Cisco ASR 9902 Router 800 Gbps Capacity, 2RU Architecture and Ports

The Cisco ASR 9902 is a fixed 2RU, high-performance router with up to 800 Gbps of nonblocking, full-duplex capacity. It combines multi-rate Ethernet interfaces, redundant control and power components, Cisco IOS XR Software, carrier-class OAM, timing support, and service-edge licensing in a compact chassis.

Product role and deployment fit

The ASR 9902 is designed for environments that require high port density, predictable forwarding performance, service scale, and operational redundancy without using a larger modular chassis. Supported deployment scenarios include:

• Business provider edge
• Metro aggregation
• Cloud edge
• Internet peering
• Data Center Interconnect
• Broadband Network Gateway
• Internet edge
• Mobile edge for 4G and 5G networks
• Enterprise WAN core
• Enterprise WAN edge
• Enterprise WAN aggregation
• Enterprise border routing
• Peering with Internet service providers

The platform uses the same Cisco IOS XR software image as other Cisco ASR 9000 Series routers. This supports operating model standardization across fixed and modular ASR 9000 deployments. The operating system is described as modular, patchable, scalable, and highly available.

The chassis provides front-to-back airflow and a depth of 19 inches, excluding the ejector bracket. These characteristics support installation in telecommunications, service provider, enterprise, and mobile-edge racks where rack depth and airflow direction are important design constraints.

Hardware architecture

The ASR 9902 is a fixed-board system with integrated interfaces and redundant system components. The standard chassis architecture includes:

• Two redundant route processors
• Integrated switch fabric
• Two power supply module positions
• Three fans in redundant configuration
• Integrated QSFP-DD, QSFP28, SFP28, and SFP+ ports
• External management, timing, and service interfaces on the route processor

The route processor uses a 64-bit Intel CPU and 32 GB of DDR4 SDRAM. The front-panel external interfaces include:

• Console serial interface
• Auxiliary serial interface
• Two management Ethernet interfaces
• One Class A USB port
• GPS interface
• 10 MHz timing interface
• 1PPS interface
• Time of Day interface
• Two BITS interfaces

The fixed board supports a maximum data bandwidth of 800 Gbps. Port combinations can be selected according to the required interface mix, optics, service role, and network topology.

All integrated ports support MACsec according to the product overview. MACsec feature activation and licensing must be checked against the required port rate and the applicable MACsec license.

Interface capacity and port planning

The integrated port configuration is as follows:

QSFP-DD optics use the same mechanical characteristics and cage size as QSFP28 optics. The applicable ports can operate at 10G, 25G, and 40G/100G depending on the supported interface and optic configuration. The datasheet also states that 1G can be supported through a smart SFP or an nV Satellite solution.

Presales port planning should distinguish between physical port availability and licensed or software-enabled service capacity. The chassis provides integrated physical ports, but functions such as advanced optical operation, large-scale VRF deployment, tunnel protocols, lawful intercept, mobile features, and nV Satellite connectivity may require feature licenses.

All ports support MACsec according to the product overview. The applicable right-to-use license is rate-specific for 10G, 40G, and 100G operation.

Throughput and forwarding characteristics

The stated performance values are:

The platform provides full-duplex operation. Ethernet capabilities include:

• 10-Gbps IEEE 802.3ae compliance
• 25-Gbps IEEE 802.3by and IEEE 802.3cc compliance
• 40/100-Gbps IEEE 802.3ba compliance
• 100 Gigabit Ethernet PHY monitoring
• IEEE 802.x flow control
• Per-port byte and packet counters
• Counters for policy drops
• Counters for oversubscription drops
• Counters for CRC error drops
• Packet-size counters
• Unicast, multicast, and broadcast packet counters

The 800 Gbps platform capacity should be treated as the chassis forwarding ceiling stated for the fixed board. Actual service scale, feature scale, supported interface combinations, and resource consumption are hardware and software dependent.

Sizing rules

Use the following presales rules when sizing the platform:

1. Count physical ports by rate and optic type rather than using aggregate bandwidth alone.
2. Reserve capacity for redundant links, maintenance migration, and future service growth.
3. Validate the required port speed, optic, breakout mode, and software release against the applicable optics compatibility documentation.
4. Confirm whether the design requires advanced optical, MACsec, VRF scale, CGv6, tunnel protocols, mobile functions, lawful intercept, or nV Satellite.
5. Do not mix AC and DC power modules in the same chassis.
6. Account for high-power optic limitations when evaluating temperature and altitude.
7. Treat the 1G requirement separately because 1G support is described through smart SFP or nV Satellite rather than as a native integrated port rate.
8. Confirm that the selected chassis, route processor, power modules, fan tray, rack kit, optics, and licenses are all included in the bill of materials.

Service and timing functions

The ASR 9902 supports carrier-class Operations, Administration, and Maintenance functions, including:

• NetFlow
• IEEE 802.1ag
• IEEE 802.3ah
• ITU Y.1731
• IP Service-Level Agreement
• Virtual Circuit Connectivity Verification
• Ping
• Traceroute

Timing functions include hardware-based IEEE 1588, GPS and BITS interfaces, and SyncE. Supported PTP Telecom profiles are:

• G.8265.1
• G.8275.1
• G.8275.2

SyncE is supported on Ethernet ports across the chassis. GPS and BITS interfaces provide external timing connectivity and support redundant network synchronization designs.

