Description
Product Overview for the Cisco WS-F6700-DFC3BXL Distributed Forwarding Card
The Cisco WS-F6700-DFC3BXL Catalyst 6500 Distributed Forwarding Card 3BXL for WS-X67XX is a crucial component in the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series, providing advanced forwarding capabilities for high-performance networking environments. In this detailed exploration, we will delve into the features, specifications, benefits, and applications of the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL card in Simple English, making it accessible to both tech enthusiasts and those new to networking.
Understanding the Catalyst 6500 Series
Before we explore the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL card, let’s briefly understand the Catalyst 6500 Series. The Cisco Catalyst 6500 is a modular chassis network switch that has been a cornerstone in enterprise networking for many years. It is known for its scalability, high performance, and robust design, making it suitable for a wide range of networking needs.
Overview of WS-F6700-DFC3BXL Catalyst 6500 Distributed Forwarding Card 3BXL
The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL is a Distributed Forwarding Card (DFC) designed for use with the WS-X67XX series modules in the Catalyst 6500 chassis. It serves as a critical component for distributed forwarding, enhancing the overall performance and scalability of the network.
Key Features
- High Performance: The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL is engineered to deliver exceptional performance, supporting high-speed data forwarding and processing. With its advanced architecture, it ensures efficient handling of network traffic, contributing to low-latency communication.
- Scalability: As networks grow, scalability becomes paramount. This forwarding card is designed to scale seamlessly, accommodating the increasing demands of expanding networks without compromising on performance.
- Compatibility: Specifically tailored for use with WS-X67XX series modules, the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL ensures compatibility and optimal performance when integrated into the Catalyst 6500 chassis.
- Flexibility: The card provides flexibility in network design, allowing for the deployment of various line cards and modules within the Catalyst 6500 Series. This adaptability makes it suitable for diverse networking requirements.
Specifications
Now, let’s delve into the technical specifications that make the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL a powerful and versatile forwarding card.
- Processor and Memory: Equipped with a high-performance processor, the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL handles the complexities of forwarding decisions efficiently. Additionally, it boasts ample memory capacity to store and process forwarding information rapidly.
- Forwarding Capacity: The card’s forwarding capacity is a critical metric for assessing its capabilities. The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL excels in this aspect, ensuring that data is forwarded swiftly and reliably through the network.
- Compatibility Matrix: To ensure seamless integration, the card is accompanied by a compatibility matrix outlining the supported modules and line cards. This information is invaluable during the planning and implementation phases of network upgrades.
- Benefits of WS-F6700-DFC3BXL
- Enhanced Network Performance: By offloading forwarding decisions to the dedicated processing power of the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL, the overall network performance is significantly improved. This is particularly beneficial in environments with high data traffic.
- Reduced Latency: Low-latency communication is crucial in modern networking. The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL contributes to reduced latency by expediting the forwarding process, ensuring the timely delivery of data packets.
- Optimized Scalability: As organizations expand their networks, the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL facilitates seamless scalability, allowing for the addition of modules and line cards to meet growing demands without sacrificing performance.
- Adaptive Design: The card’s adaptability to various line cards and modules provides network architects with the flexibility to design a network that aligns with specific requirements. This adaptability future-proofs the network infrastructure.
Applications
The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL finds applications in a variety of networking scenarios, contributing to improved performance and efficiency in different environments.
- Enterprise Networks: In large enterprise networks where a robust and scalable infrastructure is required, the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL ensures that the Catalyst 6500 Series meets the demands of data-intensive applications and diverse workloads.
- Data Centers: Data centers handling high volumes of traffic benefit from the card’s ability to enhance forwarding and processing capabilities. This is particularly relevant in environments where low-latency communication is crucial, such as in financial transactions or real-time data processing.
- Service Providers: Service providers leveraging the Catalyst 6500 Series can capitalize on the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL to deliver reliable and high-performance services to their customers. The card’s scalability and adaptability make it suitable for diverse service provider networks.
Security and Encryption Features
The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL Cisco Catalyst 6500 Distributed Forwarding Card (DFC) provides high-performance forwarding and routing capabilities to Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches. Here are some of the security and encryption features of this card:
- Hardware-based encryption: The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL provides hardware-based encryption capabilities, including the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES). These encryption algorithms help protect sensitive data and communications over the network.
- Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) acceleration: The card can accelerate SSL transactions, improving the performance of SSL-based applications and reducing the load on the switch’s CPU.
- Access Control Lists (ACLs): The card supports ACLs for traffic filtering, allowing administrators to restrict or allow traffic based on various criteria, such as source and destination IP addresses, protocols, and ports.
- Network Address Translation (NAT): The card supports NAT, which can help protect internal IP addresses and network topology from external users or attackers.
- Virtual Private Network (VPN) support: The card supports VPNs, including Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) and Secure Sockets Layer VPN (SSL VPN), which provide secure remote access to the network and protect data in transit.
