Cisco Network Modules

Product Overview

Figure 1. Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Chassis

Features and Benefits

• Maximum Network Uptime: With Cisco IOS Software Modularity and platform, power supply, supervisor engine, switch fabric, and integrated network services redundancy provides one- to three-second stateful failover and delivers application and services continuity in a converged network, minimizing disruption of mission-critical data and services

• Comprehensive Network Security: Integrates proven, multi-gigabit Cisco security solutions, including intrusion detection, firewall, VPN, and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) into existing networks

• Scalable Performance: Provides up to 400-mpps performance with distributed forwarding architecture

• Forward-Thinking Architecture with Investment Protection: Supports three generations of interchangeable, hot-swappable modules in the same chassis, optimizing IT infrastructure usage, maximizing ROI, and reducing TCO

• Operational Consistency: Features 3-, 6-, 9-, and 13-slot chassis configurations sharing a common set of modules, Cisco IOS® Software, Cisco Catalyst Operating System Software, and network management tools that can be deployed anywhere in the network

• Unparalleled Services Integration and Flexibility: Integrates advanced services such as security, wireless LAN services, and content with converged networks; provides the widest range of interfaces and densities, from 10/100 and 10/100/1000 Ethernet to 10 Gigabit, and from DS-0 to OC-48; and performs in any deployment from end to end

Operational Consistency in End-to-End Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Deployments

• Features 3-, 6-, 9-, and 13-slot chassis configurations that share a common set of modules, software, and network management tools

• Deploys anywhere in the network-from the wiring closet to the core network, to the data center, to the WAN edge

• Shares WAN port adapters with Cisco 7xxx Series routers for reduced sparing and training costs

• Offers choice of Cisco IOS Software and Cisco Catalyst Operating System Software supported on all supervisor engines, providing smooth migration from Cisco Catalyst 5000 Series and Cisco 7500 Series deployments

Maximum Network Uptime and Network Resiliency

• Provides packet-loss protection and the fastest recovery from network disruption

• Features fast, one- to three-second stateful failover between redundant supervisor engines

• Offers optional, redundant, high-performance supervisor engines, passive backplane, multimodule Cisco EtherChannel® technology, IEEE 802.3ad link aggregation, IEEE 802.1s only, and Hot Standby Router Protocol/Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (HSRP/VRRP) high-availability features

• The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series with Cisco IOS Software Modularity boosts operational efficiency and minimizes downtime through evolutionary software infrastructure advancements. By enabling modular Cisco IOS subsystems to run in independent processes, this innovation:

• Minimizes unplanned downtime through self-healing processes

• Simplifies software changes through subsystem In-Service Software Upgrades (ISSU)

• Enables process-level, automated policy control by integrating Embedded Event Manager (EEM).

Integrated High-Performance Network Security and Management

• Gigabit Firewall: Provides access protection

• High-Performance Intrusion Detection System (IDS): Provides intrusion detection protection

• Gigabit Network Analysis Module: Provides a more manageable infrastructure and full Remote Monitoring (RMON) support

• High-Performance SSL: Provides high-performance, secure e-commerce traffic termination

• Gigabit VPN and Standards-Based IP Security (IPSec): Support lower-cost Internet and intra-campus connections

Content- and Application-Aware Layers 2 Through 7 Services

• An integrated content switching module (CSM) brings high-performance, feature-rich server and firewall load balancing to the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series, helping to ensure a safer and more manageable infrastructure with unprecedented control

• Integrated multi-gigabit SSL acceleration, combined with a CSM, provides a high-performance e-commerce solution

• Integrated multi-gigabit firewall and CSMs provide a secure, high-performance, data center solution

• Software features such as Network-Based Application Recognition (NBAR) enhance network management and control of bandwidth utilization

Scalable Performance

• Delivers up to 400 mpps switching per chassis, using the distributed Cisco Express Forwarding platform

• Scales to 1.4 terabits per second with the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Virtual Switching System 1440.

