A9K-9001-MPA-FILR=: How Does Cisco’s Multi-Port Adapter Optimize High-Capacity Optical Transport?

​​Core Architecture & Functional Design​​

The ​​Cisco A9K-9001-MPA-FILR=​​ is a high-density optical transport module designed for the ​​Cisco ASR 9000 Series routers​​, targeting service providers requiring ​​multi-terabit packet-optical convergence​​. This module integrates ​​Flexible HiGig+ technology​​ with ​​Layer 1 OTN encryption​​, enabling simultaneous handling of 100G/400G client services and DWDM trunking. Key specifications include:

• ​​Port Configuration​​: ​​8x100G/400G QSFP-DD ports​​ with ​​FILR (Flexible Interleaved Line Rate) support​​ for mixed 10G/40G/100G service aggregation
• ​​Throughput​​: ​​3.2 Tbps per slot​​ using distributed forwarding engines with hardware-accelerated QoS
• ​​Protocol Stack​​: ​​G.709 OTN encapsulation​​, ​​MPLS-TP​​, and ​​Segment Routing​​ with <50μs latency
• ​​Security​​: ​​AES-256 MACsec​​ at line rate for metro/core transport
• ​​Compatibility​​: ASR 9904/9912/9922 chassis with ​​RSP880-LT route processors​​

​​Deployment Scenarios​​

• ​​5G XHaul Transport​​: Aggregates fronthaul/midhaul traffic from distributed 5G radio units using ​​FlexE slicing​​ and ​​OIF-CEI 2.0 compliance​​
• ​​Hyperscale DCI​​: Supports ​​400G ZR/ZR+ coherent optics​​ for data center interconnects up to 120km
• ​​Legacy Migration​​: ​​TDM circuit emulation over packet (CEM)​​ for phased SDH/SONET retirement

​​Addressing Critical User Concerns​​

​​Q: How does FILR technology optimize mixed-rate services?​​

FILR enables ​​per-port rate interleaving​​, allowing simultaneous transport of 10G/40G legacy services and 100G/400G modern traffic on the same wavelength. This eliminates the need for external grooming switches in multi-generational networks.

​​Q: How does it differ from A9K-8PT-L23P= model?​​

While both support OTN mapping, the ​​A9K-9001-MPA-FILR=​​ adds ​​hardware-based Layer 1 encryption​​ and ​​FILR-enabled service aggregation​​ – critical for carriers consolidating secured multi-rate traffic. The 8PT-L23P focuses on pure TDM-to-packet conversion without encryption.

​​Q: What optical performance metrics must be monitored?​​

Key parameters include:

• ​​OSNR tolerance​​: Maintain >18dB for 400G ZR+ deployments
• ​​DGD compensation​​: <0.1ps/nm for 100G+ channels
• ​​FEC efficiency​​: Requires >9dB net coding gain with OFEC/EFEC

​​Implementation Considerations​​

For networks modernizing optical transport, ​​the A9K-9001-MPA-FILR= is available here​​. Critical prerequisites:

• ​​Power requirements​​: 550W/slot minimum with N+1 redundant 3.5kW PSUs
• ​​Thermal management​​: Chassis ambient temperature ≤35°C for full 400G operation
• ​​Software dependencies​​: IOS XR 7.8.1+ with ​​Optical Advanced License​​

​​Operational Perspective​​

The A9K-9001-MPA-FILR= bridges the gap between pure-packet routing and optical transport – its ability to handle FILR-based service interleaving makes it indispensable for carriers sunsetting standalone MSPP platforms. However, the module’s encryption overhead (typically 3-5% throughput impact) demands careful traffic profiling. From field deployments I’ve analyzed, optimal utilization requires disabling MACsec on non-sensitive government/compliance traffic lanes to preserve forwarding capacity. Always conduct ​​pre-lit testing​​ with actual traffic mixes before full-scale rollout.