Overview of the A9K-36X10-6RTU-SE=

The Cisco A9K-36X10-6RTU-SE= is a ​​36-port 10 Gigabit Ethernet line card​​ designed for the Cisco ASR 9000 Series routers. Aimed at service providers and hyperscale enterprises, it addresses the dual challenges of high-density connectivity and massive routing table scalability, making it ideal for internet peering, cloud gateways, and 5G core networks.

Core Technical Specifications

• ​​Port Density​​: 36 SFP+ ports supporting ​​10GE, 1GE, or OTU2​​ configurations, software-adjustable for mixed traffic.
• ​​Routing Scalability​​: The ​​6RTU (Routing Table Utilization)​​ license supports ​​6 million IPv4/IPv6 routes​​, critical for global ISP backbones.
• ​​Throughput​​: Delivers ​​360 Gbps aggregate capacity​​ with hardware-accelerated MPLS label switching and multicast replication.
• ​​Energy Efficiency​​: Operates at ​​30% lower power per port​​ than comparable modules, aligning with green networking initiatives.

Key Applications

• ​​Internet Exchange (IXP) Peering​​: Handles full BGP tables from multiple Tier 1 carriers.
• ​​Cloud Access Networks​​: Connects distributed data centers with high-throughput, encrypted links.
• ​​Mobile Core​​: Manages control-plane traffic for 5G SA (Standalone) architectures.

Addressing Critical Deployment Questions

​​Q: Is the A9K-36X10-6RTU-SE= compatible with older ASR 9000 chassis generations?​​
A: Yes, but ​​full route table capacity requires Gen 3 or newer chassis​​ (e.g., ASR 9906/9912). Gen 2 systems may require route-scale optimizations.

​​Q: What distinguishes the 6RTU-SE licensing tier?​​
A: Combines ​​6 million route support​​ with ​​Service Edge features​​ like EVPN, MPLS-TE, and advanced telemetry for granular traffic visibility.

Competitive Advantages

• ​​Route Optimization​​: ​​TCAM-efficient algorithms​​ reduce memory overhead by 40% when handling sparse /24 IPv4 prefixes.
• ​​Traffic Engineering​​: ​​RSVP-TE with FRR (Fast Reroute)​​ ensures sub-50ms failover for mission-critical paths.
• ​​Automation​​: Integrates with Cisco Crosswork Network Insights for predictive route analytics and DDoS mitigation.

Sourcing and Pre-Installation Guidance

For Cisco-certified hardware with lifecycle support, the “A9K-36X10-6RTU-SE=” is available here. Ensure your chassis runs IOS XR 7.12+ to utilize features like BGP Add-Paths and segment routing.

Insights from Large-Scale Deployments

In a recent deployment for a global IXP, the A9K-36X10-6RTU-SE= reduced BGP convergence times by ​​55%​​ during route flaps, thanks to its optimized RIB/FIB synchronization. While the 36-port density may seem excessive for smaller networks, the ability to mix 1GE and 10GE ports dynamically allows operators to consolidate legacy and modern traffic onto a single card—slashing rack space and power costs. For networks eyeing 400G migrations, its compatibility with Cisco’s QSFP-DD breakout cables offers a cost-effective transition path without immediate hardware overhauls. This balance of scale and flexibility makes it indispensable for future-focused architectures.