Cisco WS-X6408A-GBIC
Catalyst 6000 8-port GE, Enhanced QoS (Req. GBICs)
Product Highlights
When your Catalyst 6000 or 6500 series chassis needs additional Gigabit Ethernet capacity, the Cisco WS-X6408A-GBIC delivers eight high-speed ports in a single hot-swappable line card — minimizing downtime during upgrades and expansions.
The WS-X6408A-GBIC is an 8-port Gigabit Ethernet expansion module designed for Cisco Catalyst 6000 and 6500 series modular switches. Each port accepts a standard GBIC transceiver (sold separately), giving network administrators the flexibility to mix and match fiber and copper media types — including 1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX/LH, 1000BASE-ZX, copper GBICs, and CWDM GBICs — to suit specific distance and cabling requirements. The module supports both full-duplex and half-duplex operation at 1 Gbps per port.
With Enhanced QoS features built in, this line card enables granular traffic prioritization using Weighted Round Robin (WRR) scheduling, making it well-suited for environments where voice, video, and data converge. Compliant with IEEE 802.3z and IEEE 802.1d standards, the WS-X6408A-GBIC integrates seamlessly into existing enterprise campus, data center, and distribution-layer deployments. Note: This product is End-of-Life (EOL). It remains an excellent option for maintaining or extending legacy Catalyst 6500 installations at a fraction of the original cost.
Features & Benefits
Flexible GBIC-Based Connectivity
Each of the eight ports accepts a hot-pluggable GBIC transceiver, allowing you to deploy any combination of 1000BASE-SX, LX/LH, ZX, copper, or CWDM optics. This media flexibility lets you tailor each port to the exact distance and cable plant requirements of your environment — without swapping the entire module.
Enhanced Quality of Service (QoS)
The WS-X6408A-GBIC includes Enhanced QoS capabilities that enable traffic classification and prioritization at the line-card level. This ensures latency-sensitive applications like VoIP and video conferencing receive the bandwidth they need, even during periods of heavy network utilization.
Hot-Swappable, Zero-Downtime Maintenance
Designed as a hot-swappable plug-in module, the WS-X6408A-GBIC can be installed or removed from a live Catalyst 6000/6500 chassis without powering down the switch. This dramatically reduces maintenance windows and keeps your network available during hardware changes.
Standards-Based Interoperability
Full compliance with IEEE 802.3z (Gigabit Ethernet) and IEEE 802.1d (Spanning Tree Protocol) ensures the module works reliably within multi-vendor environments and integrates with your existing Layer 2 infrastructure without compatibility concerns.
Deployment Scenarios
Enterprise Campus Distribution Layer
Deploy the WS-X6408A-GBIC in a Catalyst 6500 chassis at the distribution layer to aggregate Gigabit Ethernet uplinks from access-layer switches. The GBIC flexibility allows you to use multimode fiber for short in-building runs and single-mode fiber for longer inter-building connections.
Data Center Server Farm Connectivity
Use this module to provide dedicated Gigabit Ethernet connections to servers, storage arrays, or top-of-rack switches within a data center. Enhanced QoS ensures that storage traffic and management traffic are properly prioritized alongside production workloads.
Legacy Network Maintenance & Sparing
For organizations still operating Catalyst 6000/6500 infrastructure, the WS-X6408A-GBIC serves as a cost-effective replacement or spare module. Maintaining a stock of these line cards extends the operational life of your existing chassis investment while you plan a migration path.
General
Interfaces & Performance
Standards & Compliance
Physical
Compatibility
Lifecycle
Compatibility Notes
Compatible Chassis:
- Cisco Catalyst 6000 series
- Cisco Catalyst 6500 series
GBIC Transceivers (required, sold separately):
- 1000BASE-SX GBICs (multimode fiber, short reach)
- 1000BASE-LX/LH GBICs (single-mode or multimode fiber, long haul)
- 1000BASE-ZX GBICs (single-mode fiber, extended reach)
- 1000BASE-T Copper GBICs
- CWDM GBICs
Note: When using LX/LH GBICs with 62.5-micron multimode fiber, a mode-conditioning patch cord is required on both transmit and receive ends to prevent transceiver saturation.
EOL Status: This module has reached End-of-Life. Cisco recommended migration to the WS-X6516A-GBIC (16-port, fabric-enabled).
Downloads & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
| Part Number | Product | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| WS-X6416-GBIC | Catalyst 6000 16-Port GE Classic Module | Doubles port density to 16 GBIC ports in the same classic (shared bus) architecture |
| WS-X6516A-GBIC | Catalyst 6500 16-Port GE Fabric-Enabled Module | Cisco-recommended replacement — 16 ports with fabric-enabled (CEF256) forwarding for higher performance |
| WS-X6816-GBIC | Catalyst 6500 16-Port GE dCEF256 Module | 16-port dCEF256 module with 8 Gbps fabric connection for line-rate distributed forwarding |
| WS-X6724-SFP | Catalyst 6500 24-Port GE SFP Module | Next-generation 24-port module using SFP transceivers instead of GBICs for higher density |
