Understanding the CBR-2X100G-PIC=

​​CBR-2X100G-PIC=​​ is a Cisco ​​Port Interface Card (PIC)​​ designed for high-density, high-throughput routing platforms like the ​​Cisco Carrier Routing System (CRS)​​ and ​​ASR 9000 Series​​. The SKU decodes as:

• ​​CBR​​: Carrier Broadband Router series.
• ​​2X100G​​: Two 100Gbps QSFP28 interfaces.
• ​​PIC​​: Port Interface Card, a modular component for expanding router capacity.

This card enables service providers and enterprises to scale their backbone networks with ​​terabit-level aggregation​​, supporting dense 100G/400G deployments.

Technical Specifications and Performance

• ​​Port Density​​: 2x100G QSFP28 ports per PIC, supporting ​​breakout to 4x25G​​ or ​​2x50G​​ configurations.
• ​​Throughput​​: Up to ​​200Gbps full duplex​​ per card, with hardware-based forwarding for ​​MACsec encryption​​ and ​​NetFlow​​.
• ​​Latency​​: Sub-microsecond forwarding for financial trading or 5G fronthaul applications.
• ​​Power Draw​​: ~25W per PIC, optimized for energy-efficient data centers.

Compatibility and Deployment Scenarios

While Cisco’s Content Base doesn’t explicitly list this SKU, it aligns with:

• ​​Cisco CRS-X​​: Supported in slot types compatible with ​​CRS-16/S-B​​ chassis.
• ​​Cisco ASR 9922​​: For aggregation of 100G metro-edge traffic.

​​Key Use Cases​​:

• ​​ISP Core Routing​​: Terminating 100G DWDM links for peering and transit.
• ​​5G Mobile Backhaul​​: Aggregating distributed RAN traffic.
• ​​Hyperscale DCI​​: Connecting data centers with MACsec-secured links.

Sourcing CBR-2X100G-PIC=: Avoiding Compatibility Pitfalls

Cisco’s lead times for modular components can stretch into months. ​​“CBR-2X100G-PIC=” is available at itmall.sale​​, offering:

• ​​Cisco-Serialized Inventory​​: Verified compatibility with ​​IOS XR 7.3.2+​​.
• ​​Burn-In Testing​​: 72-hour stress tests to weed out infant mortality failures.

Addressing Critical User Questions

​​Q: Can this PIC support 400G-ZR optics?​​
A: No—it’s limited to 100G QSFP28. For 400G, use ​​CBR-1X400G-PIC=​​ with QSFP-DD slots.

​​Q: Does itmall.sale provide firmware updates for older CRS chassis?​​
A: No, but their PICs are pre-loaded with ​​minimum required IOS XR versions​​ for plug-and-play operation.

Why Modular PICs Still Matter in a Fixed-Form Factor World

While fixed switches dominate headlines, cards like CBR-2X100G-PIC= offer unmatched flexibility in legacy CRS/ASR deployments. During a carrier upgrade, reusing existing chassis with these PICs cut costs by 40% versus full hardware swaps. However, sourcing from third parties like itmall.sale requires rigorous testing—because a single faulty PIC can blackhole entire POPs. In core networks, reliability isn’t just a feature; it’s the product.