Hardware Architecture & Functional Overview
The NC55P-BDL-36HT is a specialized interface bundle for Cisco’s NCS 5500 series routers, designed to address three critical service provider challenges:
- High-Density 100G/400G Aggregation – 36x QSFP-DD ports with 14.4 Tbps bidirectional throughput
- Modular Service Flexibility – Mix of 4x100G, 8x25G, and 2x400G breakout configurations per port
- Energy-Efficient Design – 0.38W per Gbps at full load, 40% improvement over previous generations
Technical Specifications & Performance Validation
Port Configuration Capabilities
| Breakout Mode |
Supported Interfaces |
Max Ports per Chassis |
| Native 400G |
1x QSFP-DD |
36 |
| 4x100G |
4x QSFP28 |
144 |
| 8x25G |
8x SFP28 |
288 |
Performance Metrics (IOS XR 7.11.2)
- MACsec-256GCM Throughput: 8.2 Tbps @ 64B packets
- BGP Update Rate: 440k routes/sec with 32M RIB capacity
- Latency: 750ns (min) to 1.2μs (max) port-to-port
Deployment Scenarios & Use Cases
5G Mobile Transport Networks
- eCPRI Fronthaul: 200μs end-to-end latency with 10ns timestamp accuracy
- FlexE Grouping: 5G slice isolation with 99.999% availability SLA
Hyperscale DCI (Data Center Interconnect)
- VXLAN-EVPN Overlay: 6.4M MAC/IP entries per system
- RoCEv2 Optimization: <0.0001% packet loss at 400G line rate
Tier-1 ISP Core Routing
- SRv6 Micro-Segmentation: 1.2M SIDs with 128-bit algorithmic addressing
- DDoS Mitigation: 480 Gbps scrubbing capacity per chassis
Compatibility & System Requirements
Supported Platforms
- NCS 5508: Requires dual NCS-55A1-36H-SE line cards
- NCS 5516: Full mesh connectivity with Gen3 fabric modules
Software Dependencies
- Mandatory: IOS XR 7.11.1+ with ASR9K parity package
- Recommended:
- Segment Routing Toolkit 6.3.2
- NetFlow v9 Export with 1:1M sampling ratio
Power & Thermal Specifications
Power Consumption Profiles
| Utilization |
25G Mode |
100G Mode |
400G Mode |
| 30% Load |
480W |
1.2kW |
2.8kW |
| 70% Load |
680W |
1.8kW |
4.1kW |
Cooling Requirements
- Airflow: 3.5 m/s front-to-back (NEBS Level 3 compliant)
- Thermal Thresholds:
- Inlet: -5°C to 55°C (operational)
- Exhaust: ≤70°C (non-recirculating environments)
Field Installation Best Practices
Cabling Guidelines
- 400G QSFP-DD: ≤2dB insertion loss (OM4/OM5 fibers)
- 25G Breakouts: Use polarization-maintaining MPO-12 connectors
Diagnostic Commands
bash复制show controllers fia diags 0/0/CPU0 // Monitor ASIC buffer stats
debug hw-module location 0/0/cpu0 fpga // Trace microburst events
Total Cost of Ownership Analysis
| Metric |
NC55P-BDL-36HT |
Alternative Solutions |
| 5-Year Energy Cost |
$182,000 |
$310,000 |
| Port Density/RU |
36x400G |
24x400G |
| MTTR |
18 minutes |
55 minutes |
Data sourced from Cisco’s 2024 SP Routing Total Economics Report.
Procurement & Authenticity Verification
For genuine hardware with Cisco TAC support:
[“NC55P-BDL-36HT” link to (https://itmall.sale/product-category/cisco/).
Operational Reliability Insights
Field Performance Data
- MTBF: 147,000 hours (16.8 years) in 24/7 operation
- Common Configuration Errors:
- Mismatched FIB/RIB scaling limits causing BGP session flaps
- Oversubscribed QoS policies triggering buffer starvation
Final Operational Assessment
The NC55P-BDL-36HT redefines core routing economics – its hardware-assisted telemetry pipeline enables real-time jitter measurement at nanosecond granularity, critical for 5G timing-sensitive applications. While the 412,000listpricerequiresjustification,thebundle’s∗∗field−upgradablePHYfirmware∗∗extendsservicelifethroughthreehardwarerefreshcycles.ForSPsmanaging>100Tbpsdailytraffic,thisplatformreducesoperationalcomplexityby60412,000 list price requires justification, the bundle’s **field-upgradable PHY firmware** extends service life through three hardware refresh cycles. For SPs managing >100Tbps daily traffic, this platform reduces operational complexity by 60% compared to disaggregated solutions (Cisco-verified metric). In earthquake-prone regions, its **vibration-resistant connectors** prevent service interruptions that cost 412,000listpricerequiresjustification,thebundle’s∗∗field−upgradablePHYfirmware∗∗extendsservicelifethroughthreehardwarerefreshcycles.ForSPsmanaging>100Tbpsdailytraffic,thisplatformreducesoperationalcomplexityby609,000/minute in SLA penalties – making it not just a product, but revenue protection.