For mobile-edge opportunities, the timing architecture is a major design consideration. The presales design should identify the timing source, holdover requirements, PTP profile, SyncE distribution method, BITS or GPS availability, and the number of downstream timing domains. The supplied data does not provide a holdover time, phase accuracy value, packet delay variation limit, or timing class specification.

Resiliency and redundancy

The platform supports redundancy at multiple levels:

Each power module is rated at 1.6 kW. The chassis supports up to two AC modules or up to two DC modules. A 1+1 configuration provides power supply redundancy, but the installation must provide compatible input power feeds and adequate upstream protection.

The three-fan configuration is redundant. Fan tray replacement planning should account for airflow direction, rack access, filter maintenance, and the environmental conditions of the installation site.

Two route processors are supported. The route processor includes 32 GB of DDR4 memory and the external management and timing interfaces described above. The datasheet does not provide route processor failover time, stateful switchover behavior, or specific control-plane scale values.

Software and licensing

The ASR 9902 runs Cisco IOS XR Software, a 64-bit operating system described as modular, patchable, scalable, highly available, and suitable for carrier-core and edge deployments.

The platform is offered through two commercial models:

• Flexible Consumption Model
• Traditional Business Model

The Flexible Consumption Model includes chassis, route processor, power, fan, mounting, cable management, filter, lawful intercept, and Edge software or subscription-related SKUs. The Traditional Business Model includes hardware and separately listed feature licenses.

Flexible Consumption Model SKUs

Traditional Business Model SKUs

Traditional feature license SKUs

Environmental and physical requirements

The chassis dimensions, including ejector bracket and lever, are 3.45 x 17.3 x 19 inches, or 87.63 x 439.74 x 482.60 mm. The stated weight, including two route processors, two power supplies, and three fans, is 46.39 lb, or 21.04 kg.

The chassis supports 2-post and 4-post mounting in 19-inch and 23-inch racks. Airflow is front to back.

The datasheet does not specify acoustic noise levels, sound power, sound pressure, or an acoustic operating profile. Rack placement should therefore be evaluated against the site acoustic requirement using equipment-specific qualification data.

The datasheet also does not provide an MTBF value. MTBF should be obtained through the applicable product reliability documentation or procurement channel before a contractual availability calculation is finalized.

The platform is designed to meet the listed ETSI, EMC, immunity, safety, and NEBS requirements, including NEBS Level 3 criteria, GR-1089-CORE, and GR-63-CORE.

Power and installation considerations

Each AC or DC power module is rated at 1.6 kW. Up to two modules are supported with 1+1 redundancy. AC and DC modules cannot be mixed.

The installation design should verify:

• Available input power type
• Independent power feeds for redundant modules
• Rack power and circuit protection
• Front-to-back airflow clearance
• Optic power consumption
• High-power optic temperature limits
• Rack depth and cable bend radius
• Chassis weight and mounting support
• Filter and fan maintenance access

The supplied specifications do not state typical, maximum, or idle power draw for the complete chassis. The 1.6 kW value is the power module rating and should not be treated as measured system consumption.

Warranty, support, and service planning

The supplied product material does not state a standard warranty duration, warranty coverage terms, replacement SLA, advance replacement entitlement, or hardware support contract details. These items must be included as separate commercial and contractual checks during solution design.

Cisco Services for the ASR 9000 Series are described as a lifecycle services approach covering deployment, operation, optimization, post-implementation support, and high-availability objectives. The services use methodologies, tools, processes, and lab environments intended for ASR 9000 Series deployments.

For a production proposal, the service package should explicitly identify:

• Hardware replacement coverage
• Software support and update entitlement
• Technical assistance coverage
• Severity handling and response commitments
• On-site service requirements
• Spare strategy
• Software maintenance process
• Planned maintenance and upgrade assistance
• Operational readiness and knowledge transfer
• Service acceptance criteria

The product material identifies Cisco IOS XR software downloads through the Cisco Software Center but does not define the entitlement associated with a particular hardware purchase.

Presales acceptance checklist

Before issuing a final bill of materials, validate:

• Required number of 10G, 25G, 40G, and 100G interfaces
• QSFP-DD versus QSFP28 port allocation
• Optic compatibility and reach
• 1G requirements and smart SFP or nV Satellite design
• Total forwarding capacity and growth reserve
• VRF scale and license selection
• CGv6 translation requirement
• MACsec rate and license requirement
• Advanced optical requirement
• Tunnel protocol requirement
• Mobile feature requirement
• Lawful intercept requirement
• nV client count
• AC or DC power architecture
• Redundant power feed design
• Rack type, rack width, and mounting kit
• Front-to-back airflow path
• Temperature, altitude, humidity, and high-power optic limits
• MTBF and acoustic requirements
• Warranty and support terms
• IOS XR software entitlement and operational support model