An edge router (a term used in asynchronous transfer mode networks) is a device that routes data packets between one or more local area networks (LANs) and an ATM backbone network, whether a campus network or a wide area network (WAN). An edge router is an example of an edge device and is sometimes referred to as a boundary router. An edge router is sometimes contrasted with a core router, which forwards packets to computer hosts within a network (but not between networks).
The role of the enterprise router has become increasingly complicated with the need to support a greater variety of complex services. In large and diversified networks, routers play a significant role in adapting many different connections, locations, and protocols to communicate to one another. In addition, it has become necessary to support a large amount of network intelligence as well as new and changing access policies.