• Supports a mix of Cisco Express Forwarding implementations and switch-fabric speeds for optimal wiring closet, core network, data center, and WAN edge deployments, as well as service provider networks

Rich Layer 3 Services

• Multiprotocol Layer 3 routing supports traditional network requirements and provides a smooth transition mechanism in the enterprise

• Provides hardware support for enterprise-class and service-provider-scale routing tables

• Provides IPv6 support in hardware (using the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Supervisor Engine 720 and Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Virtual Switching Supervisor 720-10G) with an unparalleled high-performance suite of services

• Provides hardware support for large enterprise-class and service-provider-scale routing tables

• Provides Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) support in hardware to enable VPN services within the enterprise and facilitate smooth integration with new high-speed service provider core infrastructures and Metro Ethernet deployments

Enhanced Data, Voice, and Video Services

• Provides integrated IP Communications throughout all Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series platforms

• Provides 10/100 and 10/100/1000 line cards, which are field-upgradable with inline power using a daughter card

• Supports prestandard Cisco Inline Power as well as standards-based IEEE 802.3af Power over Ethernet (PoE)

• Provides dense T1/E1 and foreign exchange station (FXS) voice over IP (VoIP) gateway interfaces for public switched telephone network (PSTN) access and traditional phone, fax, and private branch exchange (PBX) connections

• Supports high-performance IP Multicast video and audio applications

• Provides the integrated management necessary to effectively deploy a scalable, enterprise-converged network

Highest Level of Interface Flexibility, Scalability, and Density

• Provides the port densities and interface choices that large, mission-critical wiring closets, core enterprise networks, and distribution networks require

• Supports up to 576 10/100/1000 gigabit-over-copper ports or 1152 10/100 Ethernet ports

• Features the industry's first 96-port 10/100 RJ-45 module, with optional, field-upgradable support for 802.3af PoE

• Provides up to 192 Gigabit Ethernet ports

• Provides up to 130 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports.

• Features the industry's first 10 Gigabit Ethernet, Channelized OC-48 dense OC-3 packet over SONET (POS)

• Provides investment protection by using Cisco 7xxx Series port adapters on the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series FlexWAN Line Card, supporting T1/E1 through OC-48 WAN interfaces

• Chassis sizes range from 3-slot (Cisco Catalyst 6503) to 13-slot (Cisco Catalyst 6513)

High-Speed WAN Interfaces

• Provides high-speed WAN, ATM, and SONET interfaces that are compatible with other core-network routers

• Provides single-device management for WAN aggregation and for campus and metro connectivity

• Delivers maximum investment protection

• Highly flexible modular architecture supports multiple generations of modules that are fully interoperable with each other in the same chassis

• Upgradable supervisor engines can add Layer 3 routing or forwarding capabilities over time

• Cisco IOS Software and Cisco Catalyst Operating System Software are supported across all supervisor engines

• Field-upgradable inline power for 10/100 Mbps and 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet modules offers scalable IP telephony and wireless computing

• A steady stream of new services modules adds to the deployment options

• Includes Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series network security, content switching, and voice capabilities

• Future modules will increase performance, increase port density, and include additional services

Ideal for Metro Ethernet WAN Services

• 802.1Q and 802.1Q tunneling (QinQ), providing point-to-point and multipoint Ethernet services

• Ethernet over MPLS in MPLS backbone networks for superior network scaling, providing VLAN translation capability

• Layer 2 and Layer 3 quality of service (QoS), facilitating tiered Ethernet service offerings through rate limiting and traffic shaping

• Superior high-availability features, including enhanced Spanning Tree Protocol, IEEE 802.1s, IEEE 802.1w, and Cisco EtherChannel IEEE 802.3ad link aggregation

Table 1. Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series at a Glance

Table 2. Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Port Density Information, WAN Modules and Interfaces

Deployment Scenarios

• Campus Networks: Features 10/100 and 10/100/1000 autosensing modules that provide inline power for the wiring closet, along with robust high-availability, security, and manageability features; world-class networking software; high-performance Gigabit and 10 Gigabit interface modules; and network management for the distribution and core network (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Deployment Scenarios for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series in Campus Networks

