounting services into the IT infrastructure.

Cisco CPAR is About to Expire

Cisco CPAR is about to end its software maintenance and renewal support on October 28, 2024. It would be useful for your organization to look through the milestones in its end-of-life (EOL) cycle to review your in-house planning.

Milestone	Description	Date
End-of-Life Announcement Date	The date for the public announcement of the end of the product's sale and end-of-life.	April 30, 2023
End-of-Sale Announcement Date: Application Software	The last date Cisco to order Cisco through sales points. The product cannot be sold after this date.	October 29, 2023
Last Shipping Date: Application Software	The last shipping date to request from Cisco and/or contract manufacturers. The actual shipping date is dependent on the lead time.	January 27, 2024
The End Date of the Maintenance Releases: Application Software	The last date Cisco Engineering will be able to publish the final software maintenance releases or debugs. Cisco Engineering will not repair, develop or test the product software after this date.	October 28, 2024
The Last Date of New Service Addition: Application Software	This is the last date to order a new service and support agreement for the equipment or software not covered in this Service and Support Agreement or to add equipment and/or software to an existing service and support agreement.	October 28, 2024
The End of Service Agreement Renewal: Application Software	The last date to extend or renew a service agreement for the product.	October 28, 2025
Last Support Date: Application Software	The last date to receive service and support for the product in accordance with the service agreements in effect or warranty terms and conditions. The product and all support services for the product will become unusable after this date.	October 31, 2025

Cisco will not launch a security server alternative to CPAR after ending certain services on the foregoing dates. As you will also see on the chart, October 31, 2025, is the last date Cisco CPAR can be used. The software will become dysfunctional after this date.

The Best Alternative to Cisco CPAR: Kron AAA

Developed by our team members that are specialized in end-to-end and data security, Kron AAA outstands as a substantial alternative to Cisco CPAR as it embodies privileged access management features to offer to businesses.

Kron AAA completely meets your RADIUS server needs. Eliminating the risk of dependence on a manufacturer, our AAA server solution works in integration with large-scale network gateway node suppliers (RAS, BNG, GGSN, PGW, etc.). In addition to this high adaptability, any 3GPP NAS (Network Access Server) can be a RADIUS client for Kron AAA. In this way, library support ensuring smooth and sustainable integration can be offered for the recognized sellers in the sector. This offers flexibility to organizations in their workflows.

Kron AAA embodies ready API sets to meet basic needs for a CRM integration, particularly including provision operations. Kron also gives priority to developing its AAA security solution in a proactive and adaptive manner as customized workflows might be required in such transition projects. This makes our product a much more powerful security server in terms of flexibility and scalability.

Utilization of Kron AAA helps you save on your OPEX and CAPEX costs. Eliminating the need for appointing engineers for the operation of these core network components, Kron AAA helps the engineers save more time to focus on their primary business activities.

Corporate IoT services are continuously growing and expanding their spheres of influence.

IoT services that are used in financial organizations and banks, operation support services (OSS), and business support services (BSS) as well as SIM-card-based systems used in telecommunication companies, require secure authentication when connecting to APNs or other isolated networks. Public service companies delivering gas or electricity have tons of sensors at distributed geographical locations. APN and multi-ISP topologies are commonly seen in this scenario. Running on a Cloud environment, always being in connection with the data center, and serving more than 15 million subscribers than large-scale ISPs, Kron AAA is ideal for these topologies.

Considering that Cisco CPAR is about to expire, you will probably need a comprehensive and secure AAA solution soon. You can smoothly switch to Kron's AAA solution when you are seeking a new AAA solution. Visit our website to request a demo and try our Kron AAA solution.