Cisco NCS 5700 36X100G SCALE LINE CARD
The Cisco NCS 5700 36x100G Scale Line Card FCM (NC-57-36H-SE) is a high-performance networking module engineered for service providers, hyperscale data centers, and large enterprise backbone environments that require massive bandwidth, routing scale, and operational reliability. As part of the Cisco NCS 5700 Series, this line card delivers carrier-grade scalability and advanced packet transport capabilities designed to support modern IP/MPLS, cloud, and 5G infrastructures.
Built around the powerful Broadcom Jericho2 chipset, the NC-57-36H-SE provides up to 3.6 Tbps of switching capacity with support for 36 high-density 100 Gigabit Ethernet ports. The platform combines 24 QSFP28 interfaces and 12 QSFP-DD capable interfaces operating in 100G mode, enabling flexible deployment options for high-speed optical transport and aggregation networks. This density allows operators to maximize rack efficiency while reducing operational costs and power consumption.
One of the key advantages of the NC-57-36H-SE is its exceptional routing scale. The “SE” designation stands for Scale Edition, meaning the card is optimized for environments that require very large routing tables, extensive BGP deployments, and high subscriber scalability. It supports millions of IPv4 and IPv6 routes, making it ideal for internet peering, core routing, and large-scale service provider architectures. Deep buffering capabilities also help maintain stable performance during congestion-heavy traffic conditions common in carrier and cloud networks.
The line card operates using Cisco IOS XR, Cisco’s carrier-class operating system known for modularity, resiliency, and advanced automation support. IOS XR enables sophisticated telemetry, programmability, and network automation features that simplify large-scale operations. It also supports advanced technologies such as Segment Routing (SR-MPLS and SRv6), EVPN-VXLAN, MPLS VPNs, multicast routing, and network slicing for 5G transport environments.
The NC-57-36H-SE is particularly well suited for:
- Internet backbone routing
- Data center interconnect (DCI)
- Metro Ethernet aggregation
- Cloud-scale IP infrastructure
- 5G mobile backhaul
- High-capacity peering deployments
- Enterprise WAN core networks
In addition to performance, Cisco designed the module with high availability in mind. The line card supports redundant architectures, in-service software upgrades, and carrier-grade resiliency features that minimize downtime and improve operational continuity. These capabilities are critical for telecommunications providers and mission-critical enterprise environments where network uptime directly impacts business operations.
Power efficiency is another major benefit. Despite delivering multi-terabit throughput, the NC-57-36H-SE maintains relatively efficient power usage compared to older generations of 100G networking hardware. This helps operators reduce data center power and cooling costs while increasing overall network capacity.
Overall, the Cisco NC-57-36H-SE represents a powerful and scalable solution for organizations building next-generation transport and routing infrastructures. Its combination of high-density 100G connectivity, massive routing scale, carrier-class reliability, and advanced IOS XR features makes it a strong choice for modern high-performance networking environments.
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