Cisco WS-SUP720-3B
Catalyst 6500/Cisco 7600 Supervisor 720 Fabric MSFC3 PFC3B
Product Highlights
What's Included
512MB DRAM Switch Processor (1x MEM-S2-512MB)
64MB Flash Route Processor (1x BF-S720-64MB-RP)
64MB Flash Switch Processor (1x BF-S720-64MB-SP)
When your enterprise campus core or service provider aggregation network demands uncompromising throughput and feature depth, the supervisor engine at the heart of your Catalyst 6500 or Cisco 7600 chassis is the single most critical component. The Cisco WS-SUP720-3B is the Supervisor Engine 720 with integrated MSFC3 (Multilayer Switch Feature Card 3) and PFC3B (Policy Feature Card 3B), purpose-built to deliver scalable performance and a rich set of IP features in hardware.
Integrating a high-performance 720 Gbps crossbar switch fabric with a forwarding engine in a single module, the WS-SUP720-3B delivers 40 Gbps of switching capacity per slot — enabling high-density line cards such as 4-port 10GE and 48-port 10/100/1000 modules. With hardware-enabled forwarding for IPv4, IPv6, and MPLS, the system achieves up to 400 Mpps for IPv4 and 200 Mpps for IPv6 traffic, supporting up to 1,024 VRFs for MPLS deployments.
Built on the proven Cisco Express Forwarding (CEF) architecture, the WS-SUP720-3B supports both centralized forwarding (CEF) and distributed forwarding (dCEF). Its hardware-based feature set enables traditional IP forwarding, Layer 2 and Layer 3 MPLS VPNs, Ethernet over MPLS (EoMPLS), QoS, hardware-based GRE tunneling, and comprehensive ACLs. This unit ships with 512 MB DRAM for both the route processor and switch processor, plus 64 MB boot flash for each — ready for immediate deployment.
Note: This product has reached Cisco End-of-Sale status. It remains an excellent option for maintaining or expanding existing Catalyst 6500/7600 deployments at a fraction of the original cost.
Features & Benefits
High-Performance Switch Fabric
The WS-SUP720-3B integrates a 720 Gbps crossbar switch fabric that delivers 40 Gbps of switching capacity per slot, enabling support for high-density 10GE and GbE line cards. This fabric-based architecture eliminates backplane bottlenecks and ensures wire-speed forwarding across all slots in the chassis.
Hardware-Accelerated Forwarding
With the PFC3B providing hardware-based CEF, the supervisor engine achieves up to 400 Mpps for IPv4 and 200 Mpps for IPv6 traffic. Both centralized (CEF) and distributed (dCEF) forwarding modes are supported, giving network architects flexibility to optimize performance based on line card configuration.
MPLS and VPN Services
The PFC3B enables hardware-based MPLS label switching, supporting Layer 2 and Layer 3 MPLS VPNs, Ethernet over MPLS (EoMPLS), and traffic engineering with QoS. With support for up to 1,024 VRFs, the WS-SUP720-3B is well-suited for service provider and multi-tenant enterprise environments.
High Availability & Redundancy
The Supervisor Engine 720 supports SSO (Stateful Switchover) with NSF (Nonstop Forwarding), RPR+ (Route Processor Redundancy Plus), FSU (Fast Software Upgrade), and OIR (Online Insertion and Removal) with hot swap. Deploying a redundant pair of WS-SUP720-3B modules ensures continuous network operation during planned maintenance or unexpected failures.
Comprehensive Security
System security is hardened with features including Port Security, CPU rate limiting, Multi-Path uRPF, and extensive 802.1x extensions. Combined with hardware-based ACLs and DoS attack prevention, the WS-SUP720-3B provides a robust security posture for campus and data center networks.
Integrated MSFC3 Routing Intelligence
The MSFC3 (Multilayer Switch Feature Card 3) is an integral component that provides high-performance multilayer switching and routing intelligence. It runs Layer 2 protocols on one CPU and Layer 3 protocols on a second CPU, supporting routing protocols such as OSPF and IS-IS alongside spanning tree and VLAN trunking.
Deployment Scenarios
Enterprise Campus Core & Distribution
The WS-SUP720-3B is ideal for enterprise campus core and distribution layers where high throughput, advanced QoS, and robust routing are essential. Its 720 Gbps fabric and hardware-based forwarding ensure that large campus networks with hundreds of access switches can converge traffic without bottlenecks.
Data Center Aggregation
In data center environments, the Supervisor Engine 720 with PFC3B provides the switching capacity and MPLS VPN support needed for multi-tenant aggregation. Hardware-based GRE tunneling and comprehensive ACLs enable secure, segmented traffic flows between server farms and WAN edge devices.
Service Provider Metro Aggregation
Service providers deploying Cisco 7600 Series routers for metro Ethernet aggregation benefit from the WS-SUP720-3B's hardware MPLS capabilities, EoMPLS support, and 1,024-VRF scalability. This enables efficient delivery of managed VPN and Ethernet services to business customers.
Maintaining Existing Catalyst 6500/7600 Deployments
For organizations with established Catalyst 6500 or 7600 chassis that are not yet ready for a full platform migration, a pre-owned WS-SUP720-3B provides a cost-effective way to maintain or add redundancy to existing infrastructure while extending the useful life of the investment.
General
Performance
Memory
Interfaces & Ports
High Availability
Physical
Compliance
Compatibility Notes
Platform Compatibility
- Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series chassis (6503, 6504, 6506, 6509, 6513, and variants)
- Cisco 7600 Series Optical Services Routers
Operating System Support
- Cisco IOS (12.2SX train)
- Cisco Catalyst OS (CatOS)
Important Notes
- The WS-SUP720-3B does not support VSS (Virtual Switching System). For VSS capability, consider the VS-S720-10G-3C.
- Cisco recommends the Supervisor Engine 2T as the migration path for new deployments.
Included Memory Configuration
- 512 MB DRAM Route Processor (MEM-MSFC2-512MB)
- 512 MB DRAM Switch Processor (MEM-S2-512MB)
- 64 MB Boot Flash Route Processor (BF-S720-64MB-RP)
- 64 MB Boot Flash Switch Processor (BF-S720-64MB-SP)
DRAM is upgradeable to 1 GB per processor. Optional CompactFlash storage available in 64 MB, 128 MB, 256 MB, and 512 MB capacities.
Downloads & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
| Part Number | Product | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| WS-SUP720-3BXL | Supervisor Engine 720-3BXL | Ships with 1 GB DRAM per processor (vs. 512 MB) and PFC3BXL for larger forwarding tables and NetFlow support |
| WS-SUP720 | Supervisor Engine 720 (PFC3A) | Entry-level Sup720 with PFC3A — lacks MPLS label switching and ACE counter support available on PFC3B |
| VS-S720-10G-3C | Supervisor Engine 720-10G-3C | Adds 2x 10GE uplinks and PFC3C with VSS (Virtual Switching System) support — recommended migration path |
| VS-S2T-10G | Supervisor Engine 2T | Next-generation supervisor with 2T architecture, 80 Gbps per slot, and enhanced scalability — Cisco's recommended upgrade |
