Losing 256Gb capability with one wrong card?

[rgarner2000]

We have several 6509s with Sup 2s and Switch Fabric Modules. I believe all the cards are fabric enabled as well. However, I heard that if one line card is installed that is not fabric enabled, you drop back to 32Gb (Well 16 if we are really honest). Has anyone else heard this or can you refute this at all? By the way, my source was a CCIE. Thanks

[tvanderwerken]

This is true. With legecy cards (non-fabric enabled) they have to send the entire frame to the MSFC/PFC to be forwarded. With fabric enabled cards w/SupII only the headers are forwarded, thereby giving you your 30mpps. But if you installed a legecy card with Switch fabric modules and fabric enabled cards, there is a signel sent to all cards to send the full packet, instead of the headers. I believe the fabric enabled cards will still use the SFM to switch the packets to the SUPII, so you still have your 256G capability, but you drop back to 15Mpps, instead of 30Mpps.

Hope this helps

[rgarner2000]

Thanks for the info. But that really puts a damper on things. We wanted to install a Network Analysis Module in several 6509s of this setup. However, they are not fabric-enabled and would degrade the performance of the switch.

[tvanderwerken]

I'm not sure about the roadmap for the NAM, but I think I heard that due to HW limitations that Cisco wasn't going to make the NAM fabric enabled. Could be wrong