Cisco 36x400GE QSFP56-DD Line Card with MACsec
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Cisco 8800 Series · Q200 Silicon One Line Card
Cisco 88-LC0-36FH-M: 36x400GE QSFP56-DD Line Card with MACsec
A 14.4 Tbps, wire-speed 400G line card purpose-built for service providers and hyperscale operators who need encrypted, high-density core and aggregation capacity — without compromising on performance.
36
QSFP56-DD 400G Ports
14.4 Tbps
Total Slot Bandwidth
36/36
Ports with MACsec (100%)
14.2 kg
Card Weight (31.3 lb)
Overview
The Cisco 88-LC0-36FH-M is a Q200-based, transport-optimized line card for the Cisco 8800 Series modular routers. It is functionally identical to its sibling, the 88-LC0-36FH, with one critical difference: every one of its 36 QSFP56-DD ports supports line-rate MACsec encryption. That makes it the go-to option for operators who need to encrypt 400G traffic across metro, core, or long-haul links without sacrificing throughput or adding a separate encryption layer.
Built on the Cisco Silicon One Q200 ASIC — a 7-nm chip delivering 12.8 Tbps of forwarding performance with deep, on-chip buffering — the card slots into any bay of a Cisco 8800 chassis (4, 8, 12, or 18 slots) and works alongside 8800-RP or 8800-RP2 route processors and any of the three generations of 8800 fabric cards. Because Q200 cards coexist with Q100 and P100-based cards in the same chassis, operators can mix line card generations as they scale rather than forklift-upgrading an entire system.
Why MACsec at 400G Matters
Encrypting traffic in software or on a bolt-on appliance introduces latency, adds rack space, and creates a second point of failure. The 88-LC0-36FH-M solves this by embedding MACsec (802.1AE) directly into the ASIC data path on all 36 ports, so every 400G port can encrypt at full line rate with no throughput penalty. This is especially valuable for:
- Service providers extending encrypted core links across leased dark fiber or third-party transport
- Financial services and government networks with regulatory requirements for link-layer encryption
- Data center interconnect (DCI) deployments needing secure, high-capacity 400G transport between sites
- Routed Optical Networking architectures using 400G Digital Coherent Optics (DCO) end to end
Q200 Line Card Family: Bandwidth Comparison
The 88-LC0-36FH-M is one of three Q200-based line cards in the 8800 portfolio. Here’s how it compares on aggregate slot bandwidth:
(34x100G + 14x400G)
(36x400G)
(36x400G + MACsec)
Chart illustrates relative aggregate slot bandwidth across the three Q200-based line cards. Source: Cisco 8800 Series Q200-Based Line Cards Data Sheet.
Full Specifications — 88-LC0-36FH-M
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Product ID | 88-LC0-36FH-M |
| Port count / type | 36x QSFP56-DD (400G) |
| Aggregate bandwidth | 14.4 Tbps per slot |
| MACsec | Line-rate MACsec on all 36 ports |
| Onboard compute | 4-core Intel CPU, 32 GB DRAM, 128 GB SSD |
| Timing support | Class B timing |
| Optics support | DCO optics on all ports; QSFP+/QSFP28/QSFP28-DD/QSFP56-DD compatible; 4x100G breakout |
| Fabric requirement | 8 fabric cards for N+1 redundancy |
| Compatible route processors | Cisco 8800-RP, 8800-RP2 |
| Compatible fabric generations | 88xx-FC, 88xx-FC0, 88xx-FC1 |
| Height | 5.334 cm (2.10 in.) |
| Width | 45.974 cm (18.10 in.) |
| Length | 45.242 cm (17.812 in.) |
| Weight | 14.2 kg (31.3 lb) |
| Operating temperature | 0° to 40°C (32° to 104°F) |
| Storage temperature | -40° to 70°C (-40° to 158°F) |
| Operating / storage humidity | 5% to 95% ± 2% |
| Altitude | 0 to 3000 m |
Figures sourced from the Cisco 8800 Series Q200-Based Line Cards Data Sheet (updated January 29, 2025).
Feature Highlights
Carrier-Class IOS XR
Modular, patchable, highly available operating system built for continuous uptime.
Full-Rate MACsec
802.1AE encryption on all 36x 400G ports with zero throughput compromise.
Routed Optical Networking
Native support for 400G DCO optics, simplifying transport architecture.
SRv6 & Segment Routing
EVPN and SR-capable for simplified, scalable service delivery.
Ideal Deployment Scenarios
Because it pairs high port density with universal encryption, the 88-LC0-36FH-M fits naturally into several deployment models:
- Core and backbone routing — aggregating encrypted 400G links across a national or regional backbone.
- Metro aggregation — collecting traffic from access rings while encrypting hop-by-hop across shared or leased infrastructure.
- Data center interconnect — securing east-west traffic between geographically separated data centers at full 400G line rate.
- Government and regulated industries — meeting link-layer encryption mandates without a dedicated encryption appliance.
Ordering Information
| PID | Description |
|---|---|
| 88-LC0-34H14FH | Cisco 8800 48x 100G or 34x 100G + 14x 400G QSFP28-DD line card |
| 88-LC0-36FH | Cisco 8800 36x 400G QSFP56-DD line card |
| 88-LC0-36FH-M | Cisco 8800 36x 400G QSFP56-DD line card — MACsec |
Request a Quote (RFQ) — Cisco 88-LC0-36FH-M
Looking to add 400G MACsec-capable capacity to your Cisco 8800 chassis? Send us your configuration and quantity requirements and we’ll get back to you with pricing, lead time, and availability.
Include in your RFQ request:
- Quantity of 88-LC0-36FH-M line cards needed
- Target Cisco 8800 chassis model (4, 8, 12, or 18 slot)
- Route processor and fabric card generation in use
- Required optics (QSFP56-DD DCO, breakout, etc.)
- Deployment timeline / lead time requirements
Email your RFQ to: [email protected]
Cisco, Cisco 8000, Cisco 8800, IOS XR, and Cisco Silicon One are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. All specifications are drawn from Cisco’s published data sheet and are subject to change by Cisco without notice. Verify current specifications with Cisco or your authorized reseller before purchase.
