C8500-20X6C – 20×1/10GE SFP+ – 6×40/100GE QSFP+ – Catalyst 8500 Edge Router
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SFP-10G-SR-S
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QSFP-100G-DR-S
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C8500-20X6C Description
The C8500-20X6C is a Cisco Catalyst 8500 Series Edge Platform router for SD-WAN aggregation and WAN edge sites that need 40G and 100G interfaces. The 3RU chassis has twenty 1/10GE SFP+ ports, six 40/100GE QSFP+ ports, 64 GB of DRAM and up to 350 Gbps of SD-WAN IPsec throughput at 1400-byte packets. The router requires Cisco IOS XE 17.10.1 or later, a Cisco DNA Advantage subscription at Tier 4 or Tier 5 and a four-post rack.
Quick Specs
|
Parameter |
Specification |
|---|---|
|
Product ID |
C8500-20X6C |
|
Product type |
SD-WAN edge router |
|
Form factor |
3RU fixed platform |
|
1/10GE port profile |
20 x SFP+ ports |
|
40/100GE port profile |
6 x QSFP+ ports |
|
Enabled port bandwidth |
800 Gbps listed port bandwidth |
|
Default memory |
64 GB DRAM |
|
Default storage |
480 GB SSD and 32 GB internal boot flash |
|
SD-WAN IPsec throughput |
Up to 350 Gbps at 1400-byte packets |
|
Autonomous IPv4 forwarding |
Up to 500 Gbps at 1400-byte packets |
|
Minimum Cisco IOS XE release |
17.10.1 |
|
Required subscription |
Cisco DNA subscription with Advantage Tier 4 or Tier 5 offered for C8500-20X6C |
|
Power supply selection |
Three PWR-CH1-1100WAC 1100W AC or three PWR-CH1-950WDC 950W DC supplies; fourth supply optional |
Product Performance
Key Features
Each of the twenty SFP+ ports can run at 1G or 10G, in any mix, for fiber WAN and aggregation links.
The QSFP+ ports run 40G or 100G, and all ports can be enabled at once for up to 800GE of port bandwidth.
Memory is 64 GB from four 16 GB DIMMs and cannot be upgraded, and the 480 GB SSD is standard with the 32 GB boot flash.
With 64 GB of DRAM the router lists 7M IPv4 and IPv6 routes, 380K IPv4 ACEs, 32M NAT sessions and 32M firewall sessions.
Three supplies ship for N+1 redundancy, 1100W AC or 950W DC, and a fourth supply is optional.
Air flows front to back, and every supply and fan module must match that direction. The NEBS Level 3 air filter assembly is supported on this chassis only.
Application Scenarios
A data center or regional hub that terminates many branch overlays can draw on 350 Gbps of SD-WAN IPsec capacity and 8000 overlay tunnels in one chassis.
At a large internet edge, the six QSFP+ ports connect 40G or 100G links to upstream providers or core switches, while the twenty SFP+ ports serve 1G and 10G peers.
A central office or carrier-neutral facility can mount the 3RU chassis in a four-post rack, with NEBS GR-1089 and GR-63 compliance for the space.
