Cisco A9K-8T-E 8-Port 10-Gigabit Ethernet Extended Line Card, Requires XFPs

Overview
The Cisco A9K-8T-E is an 8-port 10 Gigabit Ethernet extended line card designed for the Cisco ASR 9000 Series routers. This high-performance module provides dense 10 GbE connectivity for carrier, data center, and enterprise environments that demand low latency and high reliability. It supports XFP transceiver modules, giving you the flexibility to choose the appropriate optical or copper interface for your network topology.

Key Features

• Eight 10 GbE ports for scalable bandwidth expansion
• Requires XFP transceivers, allowing a wide range of media options
• Optimized for high-density deployments in ASR 9000 chassis
• Supports advanced forwarding and QoS features to prioritize critical traffic
• Hot-swappable design minimizes downtime during upgrades or maintenance
• Built on Cisco IOS XR software for robust control plane and programmability

Technical Specifications

• Form factor: Extended line card for ASR 9000 Series
• Port type: 10 GbE SFP+ (XFP) slots
• Maximum throughput: 80 Gbps aggregate per card
• Supported media: Single mode fiber, multimode fiber, and copper XFP modules
• Power consumption: Typical 150 W, peak 200 W
• Operating temperature: 0 to 40 degrees Celsius
• Dimensions: Standard ASR 9000 line card size, fits in 2U chassis slot

Typical Applications

• Carrier edge routing and aggregation where high port density is required
• Data center interconnect (DCI) for linking separate facilities with 10 GbE links
• Enterprise core and distribution layers needing reliable high-speed uplinks
• Network virtualization and SDN environments that leverage Cisco IOS XR programmability
• High-frequency trading or financial services networks that demand ultra-low latency

By integrating the Cisco A9K-8T-E line card into your ASR 9000 router, you gain a flexible, future-proof solution that can adapt to evolving bandwidth needs while maintaining the performance and reliability Cisco is known for.