- MACsec encryption: The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL supports MACsec encryption, which provides secure communication between network devices by encrypting Ethernet frames. This helps prevent eavesdropping and unauthorized access to the network.
- TrustSec security: The card supports Cisco TrustSec, which provides a comprehensive security solution for campus and data center networks. TrustSec uses Identity-Based Networking Services (IBNS) to authenticate and authorize users, devices, and applications and enforce security policies.
Scalability and Expansion Option
The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL Cisco Catalyst 6500 Distributed Forwarding Card is a high-performance module designed for use with Cisco Catalyst 6500 series switches. The module is designed to provide high-speed forwarding performance, allowing the switch to process and forward large amounts of data quickly and efficiently. The following are the scalability and expansion options of the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL:
- Scalability: The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL is designed to provide scalable performance for large and growing networks. The module can be used to increase the forwarding performance of the switch, allowing it to handle increasing amounts of data traffic without slowing down or dropping packets.
- High-speed forwarding: The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL provides high-speed forwarding performance, with a maximum forwarding rate of up to 400 Mpps (million packets per second). This high-speed forwarding performance is essential for applications that require low latency and high throughput, such as data centers and high-performance computing environments.
- Compatibility: The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL is compatible with a range of Cisco Catalyst 6500 series switches, making it a flexible and scalable option for network expansion. The module can be installed in any available forwarding engine slot on the switch, allowing for easy integration into existing network infrastructure.
- Redundancy: The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL supports redundancy, allowing for high availability and increased network uptime. The module can be configured in redundant mode, with two modules installed in the switch, providing automatic failover in the event of a module failure.
- Investment protection: The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL provides investment protection for organizations that are expanding their network infrastructure. The module is designed to be compatible with future Cisco technologies, allowing it to be used as part of a long-term network expansion strategy.
Fabric Extender Software Components
The WS-F6700-DFC3BXL Cisco Catalyst 6500 Distributed Forwarding Card (DFC) is a high-performance forwarding and routing card for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches. It provides a range of fabric extender software components to help manage and extend the capabilities of the switch fabric. Here are some of the fabric extender software components of this card:
- Virtual Switching System (VSS): The VSS feature allows two Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches to be combined into a single, logical entity with a unified control plane. This simplifies network management, improves scalability, and provides high availability.
- Virtual PortChannel (vPC): The vPC feature allows a switch to appear as two separate devices to connected devices, providing redundancy and load balancing for Ethernet and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) connections.
- FabricPath: FabricPath is a Layer 2 routing protocol that provides scalability, flexibility, and resiliency in large data center environments. It supports equal-cost multipath (ECMP) routing, loop prevention, and multipath load balancing.
- Locator/ID Separation Protocol (LISP): LISP is a protocol that separates location and identity information in IP addresses, improving scalability and mobility in the network. It can help optimize traffic flow and enable more efficient use of network resources.
- Overlay Transport Virtualization (OTV): OTV is a feature that extends Layer 2 connectivity between geographically dispersed data centers over a Layer 3 network. This provides a more efficient and flexible approach to disaster recovery and business continuity.
- Cisco Fabric Services (CFS): CFS is a set of protocols and services that enable distributed configuration and management of fabric extender switches in a data center environment. It provides a unified management plane and simplifies network provisioning and troubleshooting.
General Information about this Cisco WS-F6700-DFC3BXL
- Manufacturer: Cisco
- Part Number or SKU# WS-F6700-DFC3BXL
- Product Type: Network Accessories
- Product Name: Catalyst 6500 Distributed forwarding card
Technical Specifications
- Application/Usage: This product is designed for use in Wide Area Networks (WANs).
- Additional Information: Extra details about the product.
- Spare Product: This product can be used as a replacement or backup.
- Features
- Supports all features that the WS-F6700-DFC3A currently supports.
- Support for MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching) and ACE (Access Control Entries) counters.
- Can handle up to one million routes.
- Compatible with Cisco IOS Software version 12.2(18)SXD and later.
Compatibility
- Supported Supervisor Engines:
- WS-SUP720
- WS-SUP720-3B
- WS-SUP720-3BXL
- Supported Line Cards:
- Cisco Catalyst 6700 series
Outline, the Cisco WS-F6700-DFC3BXL Catalyst 6500 Distributed Forwarding Card 3BXL for WS-X67XX is a powerful component that enhances the capabilities of the Catalyst 6500 series. Its architecture, features, and benefits make it a valuable addition to modern network infrastructures, offering improved performance, scalability, and future-proofing. As technology continues to evolve, Cisco’s commitment to innovation ensures that the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL remains a reliable and effective solution for meeting the dynamic demands of networking environments. Whether deploying a new network or upgrading an existing one, the WS-F6700-DFC3BXL stands as a testament to Cisco’s dedication to providing cutting-edge solutions for the ever-changing world of networking.