Product Comparison
|
Parameter |
C8500-20X6C | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Interfaces |
20-port 1/10GE, 6-port 40/100GE |
12-port 1/10GE, 2-port 40/100GE, 2-port 40GE |
12-port 1/10GE |
|
Form factor |
3RU |
1RU |
1RU |
|
SD-WAN IPsec throughput (1400 Bytes, clear text) |
Up to 350 Gbps |
Up to 96 Gbps |
Up to 51 Gbps |
|
SD-WAN IPsec throughput (IMIX, clear text) |
Up to 100 Gbps |
Up to 31.9 Gbps |
Up to 22.6 Gbps |
|
IPv4 forwarding throughput (1400 bytes) |
Up to 500 Gbps |
Up to 197 Gbps |
Up to 118 Gbps |
|
DRAM (default) |
64 GB (not upgradable) |
16 GB, upgradable to 64 GB |
16 GB, upgradable to 64 GB |
|
Rack installation |
Four post only |
Two post and four post |
Two post and four post |
|
Minimum software requirement |
Cisco IOS XE 17.10.1 |
Cisco IOS XE 17.3.2 |
Cisco IOS XE 17.3.2 |
|
License tier |
Advantage, Tier 4 (up to 50G) or Tier 5 (up to 100G) |
Advantage, Tier 3 (up to 20G aggregate) |
Advantage, Tier 3 (up to 20G aggregate) |
C8500-20X6C is the largest Catalyst 8500 in this group: a 3RU chassis with twenty 1/10GE SFP+ and six 40/100GE QSFP+ ports and up to 350 Gbps of SD-WAN IPsec at 1400-byte packets, against 96 Gbps on C8500-12X4QC and 51 Gbps on C8500-12X. Sites that stay below 96 Gbps and need only 2 x 40/100GE ports plus 2 x 40GE ports fit the 1RU C8500-12X4QC, and sites with only 1/10GE links fit C8500-12X; both take two-post or four-post racks and ship with 16 GB of DRAM against 64 GB. C8500-20X6C is offered only in DNA Advantage Tier 4 and Tier 5 and needs Cisco IOS XE 17.10.1.
Ordering Checklist
- DNA subscription: Order L-DNA-C8500 at Tier 4 (DNA-C-T4-A or DNA-P-T4-A, up to 50G) or Tier 5 (DNA-C-T5-A or DNA-P-T5-A, up to 100G), for 3Y, 5Y or 7Y. Only Tier 4 and Tier 5 of Cisco DNA Advantage are listed for C8500-20X6C.
- Software image and mode: Select SC8KAEPUK9-1710 or another unified image, and IOSXE-AUTO-MODE (default) or IOSXE-CTRL-MODE. The minimum release for C8500-20X6C is Cisco IOS XE 17.10.1 with SD-WAN Manager 20.10.1.
- Export license: Add C8000-HSEC, or C8000-HSEC-DNA when ordered through the DNA subscription. It is a default accessory on the platform order.
- Power supplies: Order three PWR-CH1-1100WAC (AC) or three PWR-CH1-950WDC (DC), with an optional fourth, plus a power cable for AC. The chassis ships with three supplies for N+1, and all supplies and fan modules must share one airflow direction.
- Memory and storage: No memory or SSD line is added: 64 GB (MEM-C8500-64GB-D) and the 480 GB M.2 SATA SSD (SSD-M2SATA-480G-D) are part of the integrated configuration and not listed in the CCW selection.
- Rack kit: Order C8500-ACCKIT3R-19, which includes the 19-inch and 4-post rack mounts. The 23-inch rack mount is not offered on C8500-20X6C and is recommended as a third-party purchase.
- NEBS air filter: Order C8500-FILTER-ASSY, with C8500-NEB3-FILTER= as replacement filters. The NEBS Level 3 air filter assembly is supported on C8500-20X6C only.
