Cisco 7600-ES20-10G3CXL
7600 ES20 Line Card, 2x10GE XFP with DFC 3CXL
Product Highlights
Maintaining high-performance 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity across service provider and enterprise WAN environments demands line cards that combine raw throughput with advanced service intelligence. The Cisco 7600-ES20-10G3CXL is a 2-port 10GE XFP Ethernet Services 20G Line Card equipped with the Distributed Forwarding Card 3CXL (DFC-3CXL), purpose-built for the Cisco 7600 Series Router platform.
Designed for Carrier Ethernet and IP/MPLS Provider Edge deployments, this ES20 line card delivers up to 30 Mpps of distributed forwarding with services enabled, backed by up to 1 million hardware-based forwarding entries and 256K NetFlow entries courtesy of the DFC-3CXL. Its 512 MB of packet memory provides 200 ms of combined input and output buffering at 10 Gbps, helping prevent packet loss during traffic bursts.
What sets the 7600-ES20-10G3CXL apart is its ability to combine both Layer 2 and Layer 3 services on a single line card — including native Ethernet switching, VPLS, Ethernet over MPLS (EoMPLS), and full IP/MPLS routing. Hierarchical QoS, locally significant VLANs, and support for up to 16K VLAN IDs per card enable rich, differentiated services at scale. The innovative architecture blends proven ASIC technology in the forwarding path with two programmable network processors for flexibility and future feature growth.
Note: The Cisco 7600 Series platform has reached End-of-Life (EOL). This line card is available as a pre-owned or refurbished unit, ideal for maintaining and expanding existing 7600 deployments.
Features & Benefits
DFC-3CXL Distributed Forwarding
The integrated DFC-3CXL daughter card enables up to 1 million hardware-based forwarding entries and 256K NetFlow entries, delivering line-rate distributed forwarding at up to 30 Mpps per line card. This offloads processing from the central supervisor engine, reducing latency and improving overall chassis performance.
Dual 10GE XFP Connectivity
Two 10 Gigabit Ethernet XFP slots accept pluggable optics modules, providing flexible high-speed uplink connectivity. XFP modules support various reach options — from short-range to extended-range — allowing the card to adapt to different fiber plant requirements without hardware changes.
Combined Layer 2 & Layer 3 Services
Unlike many competing line cards, the 7600-ES20-10G3CXL supports native Ethernet Layer 2 switching, bridging, VPLS, and Ethernet over MPLS (EoMPLS) alongside full Layer 3 IP/MPLS routing — all on a single module. This consolidation reduces slot consumption and simplifies network design.
Advanced QoS & Traffic Management
Hierarchical QoS, DiffServ, WRED, traffic classification, and bandwidth policing ensure that voice, video, and data traffic receive appropriate prioritization. Support for up to 16K VLAN IDs per line card and locally significant VLANs enables granular service segmentation at scale.
Deep Packet Buffering
With 512 MB of packet memory providing up to 200 ms of round-trip buffering at an aggregate bandwidth of 10 Gbps, the ES20 line card absorbs traffic bursts and prevents spurious packet loss — critical for latency-sensitive applications and long-distance WAN links.
Programmable Architecture
Two onboard programmable network processors complement the proven ASIC forwarding path, enabling feature growth and new service deployments through software updates. This extensible design protects your investment and reduces total cost of ownership over the life of the platform.
Deployment Scenarios
Carrier Ethernet / MPLS Provider Edge
Deploy the 7600-ES20-10G3CXL at the provider edge to deliver Carrier Ethernet services including VPLS, EoMPLS, and H-VPLS. The combination of Layer 2 and Layer 3 capabilities on a single card simplifies PE router design, while hierarchical QoS and 16K VLAN support enable differentiated service delivery to business customers.
Enterprise WAN Aggregation
Use the ES20 line card to aggregate high-speed WAN links in large enterprise networks. The 2x10GE XFP ports provide redundant uplink capacity, while the DFC-3CXL's 1 million forwarding entries and 30 Mpps throughput handle complex routing tables and heavy traffic loads without performance degradation.
Existing Cisco 7600 Expansion & Maintenance
For organizations with existing Cisco 7600 Series deployments, the 7600-ES20-10G3CXL provides a cost-effective way to add or replace 10GE line card capacity. As a refurbished module, it extends the useful life of your current chassis investment while maintaining full feature parity with the original deployment.
General
Interfaces
Performance
Memory
Features
Physical
Power
Environmental
Software & Licensing
Compatibility
Compatibility Notes
Chassis Compatibility
- Supported: Cisco 7604, 7606, 7606-S, 7609, 7609-S, 7613
- Not Supported: Cisco 7603 (end of sale/end of life)
- 7613 Restriction: Not supported in slots 1 through 8 (requires dual-channel switch fabric)
Supervisor / RSP Requirements
- Requires Supervisor Engine 720 (WS-SUP720) or RSP720
- Not supported with Supervisor Engine 32 (requires dual-channel switch fabric)
Software Requirements
- Minimum: Cisco IOS Release 12.2SRB or later
Licensing
- 76-ES20-BASIC-LIC — Basic license including IPv6 support
- 76-ES20-ADVIP-LIC — Advanced IP license for full 12.2SR feature set
Optics
- Accepts standard Cisco 10GE XFP modules (sold separately)
Downloads & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
| Part Number | Product | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 7600-ES20-10G3C | ES20 2x10GE XFP with DFC-3C | Ships with DFC-3C instead of DFC-3CXL — supports 256K forwarding entries and 128K NetFlow entries vs. 1M and 256K on the 3CXL variant. |
| 7600-ES20-GE3CXL | ES20 20xGE SFP with DFC-3CXL | 20-port Gigabit Ethernet SFP model instead of 2-port 10GE XFP — same DFC-3CXL daughter card, optimized for higher port density at 1G speeds. |
| 7600-ES20-GE3C | ES20 20xGE SFP with DFC-3C | 20-port GE SFP model with DFC-3C — lower forwarding table capacity than the 3CXL variants, suited for less demanding deployments. |
| 76-ES+T-4TG | ES+ 4x10GE Line Card | Next-generation ES+ line card with 4x10GE ports and up to 40 Gbps throughput — the upgrade path from the ES20 family for higher density requirements. |
