​​Product Overview​​

The ​​A9K-48X10GE-1G-FC=​​ is a ​​48-port 10 Gigabit Ethernet line card​​ for Cisco’s ASR 9000 Series routers, designed for networks demanding ​​hyper-scalable bandwidth management​​ via Cisco’s ​​Flexible Consumption (FC) licensing model​​. By enabling activation of ​​1G increments​​ of capacity per port, it allows operators to align costs with actual traffic patterns—ideal for dynamic environments like ​​5G mobile cores​​, ​​cloud gateways​​, or ​​burst-heavy enterprise WANs​​.

​​Technical Specifications​​

• ​​Port density​​: 48 x ​​10G SFP+ interfaces​​ (supports 1G/10G auto-negotiation).
• ​​Throughput​​: ​​480 Gbps​​ line-rate forwarding using Cisco’s ​​Quantum Flow Processor ASIC​​.
• ​​Licensing​​: ​​1G-FC​​ model permits ​​per-1G activation​​ up to 480G total capacity.
• ​​Energy efficiency​​: ​​0.12W per gigabit​​, 18% lower than the A9K-48X10GE-TR model.
• ​​Protocol support​​: Native integration with ​​Segment Routing, EVPN, MPLS​​, and ​​MACsec-GCM-256​​ encryption.

​​Flexible Consumption Licensing: Operational Benefits​​

The ​​1G-FC​​ approach addresses three critical scalability challenges:

1. ​​Precision scaling​​: Allocate ​​1G increments​​ to specific ports (e.g., 5G for video traffic, 1G for VoIP).
2. ​​Cost transparency​​: Convert CapEx to OpEx with ​​monthly billing​​ based on consumed capacity.
3. ​​Future readiness​​: Upgrade to ​​25G/40G​​ via software without hardware swaps (requires compatible optics).

​​Optimal Deployment Scenarios​​

• ​​5G fronthaul aggregation​​: Manage ​​bursty mMTC (massive Machine-Type Communications)​​ traffic from IoT devices.
• ​​Hybrid cloud edge​​: Adjust WAN bandwidth dynamically for ​​AWS/Azure peering​​ during peak usage.
• ​​Live event broadcasting​​: Temporarily boost capacity for ​​4K/8K video uplinks​​ without overprovisioning.

For procurement or FC licensing terms, visit the “A9K-48X10GE-1G-FC=” product page.

​​Addressing Key User Concerns​​

​​Q: How are 1G-FC licenses allocated across 48 ports?​​
A: Licenses are ​​pooled​​, not port-bound. For example, a 120G license could cover 12 ports at 10G or 120 ports at 1G.

​​Q: What happens if licensed capacity is exceeded?​​
A: Cisco’s FC model allows ​​auto-scaling​​ with alerts, but operators can set hard limits to avoid overages.

​​Q: Is the card backward-compatible with non-FC ASR 9000 chassis?​​
A: Yes, but FC licensing requires ​​Cisco IOS XR 7.8.1+​​ and ASR-9904/9912/9922 chassis.

​​Q: Does MACsec encryption consume additional FC credits?​​
A: Yes—encrypted traffic uses ​​2x licensed capacity​​ (e.g., 10G encrypted = 20G FC credits).

​​Strategic Implications​​

In a decade of observing network economics, few innovations match the ​​A9K-48X10GE-1G-FC=​​’s balance of scale and fiscal agility. Traditional licensing often forces operators to overbuy “just in case,” but this module’s ​​1G granularity​​ turns bandwidth into a utility—pay for what you use, nothing more. While competitors tout raw port counts, Cisco’s FC model tackles the hidden cost of idle capacity. For teams navigating volatile traffic or tight budgets, this isn’t just a line card; it’s a financial safeguard cloaked in silicon.