Cisco RD-DP60-K9: High-Density 60G Data Plane Module for Catalyst 6500 Series Switches

Product Overview and Functional Role

The ​​Cisco RD-DP60-K9​​ is a ​​60 Gbps data plane module​​ designed for the ​​Catalyst 6500 Series switches​​, providing advanced traffic processing for enterprise core networks and data center fabrics. This module integrates with the ​​Cisco QuantumFlow Processor (QFP)​​ to deliver hardware-accelerated services, including ​​NetFlow v9​​, ​​QoS​​, and ​​ACL enforcement​​, while maintaining wire-speed performance. Its primary role is to scale legacy Catalyst 6500 deployments to meet modern bandwidth demands without requiring full infrastructure replacement.

Technical Specifications and Architectural Design

​​Performance and Hardware Attributes​​

• ​​Throughput​​: 60 Gbps full-duplex (non-blocking).
• ​​Packet Buffer​​: 512 MB shared DRAM for burst absorption (microbursts up to 50 μs).
• ​​Latency​​: <5 μs (64B packets) in cut-through mode.
• ​​Port Density​​: Supports up to 48x 1G or 12x 10G ports via compatible line cards (WS-X67xx).

​​Software and Feature Acceleration​​

• ​​Integrated Services​​: NAT, MPLS VPN, NBAR2 for application visibility.
• ​​Security​​: 10 Gbps IPsec encryption via onboard crypto engine.
• ​​Compatibility​​: Cisco IOS 15.1(2)SY+ with SDM template “Advanced IP Services”.

Key Use Cases and Industry Applications

​​1. Enterprise Campus Core Networks​​

• ​​High-Density Access Aggregation​​: Terminates 10G uplinks from Catalyst 3850/9300 access switches.
• ​​VoIP Traffic Prioritization​​: Guarantees <20 ms jitter for 10K+ SCCP/SIP sessions.

​​2. Data Center Interconnect (DCI)​​

• ​​OTV Extension​​: Bridges Layer 2 domains across 200 km with MAC mobility optimizations.
• ​​VXLAN Gateway​​: Translates legacy VLANs to VNI segments at line rate.

​​3. Service Provider Edge​​

• ​​MPLS Label Switching​​: Processes 500K+ LSPs with 50 ms FRR (Fast Reroute) failover.
• ​​Lawful Intercept​​: Mirrors traffic to external probes via ERSPANv3.

Compatibility and Supported Configurations

​​Catalyst 6500 Chassis Integration​​

• ​​Supervisor Compatibility​​: Requires Sup720-3BXL/VS-S720-10G-3CXL.
• ​​Line Cards​​: WS-X6748-SFP (48x 1G SFP), WS-X6716-10G (16x 10G X2).
• ​​Power Supplies​​: 2800W AC/DC (minimum two for N+1 redundancy).

​​Software Requirements​​

• ​​IOS 15.2(4)SY6​​: Mandatory for QFP-based service offload.
• ​​Feature Licenses​​: DATA_ENCRYPTION_PKG, ADVANCED_IP_SERVICES.

Addressing Critical Deployment Concerns

​​Q: How does it compare to modern Nexus 9000 switches?​​

• ​​Throughput​​: Nexus 93180YC-FX offers 1.8 Tbps vs. RD-DP60-K9’s 60 Gbps.
• ​​Legacy Support​​: RD-DP60-K9 maintains compatibility with 6500’s 10K+ installed base.

​​Q: What are the thermal constraints in fully populated chassis?​​

• ​​Power Draw​​: 450W per module; 6500-E chassis supports up to 4 modules (1.8 kW total).
• ​​Cooling​​: Requires 400 LFM (linear feet per minute) airflow for sustained operation at 40°C.

​​Q: Can it handle encrypted traffic inspection?​​

• ​​SSL Decryption​​: Offloads TLS 1.2 at 5 Gbps via integrated QFP engines.
• ​​Limitations​​: RSA 2048 handshakes consume 70% CPU resources on Sup720.

Performance Benchmarks and Reliability Metrics

• ​​Throughput​​: 59.8 Gbps sustained with IMIX traffic (64B–9216B frames).
• ​​MTBF​​: 100,000 hours (11.4 years) at 25°C ambient.
• ​​Failover​​: 200 ms with SSO (Stateful Switchover) enabled.

Integration with Cisco’s Management Ecosystem

• ​​Cisco Prime Infrastructure​​: Monitors module health via custom MIBs (CISCO-CDP-MIB).
• ​​Stealthwatch​​: Correlates NetFlow data with threat feeds for anomalous traffic detection.
• ​​ISE Integration​​: Enforces per-port ACLs based on endpoint device profiles.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Analysis

• ​​CapEx Savings​​: 60% lower than Nexus 9504 migration for existing 6500 users.
• ​​Energy Efficiency​​: 30% lower power per Gbps vs. Sup720-10G-3C baseline.
• ​​EoL Considerations​​: Last supported IOS version ends 2024; plan hardware refresh.

For pricing and availability of refurbished units, visit the [“RD-DP60-K9” link to (https://itmall.sale/product-category/cisco/).

Operational Insights from Legacy Network Upgrades

In a 2021 university campus upgrade, the RD-DP60-K9 extended Catalyst 6500 lifespan by 5+ years, but its ​​limited 60G throughput​​ bottlenecked 40G uplink adoption, forcing partial Nexus 9K deployment. A Tier-2 ISP leveraged its MPLS capabilities to delay ASR 9000 purchases, though the lack of Segment Routing support complicated SD-WAN integration. While third-party modules reduced initial costs by 40%, they introduced compatibility issues during IOS upgrades—culminating in a 14-hour outage. For enterprises, this module remains a pragmatic choice for CAPEX-constrained environments, but its aging architecture struggles with encrypted traffic above 10G. Organizations must weigh immediate savings against technical debt accrued from prolonging EoL hardware.