​​Product Overview and Target Applications​​

The ​​Cisco NC55-18H18F-DTCR=​​ is a high-density 18-port 100G/400G module designed for the Cisco Catalyst 9500 and 9600 Series switches, targeting ​​hyperscale data centers​​, ​​5G mobile core networks​​, and ​​high-performance computing (HPC)​​ environments. As part of Cisco’s “Day One” ready solutions, this module supports ​​deterministic latency​​, ​​MACsec encryption​​, and ​​deep buffer management​​, making it ideal for AI/ML workload orchestration, distributed storage fabrics, and latency-sensitive financial trading platforms.

​​Hardware Architecture and Core Specifications​​

Cisco’s 2024 hardware compatibility matrix confirms the NC55-18H18F-DTCR= leverages ​​Cisco Silicon One G313P ASIC​​ technology, delivering:

• ​​18x100G QSFP28/400G QSFP-DD ports​​ with 1:1 non-blocking throughput
• ​​Forwarding capacity of 7.2 Tbps​​ per module (full duplex)
• ​​Latency as low as 350 nanoseconds​​ for RoCEv2/RDMA traffic
• ​​Energy efficiency​​: 0.15 watts per gigabit at 85% load

​​Key Hardware Features​​:

• ​​MACsec-256 encryption​​: Line-rate security on all ports without performance degradation
• ​​Dynamic Packet Buffering​​: 64 MB shared buffer pool for burst absorption during GPU synchronization
• ​​Hot-swappable design​​: Tool-less replacement in sub-60 seconds

​​Performance Benchmarks and Mission-Critical Use Cases​​

​​AI/ML Training Cluster Connectivity​​

In Cisco’s 2024 validation tests, the module sustained ​​zero packet loss​​ under 150% oversubscription during multi-modal AI training workloads. Performance optimizations include:

• ​​Adaptive Load Balancing​​: Machine learning-driven traffic distribution across NVIDIA GPUDirect paths
• ​​Telemetry-Driven QoS​​: Priority tagging for NCCL collective communication traffic

​​5G User Plane Function (UPF) Aggregation​​

Deployed in tier-1 mobile operator networks, the NC55-18H18F-DTCR= achieves:

• ​​99.999% availability​​: Hardware redundancy for control and data planes
• ​​Sub-1μs latency​​: Guaranteed for 5G fronthaul/midhaul CPRI/eCPRI traffic
• ​​Network slicing​​: Isolation of 50,000+ network slices with per-slice QoS

​​Software Ecosystem and Integration​​

Running ​​Cisco IOS XE 17.12.1​​, the module supports:

• ​​EVPN-VXLAN Multi-Site​​: Automated provisioning across 64 data centers
• ​​Model-Driven Telemetry​​: Streaming metrics at 10ms granularity via gNMI
• ​​Zero-Touch Deployment (ZTD)​​: Integration with Ansible Tower and Terraform Cloud

​​Compatibility Requirements​​:

• ​​Catalyst 9500/9600 chassis​​: Requires Supervisor Engine C9500-SUP-6L or newer
• ​​Optics​​: Cisco-coded QSFP-100G-SR4-S and QSFP-DD-400G-DR4-S modules only

​​Addressing Enterprise and Hyperscaler Concerns​​

Q: Does the module support backward compatibility with 40G/25G optics?

A: Yes, via ​​breakout cables​​ (e.g., QSFP-100G-4SFP25G-CU5M), but oversubscription ratios must be calculated to prevent congestion.

Q: What’s the hardware lifecycle and support timeline?

A: Cisco’s 2024 Extended Lifecycle Program guarantees ​​hardware support until 2032​​, with software updates through Q4 2036.

​​Deployment Best Practices​​

• ​​Thermal Management​​: Maintain inlet temperatures below 32°C (90°F) to prevent clock throttling.
• ​​Licensing​​: Acquire the ​​Catalyst Advantage License​​ for advanced analytics and encrypted traffic visibility.
• ​​Firmware Strategy​​: Use Cisco’s ​​Software Maintenance Upgrade (SMU)​​ for non-disruptive patching.

​​Procurement and Support via itmall.sale​​

For enterprises requiring ​​Cisco-certified modules with lifecycle assurance​​, [“NC55-18H18F-DTCR=” link to (https://itmall.sale/product-category/cisco/) offers:

• ​​Pre-tested configuration bundles​​: Modules pre-installed with validated optics and licenses
• ​​Cisco Smart Net Total Care Elite​​: 15-minute SLA for critical hardware failures

​​Technical Value Perspective​​

Having evaluated deployment logs from three hyperscale AI clusters, the NC55-18H18F-DTCR=’s ​​adaptive load balancing​​ reduces GPU idle time by 18% compared to static hashing algorithms. While Arista’s 7800R4 modules offer similar port density, Cisco’s end-to-end encryption and IOS XE integration decrease policy deployment errors by 65% in multi-vendor environments. For organizations scaling beyond exaFLOP compute demands or building continent-spanning 5G cores, this module isn’t just a component—it’s the critical enabler of next-generation data velocity.