What Is the Cisco A99-RP-F-FC=? Redundant Control, Storage Integration, and Deployment Best Practices

​​Module Overview and Core Functionality​​

The ​​Cisco A99-RP-F-FC=​​ is a ​​Route Processor (RP)​​ module with integrated ​​Fibre Channel (FC)​​ capabilities, designed for high-availability environments requiring seamless routing and storage convergence. It serves as the ​​control plane​​ for Cisco Catalyst 6500 or Nexus 7000 series switches, while providing direct ​​SAN connectivity​​ via embedded FC ports.

​​Technical Specifications and Key Features​​

• ​​Dual Role​​: Acts as both a ​​route processor​​ (managing routing tables, QoS policies) and ​​FC gateway​​ (connecting to MDS SAN switches).
• ​​Redundancy​​: Supports ​​N+1 failover​​ with synchronization of runtime states between active and standby RPs.
• ​​FC Integration​​: ​​2 x 16G Fibre Channel ports​​ (SFP+ based) for SAN uplinks, compatible with ​​FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet)​​.
• ​​Performance​​: Runs ​​Cisco IOS-XE​​ with dedicated ASICs for ​​hardware-accelerated routing​​ and ​​FC frame forwarding​​.

​​Addressing Critical User Questions​​

​​1. How does this RP differ from standard Catalyst route processors?​​

The ​​A99-RP-F-FC=​​ adds ​​native Fibre Channel ports​​, eliminating the need for separate FC switches in storage-heavy topologies. This reduces latency for ​​SAN/IP convergence​​ compared to FCoE-only solutions.

​​2. What happens during RP failover with active FC connections?​​

The module’s ​​stateful switchover (SSO)​​ ensures FC session persistence during failover, minimizing disruptions to storage traffic. ​​Non-disruptive upgrades (NDU)​​ are also supported for firmware updates.

​​3. Are there licensing requirements for FC functionality?​​

Yes. Cisco’s ​​Storage Services License​​ is required to activate FC ports and features like ​​VSAN trunking​​ or ​​Fabric Manager integration​​.

​​Procurement and Compatibility Checks​​

For verified units with Cisco firmware preloaded, “A99-RP-F-FC=” is available here. Ensure compatibility with your chassis supervisor engine (e.g., ​​VS-S720-10G​​) and SAN fabric OS versions.

​​Operational Perspective​​

The ​​A99-RP-F-FC=​​ is a niche solution for enterprises entrenched in Catalyst 6500/Nexus 7000 ecosystems with legacy SAN dependencies. While its ​​dual-role design​​ simplifies cabling and management, newer platforms like the ​​Nexus 9000​​ series offer native ​​NVMe-oF​​ support—rendering FC integration less critical for modern all-flash storage. For organizations prioritizing minimal downtime and hybrid SAN/IP workflows, however, this module remains a robust, if aging, workhorse.