Optional Add-ons
|
Model |
Description |
|---|---|
|
L-DNA-C8500 |
Cisco C8500 subscription |
|
PWR-CH1-1100WAC= |
Cisco C8500 1100W AC power spare |
|
PWR-CH1-950WDC= |
Cisco C8500 950W DC power spare |
|
SSD-M2SATA-480G= |
Cisco C8500 SSD M.2 SATA 480 GB spare |
|
C8500-FAN-3R= |
Cisco C8500 fan tray 3RU spare |
|
C8500-ACCKIT3R-19= |
Cisco C8500 19-inch accessory kit 3RU spare |
|
C8500-FILTER-ASSY |
Cisco NEBS level 3 filter |
|
C8500-NEB3-FILTER= |
Cisco NEBS Level 3 filter replacement spare |
C8500-20X6C Front View
|
1 |
Management Interface RJ-45 |
5 |
Micro-USB Console |
|
2 |
Bay 0 |
6 |
Console RJ-45 |
|
3 |
Bay 1 |
7 |
USB 0 |
|
4 |
Power switch |
8 |
USB 1 |
C8500-20X6C LED
|
1 |
Management interface LEDFlashing green : Link activity indicatorOff : No LinkSolid Green : Link with no activity |
5 |
Power LEDOff : No power to chassis.Yellow : Power On, one power supply has failed or is not plugged in.Green : All power is within specifications |
|
2 |
Management interface LED – LinkLink LED : Off – no link,Link LED : On – Link is up |
6 |
Status LEDOff : System not bootedRed : System FailureYellow : System is booted to ROMmonGreen : System is booted to IOS |
|
3 |
Micro-USB LEDLeft LED On indicates that USB console is active |
7,8, and 9 |
Alarm LED : Minor, Major, Critical |
|
4 |
Console RJ-45 LEDRight LED On indicates that RJ-45 console is active |
— |
Specifications
| Parameter | Specification | Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product ID | C8500-20X6C | Product type | SD-WAN edge router |
| Rack units | 3RU fixed platform | Ethernet ports | 20 x 1/10GE SFP+ ports and 6 x 40/100GE QSFP+ ports |
| Enabled port bandwidth | 800 Gbps listed port bandwidth | Bay 0 | 20 x SFP+ ports configurable as 1G, 10G, or mixed 1G and 10G |
| Bay 1 | 6 x QSFP+ ports configurable as 40G, 100G, or mixed 40G and 100G | Default memory | 64 GB DRAM |
| Boot flash storage | 32 GB internal boot flash | Default SSD | 480 GB SSD |
| TCAM | 320 MB TCAM | SD-WAN IPsec throughput | Up to 350 Gbps at 1400-byte packets |
| SD-WAN IPsec IMIX throughput | Up to 100 Gbps | SD-WAN overlay tunnels | 8000 |
| Autonomous IPv4 forwarding | Up to 500 Gbps at 1400-byte packets | Autonomous IPsec throughput | Up to 400 Gbps at 1400-byte packets |
| Autonomous IPsec SVTI tunnels | 4000 | IPv4 routes | 7M with default 64 GB DRAM |
| NAT sessions | 32M | Firewall sessions | 32M |
| Required subscription | Cisco DNA subscription with Advantage Tier 4 or Tier 5 offered for C8500-20X6C | Minimum Cisco IOS XE release | 17.10.1 |
| Minimum Catalyst SD-WAN manager release | 20.10.1 | Power supply options | PWR-CH1-1100WAC or PWR-CH1-950WDC |
| Power supply requirement | 4 slots maximum with at least 2 supplies populated and powered | Input voltage | AC 90 to 264 VAC or DC -40 to -72 VDC |
| Airflow | Front-to-rear chassis airflow | Dimensions | 26.85 in L x 17.25 in W x 5.22 in H |
| Weight | 77.5 lb with 4 x AC or 75 lb with 3 x AC | Operating temperature | 32 to 104 F (0 to 40 C) |
| Storage temperature | -40 to 150 F (-40 to 70 C) | Operating altitude | -500 to 10000 ft (-152 to 3048 m) |
| MTBF | 241,225 hours | Rack installation | Four-post only |
| NEBS criteria | GR-1089 and GR-63 |
Quality Certifications
Customer Reviews
Questions & Answers
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What IPsec throughput does C8500-20X6C reach?
-
Which Cisco DNA license tier does C8500-20X6C need?
-
Which software image PIDs are listed for C8500-20X6C?
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Which spare PIDs cover the power supplies of C8500-20X6C?
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How much heat does C8500-20X6C dissipate, and what does it weigh?
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How loud is C8500-20X6C in operation?
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How much TCAM does C8500-20X6C have?
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