Cisco VIP6-80
Services Accelerator Versatile Interface Processor 6-80
Product Highlights
Maintaining high throughput and service quality across a complex, multi-protocol network backbone is a constant challenge — especially when distributed features like QoS, access lists, and policy routing are enabled at the interface level. The Cisco VIP6-80 Services Accelerator was engineered to solve exactly that problem.
The Cisco VIP6-80 is the highest-performance Versatile Interface Processor available for the Cisco 7500 Series and Cisco 7000 Series routers (with RSP7000/RSP7000CI). Built around a 400 MHz MIPS R7000 RISC processor, it delivers packet forwarding rates of 140,000 to 220,000 packets per second and over 750 MB of backplane bandwidth. Compared to its predecessors, the VIP6-80 provides up to a 40 percent improvement over the VIP4 and more than 100 percent improvement over the VIP2-50 when distributed features and QoS services are active.
The VIP6-80 occupies a single chassis slot and accommodates two single-width port adapters (or one dual-width), supporting a broad range of LAN and WAN media including Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, serial, HSSI, T3/E3, ATM (OC-3 and OC-12), Packet over SONET, and multichannel interfaces. Key reliability features include Online Insertion and Removal (OIR) for non-disruptive card swaps, Single Line Card Reload (SLCR) for fault isolation, and ECC-protected memory for data integrity. This line card is ideal for enterprise and service provider customers who need high-speed interfaces with advanced distributed services.
Note: The Cisco 7500 Series and VIP6-80 have reached End-of-Life status. This product is available in refurbished condition and is an excellent option for maintaining or expanding existing Cisco 7500 deployments.
Features & Benefits
High-Performance Distributed Switching
Powered by a 400 MHz MIPS R7000 RISC processor, the VIP6-80 offloads packet switching from the Route Switch Processor, enabling distributed Cisco Express Forwarding (dCEF) directly on the line card. This architecture delivers 140,000–220,000 pps and frees the RSP to handle control-plane tasks, resulting in lower latency and higher aggregate router throughput.
Flexible Port Adapter Support
Each VIP6-80 provides two port adapter slots that accept a wide variety of single-width and dual-width port adapters — from Fast Ethernet and serial to OC-12 ATM and Packet over SONET. This mixed-media flexibility lets you tailor each slot to your exact interface and density requirements, reducing the total number of chassis slots consumed.
Online Insertion and Removal (OIR)
The VIP6-80 supports hot-swap at the line card level, allowing you to remove and replace the VIP without shutting down the router. Physical lines and routing protocols on other line cards remain active during the swap, dramatically reducing planned maintenance windows. Note that port adapters must be installed or removed while the VIP6-80 is out of the chassis.
Single Line Card Reload (SLCR)
If a line card failure occurs, SLCR isolates the fault to the affected VIP6-80 and reloads only that card — without disrupting other line cards on the backplane. The system continues forwarding packets on all other interfaces with minimal interruption, significantly accelerating recovery time.
ECC-Protected Memory
The VIP6-80 uses 8-bit Error Correction Code (ECC) rather than byte parity, providing single-bit error correction and double-bit error detection on all memory. This ensures data integrity under sustained high-throughput conditions and reduces the risk of silent memory corruption in mission-critical routing environments.
Scalable Memory Architecture
Ships with 64 MB SDRAM for both CPU (program) and packet memory by default. Each can be independently upgraded to 128 MB or 256 MB using Cisco-approved SDRAM DIMMs, allowing you to scale memory to match your routing table size and traffic volume without replacing the entire line card.
Deployment Scenarios
Enterprise Campus or WAN Backbone
Deploy the VIP6-80 in a Cisco 7500 chassis at the core of a large campus or WAN backbone where distributed QoS, access control lists, and policy routing are required at wire speed. The high forwarding rate and mixed-media port adapter support consolidate multiple interface types into a single slot.
Service Provider Edge / Aggregation
Service providers running existing Cisco 7500 infrastructure can leverage the VIP6-80 with OC-3 or OC-12 ATM and POS port adapters for customer aggregation. The distributed switching architecture offloads per-interface QoS and traffic shaping from the RSP, maintaining service-level commitments under heavy load.
Legacy Network Maintenance and Sparing
For organizations with deployed Cisco 7500 routers that have reached End-of-Life, a refurbished VIP6-80 provides a cost-effective spare or replacement line card. OIR support means failed cards can be swapped in the field without a full router outage, extending the operational life of existing infrastructure.
General
Processor & Memory
Performance
Interfaces & Expansion
Platform Compatibility
Features
Management
Environmental
Compliance
Compatibility Notes
Compatible Router Platforms
- Cisco 7500 Series: Cisco 7505, 7507, 7507-MX, 7513, 7513-MX, 7576
- Cisco 7000 Series: Requires 7000 Series Route Switch Processor (RSP7000) and 7000 Series Chassis Interface (RSP7000CI); RSP7000 should have at least 64 MB of DRAM
Port Adapter Requirements
- The VIP6-80 requires at least one port adapter installed to be supported.
- If only one single-width port adapter is installed, a blank port adapter (MAS-PA-BLANK) must occupy the empty slot.
- Port adapters must be installed/removed while the VIP6-80 is outside the chassis (OIR of PAs is not supported).
Supported Port Adapters (partial list)
ATM: PA-A3-T3, PA-A3-E3, PA-A3-OC3MM, PA-A3-OC3SMI, PA-A3-OC3SML, PA-A3-OC12-MM, PA-A3-OC12-SMI | POS: PA-POS-OC3-MM, PA-POS-OC3-SMI, PA-POS-OC3-SML | Ethernet: PA-FE-TX, PA-FE-FX, PA-2FE-TX, PA-2FE-FX, PA-4E, PA-8E | Serial: PA-4T+, PA-8T-V35, PA-8T-232, PA-8T-X21 | T3/E3: PA-T3+, PA-2T3+, PA-E3, PA-2E3 | HSSI: PA-H, PA-2H | Multichannel: PA-MC-T3, PA-MC-E3, PA-MC-2T1, PA-MC-4T1, PA-MC-8T1, PA-MC-2T3+, PA-MC-8DSX1, PA-MC-2E1/120, PA-MC-8E1/120, PA-MC-STM-1MM, PA-MC-STM-1SMI
Memory Upgrades
- CPU Memory: MEM-VIP6-128M-SD (128 MB), MEM-VIP6-256M-SD (256 MB)
- Packet Memory: MEM-VIP6-128M-SD (128 MB), MEM-VIP6-256M-SD (256 MB)
- Use only Cisco-approved SDRAM DIMMs.
Downloads & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
| Part Number | Product | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| VIP4-80 | Cisco Versatile Interface Processor 4-80 | Same forwarding rate (140K–220K pps) but VIP6-80 delivers up to 40% better performance with distributed features and QoS enabled. |
| VIP4-50 | Cisco Versatile Interface Processor 4-50 | Lower forwarding rate (90K–140K pps); VIP6-80 is the recommended upgrade for higher throughput with QoS services. |
| VIP2-50 | Cisco Versatile Interface Processor 2-50 | Previous-generation VIP with 90K–140K pps and 400 MB bandwidth; VIP6-80 offers over 100% improvement with distributed features. |