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6500 Gigabit fiber modules

stevek1
Level 1
Level 1

Hi Folks,

We recently ordered WS-X6816-GBIC modules for our new 6513s, however we have been advised that they have reached EOL and that we can maintain our existing topology by purchasing 6516s instead. Apparantly we can still purchase the same DFCs (WS-F6K-DFC3BXL).

Q1 - In general terms, will the 6516 perform to the same specs to our 6816s?

Q2 - Also more specifically, with respect to throughput when installed into the dual fabric connected slots (9-13), does the 6516 make same use of the 256Gbps backplane as the 6816?

Cheers, SteveK.

1 Accepted Solution

Accepted Solutions

Jon Marshall
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Hi Steve

This is a bit of a minefield at the moment :-)

The 6816 has 2 8 Gbps connections to the switch fabric and is dCEF enabled.

The 6516A has only 1 8Gbps connections to the switch fabric and needs an upgrade for dCEF.

Both cards make use of the 256Gbps switch fabric as they are both fabric enabled.

See attached link -

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps708/product_data_sheet0900aecd801459a7.html

The added complication is that DFC cards are EoS March 2008. So even though the 6516A is not EoS cisco are recommending any new installations or potential upgrades to 6516A to replaced with the WS-X6724-SFP.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps708/prod_end-of-life_notice0900aecd806d9953.html

The WS-X6724-SFP has a single 20Gbps connection to the switch fabric. The catch is that you need to be running a Supervisor 720 to use this blade and obviously the connectors are different - GBIC vs SFP.

So to summarise :-)

If you don't have Sup720 or absolutely must have GBIC connectors go with 6516A and upgrade to dcef but do it before end of March !! and be aware that you will only get 1 8Gbps channel to switch fabric ie. 2:1 oversubscription. This may or may not be a problem.

If you do have a Sup720 consider the WS-X6724-SFP (1 x 20Gbps connection) or the WS-X6748-SFP (2 x 20Gps connections). This is Cisco's recommended path.

HTH

Jon

View solution in original post

5 Replies 5

andrew.burns
Level 7
Level 7

Hi,

The 6516 would be a downgrade, as it only has a single 8Gbps channel to the switch fabric, whereas the 6816 has two 8Gbps channels. For this reason it can go into any slot on a 6513 and isn't limited to slots 9-13. Although you can still purchase the old DFC's this will change on 30th March when they are officially end-of-sale.

So, although it is a CEF256 blade like the 6816 (and can be made dCEF with the daughter card) it only has a single channel backplane connection so the maximum throughput will never be as great across the backplane.

More future-proof options would be the 6724/6748 blades but this would mean re-terminating the fibre. (And Sup720's if you don't already have them...)

HTH

Andrew.

Apologies Andrew, took me so long to type in response that you had already posted :-)

No worries - at least we didn't contradict each other ;-)

Andrew.

Jon Marshall
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Hi Steve

This is a bit of a minefield at the moment :-)

The 6816 has 2 8 Gbps connections to the switch fabric and is dCEF enabled.

The 6516A has only 1 8Gbps connections to the switch fabric and needs an upgrade for dCEF.

Both cards make use of the 256Gbps switch fabric as they are both fabric enabled.

See attached link -

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps708/product_data_sheet0900aecd801459a7.html

The added complication is that DFC cards are EoS March 2008. So even though the 6516A is not EoS cisco are recommending any new installations or potential upgrades to 6516A to replaced with the WS-X6724-SFP.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps708/prod_end-of-life_notice0900aecd806d9953.html

The WS-X6724-SFP has a single 20Gbps connection to the switch fabric. The catch is that you need to be running a Supervisor 720 to use this blade and obviously the connectors are different - GBIC vs SFP.

So to summarise :-)

If you don't have Sup720 or absolutely must have GBIC connectors go with 6516A and upgrade to dcef but do it before end of March !! and be aware that you will only get 1 8Gbps channel to switch fabric ie. 2:1 oversubscription. This may or may not be a problem.

If you do have a Sup720 consider the WS-X6724-SFP (1 x 20Gbps connection) or the WS-X6748-SFP (2 x 20Gps connections). This is Cisco's recommended path.

HTH

Jon

Thanks Andrew and Jon.

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