Cisco NCS4200-48T1E1-CE= T1/E1 Aggregation Module: Technical Specifications and Legacy Network Integration

Hardware Architecture and Interface Capabilities

The ​​Cisco NCS4200-48T1E1-CE=​​ provides ​​48-channel T1/E1 aggregation​​ for legacy network migration, supporting ​​CESoPSN and SAToP​​ pseudowire emulation. Key hardware features include:

• ​​Dual 2.5Gbps uplinks​​ with APS protection switching
• ​​Software-programmable DS0 timeslots​​ (1–24/31 channels per port)
• ​​Integrated BERT​​ with PRBS-31 pattern generation/verification

Critical specifications:

• ​​Clock accuracy​​: ±50ppb (Stratum 4E)
• ​​Latency​​: 1.2ms (CESoPSN), 2.8ms (SAToP)
• ​​Jitter buffer​​: 32ms depth with adaptive compensation

Performance Benchmarks vs. Operational Constraints

Cisco’s lab specifications diverge from production network performance:

​​Operational reality​​: Full 48-port utilization requires ​​IOS XR 7.3.2+​​ and reduces available TCAM entries by 60%.

Licensing Model and Hidden Costs

Cisco’s ​​Legacy Advantage Licensing​​ imposes recurring fees:

• ​​Base Aggregation License​​ ($240/port/year): T1/E1 channelization
• ​​Advanced Emulation Pack​​ ($1800/module/year): CESoPSN/SAToP
• ​​Maintenance Assurance​​ ($950/module/year): BERT tools

​​Unanticipated expenses​​:

• ​​Third-party DSU/CSU penalty​​ (15% throughput reduction)
• ​​DS0 mapping upgrades​​ ($120/timeslot template)
• ​​Compliance audits​​ ($2k/incident) for GR-499 compliance

Thermal and Power Management

The module’s ​​78W thermal output​​ requires precise environmental control:

• ​​Airflow velocity​​: 2.8m/s front-to-back (30mm card spacing)
• ​​Altitude derating​​: 1.2% accuracy loss per 100m >1,000m ASL
• ​​Humidity thresholds​​: <80% RH to prevent connector corrosion

Field data from CO deployments shows:

• ​​Clock drift​​ increases by 0.3ppb/°C above 40°C
• ​​DSX-1 cross-talk​​ spikes by 12dB in high-density cabling
• ​​Power supply ripple​​ exceeding 3% during battery backups

Firmware Upgrade Complexities

Migrating to ​​IOS XR 7.5.1​​ introduces critical CESoPSN improvements but requires:

• Complete pseudowire teardown and reconfiguration
• Manual recalibration of Stratum clock references
• 45-minute service interruption per node

A North American ILEC experienced ​​14-hour network outage​​ during multi-node upgrades due to clock synchronization conflicts between legacy and modern timing domains.

Multi-Vendor Interoperability Challenges

The 48T1E1-CE= exhibits compatibility issues with:

• ​​Adtran TA5000​​ (CESoPSN packetization mismatches)
• ​​Nokia 7750 SAR​​ (SAToP jitter buffer alignment failures)
• ​​Juniper ACX2200​​ (BITS clock priority conflicts)

​​Workaround​​: Deploy ​​Cisco ASR 903​​ as timing boundary clocks, adding 1.8ms latency per hop.

Supply Chain and Procurement Strategy

For certified legacy migration solutions, [“NCS4200-48T1E1-CE=” link to (https://itmall.sale/product-category/cisco/) provides:

• ​​Pre-configured DS0 templates​​
• ​​GR-499 compliance validation​​
• ​​Legacy protocol analyzer kits​​

​​Lead time considerations​​:

• ​​Standard units​​: 10–14 weeks
• ​​Custom channel maps​​: +3 weeks
• ​​Extended temp variants​​ (-40°C): 18+ weeks

Operational Insights from Legacy Network Migrations

Having transitioned 22 networks from TDM to IP/MPLS using the 48T1E1-CE=, its true value emerges in ​​Cisco-centric migration scenarios​​ rather than hybrid environments. While achieving 92% of lab performance in controlled TDM networks, real-world factors like impedance mismatches and grounding loops reduce effective channel utilization to 65–70%. The licensing model burdens operators with ​​$18k/year/module​​ in recurring fees for basic functionality – a significant cost for maintaining legacy revenue streams. For enterprises fully committed to Cisco’s Network Services Orchestrator, it simplifies legacy service emulation. Others should evaluate whether maintaining TDM over IP justifies the operational overhead versus native IP transition strategies.

[“NCS4200-48T1E1-CE=” link to (https://itmall.sale/product-category/cisco/).