• ISP Network: The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series provides robust high-availability, security, and manageability features; world-class networking software; high-performance Gigabit and 10 Gigabit interface modules; and network management for the most demanding service provider networking environments requiring MPLS, IP Multicast, IPv6, an extensive set of WAN interfaces, and hierarchical traffic shaping (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Deployment Scenarios for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series in ISP Networks

• Metro Edge: The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series features edge, distribution, and core network-layer interfaces for point-to-point and multipoint Ethernet services for metro and intermetro network deployments with the following features (Figure 4):

– High-performance 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks

– 802.1Q tunneling

– Ethernet over MPLS

– Layer 2 and Layer 3 QoS

– Network Equipment Building Standards (NEBS) compliance

– Security, high availability, and manageability

Figure 4. Deployment Scenarios for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series in Metro Edge

• Grid Computing Network: The Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series provides high-speed optical interface modules and world-class software required to manage high-volume traffic and to build and manage large-scale networks (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Deployment Scenarios for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series in Grid Computing Network

System Overview

Modular Architecture

• Configurable: Separately, simplifying the addition of new services

• Interoperable: In the same chassis, providing flexible design options

• Interchangeable: Among Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series systems, simplifying sparing and network expansion

• Hot-Swappable: Without requiring a chassis to be powered off, providing fast upgrade and repair

• Upgradable: As newer modules come along, providing investment protection

Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Hardware-Forwarding Architectures

• Cisco Express Forwarding: Scaling to 30 mpps, this technology uses a central Cisco Express Forwarding engine located on the supervisor engine's policy feature card (PFC) daughter card and Cisco Express Forwarding tables located on the supervisor engine. The supervisor engine makes all forwarding decisions for all interface modules centrally.

• Distributed Cisco Express Forwarding: Suited for the most demanding environments, this technology uses the distributed Cisco Express Forwarding engine located on the interface module's distributed forwarding card (DFC) daughter card and the distributed Cisco Express Forwarding table, a local copy of the supervisor engine's central Cisco Express Forwarding table located on the interface module's DFC. The interface module makes all forwarding decisions locally, and provides maximum performance and scalability.

Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Architectures

• 32-Gbps Bus: Allowing access to a central shared bus

• 256-Gbps Switch Fabric: Located on the switch fabric module (SFM)

• 720-Gbps Switch Fabric: Located on the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Supervisor Engine 720

Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Modules

• Classic Interface Modules: Use the centralized Cisco Express Forwarding engine located on the supervisor engine's PFC, connect to the 32-Gbps switching bus only, and forward packets at up to 15 mpps

• CEF256 Interface Modules: Use the centralized Cisco Express Forwarding engine located on the supervisor engine's PFC, connect to both the 256-Gbps fabric located on the supervisor engine with a single 8-Gbps full-duplex fabric connection and the 32-Gbps switching bus, and forward packets at up to 30 mpps

• dCEF256 Interface Modules: Use the distributed Cisco Express Forwarding engine on the DFC (located on the interface module), connect to a 256-Gbps fabric located on the supervisor engine or a switch fabric module with 16-Gbps full-duplex fabric connections, and forward packets at up to 210 mpps

• dCEF720 Interface Modules: Use the distributed Cisco Express Forwarding engine on the DFC3 (located on the interface module), connect to the 720-Gbps fabric located on the supervisor engine with dual 20-Gbps full-duplex fabric connections, and forward packets at up to 400 mpps of sustained performance

Note: All performance numbers refer to IPv4 forwarding.

Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Module Types

• Supervisor Engines: Perform the control functions and make the forwarding decisions for packets routed to other networks

• Ethernet Interface Modules: Provide IEEE-standard receive and forwarding interfaces; forward packets within the defined network

• WAN Interface Modules: Provide the receive and forwarding interface at the WAN edge

• Services Modules: Support multigigabit security, application-aware Layer 4 through 7 content switching, wireless LAN services, network management, and voice gateway services to traditional phones, fax machines, PBXs, and the PSTN

• Switch Fabric Modules: Pass network traffic from the interface module to the supervisor engine or to another interface

Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Supervisor Engines

• Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Supervisor Engine 720 data sheet

• Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Supervisor Engine 32 data sheet

• Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Supervisor Engine 1A and 2 data sheet

Table 3. Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Supervisor Engines