Cisco SM-X-1X10GE Full Official Technical Specification Document

1. Product Overview

Official Full Designation

Core Definition

SKU Naming Breakdown

1. SM-X: Service Module X, enhanced single-wide expansion card form factor exclusive to Cisco ISR 4000 Series routers, supporting OIR and high-bandwidth backplane connectivity up to 10Gbps
2. 1: One independent physical 10 Gigabit Ethernet port on the module
3. X10GE: 10 Gigabit Ethernet, SFP+ optical interface standard for 10Gbps full-duplex Ethernet transport
4. =: Standard spare part suffix for standalone replacement kits (SM-X-1X10GE=)
5. -RF: Refurbished certified spare SKU variant (SM-X-1X10GE-RF)

Product Lifecycle Notice

• Official Global Release Year: 2014
• End-of-Sale (EoS) Status: Discontinued; Cisco permanently ceased production of new SM-X-1X10GE hardware units
• Direct Upgrade Replacement Models: NIM-1X10GE for Catalyst 8000 Series edge platforms, SM-X multi-port combined GE/10GE modules for ISR 4000
• Minimum Supported IOS Software Version: Cisco IOS XE 3.12S / IOS 15.4(2)T; all subsequent IOS XE 3.x, 16.x and 17.x release trains fully support the module
• Software Maintenance Status: Only critical security vulnerability patches are released for customers with active Cisco DNA Services contracts; no new feature enhancements will be developed
• Legacy Status: End-of-sale legacy hardware; certified refurbished spare modules, validated IOS XE firmware images and 24×7 Cisco TAC engineering technical support remain available through authorized Cisco distribution partners

Supported Router Platform Compatibility

1. Cisco ISR 4300 Series: 4321, 4331, 4351
2. Cisco ISR 4400 Series: 4431, 4451, 4461

Deployment Restrictions

1. No Layer 2 switching capability: The module’s SFP+ port operates strictly as a Layer 3 routed interface. Layer 2 VLAN switching between ports on the SM-X module or between this module and other router interfaces is not supported.
2. SFP+ transceiver compatibility limits: Only standard IEEE 802.3ae 10Gbps SFP+ transceivers are supported; copper 10GBASE-T SFP+ modules are allowed, but 1Gbps SFP transceivers cannot be inserted into the SFP+ slot (no backward 1GE operation).
3. OIR operational requirement: Online Insertion and Removal is only supported when the router runs a minimum required IOS XE release; older IOS versions require a full chassis power cycle for module replacement.
4. Backplane bandwidth ceiling: The SM-X slot provides a maximum 10Gbps full-duplex backplane link to the router’s route processor; sustained traffic above line-rate 10Gbps will trigger packet drop and congestion events.
5. No PoE support: The SM-X-1X10GE is a pure WAN uplink module and does not provide Power over Ethernet (PoE/PoE+/UPOE) functionality for attached end devicesCisco.

Standard Factory Complete Bundle Contents

1. SM-X-1X10GE single-port 10GE SFP+ SM-X service module with front-panel SFP+ transceiver slot and port status LED indicators
2. Anti-static ESD handling storage bag and protective foam packaging
3. Quick-start hardware installation guide covering ESD static protection protocols, SM-X slot OIR insertion/removal procedures, SFP+ transceiver installation steps, IOS XE 10GE routed interface configuration, IP addressing, SD-WAN and QoS policy setup command examples
4. Global regulatory compliance, safety, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) certification documentation packet

Core Integrated Functional Capabilities

1. Dedicated Single-Port 10Gbps SFP+ Optical WAN Interface: Single hot-swappable SFP+ slot supporting all IEEE 802.3ae 10Gigabit Ethernet transceivers (10GBASE-SR, LR, ER, ZR optical fiber; 10GBASE-T copper), delivering line-rate full-duplex 10Gbps Layer 3 routed WAN uplink connectivity.
2. Online Insertion and Removal (OIR) Support: The SM-X form factor enables technicians to remove or replace the module without powering down the entire ISR 4000 router chassis, minimizing enterprise network service outages during hardware maintenance and spare part replacement operationsCisco.
3. Pure Layer 3 Routed Interface Operation: The SFP+ port functions exclusively as a routed IP interface. All ingress Ethernet frames are forwarded to the router’s main route processor for IP lookup, inter-VLAN routing, SD-WAN traffic steering and security policy enforcement; local Layer 2 switching between ports is not implemented on the module hardware.
4. Line-Rate WAN Traffic Forwarding: Optimized hardware packet forwarding pipeline supporting line-rate 10Gbps bidirectional IP traffic throughput for high-volume enterprise SD-WAN, metro Ethernet and inter-datacenter edge workloads.
5. Full SD-WAN Feature Compatibility: Natively integrated with Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN feature suite, supporting high-bandwidth transport tunnels, traffic segmentation, application-aware routing, SD-WAN QoS and centralized vManage orchestration for multi-site enterprise overlay networks.
6. Comprehensive Ethernet Interface Feature Support: IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tagging, IP MTU adjustment (jumbo frame support up to 9000 bytes), duplex auto-negotiation, port statistics and error counter tracking, link fault signaling and remote interface monitoring via SNMP.
7. Full IOS XE Security Feature Integration: IPSec site-to-site VPN tunnel acceleration, zone-based firewall traffic inspection, NAT/PAT address translation, AAA identity authentication, access control lists (ACLs), threat defense and encrypted remote management (SSH, TLS).
8. Rich QoS Traffic Prioritization Toolset: Hardware-assisted classification, marking, policing and queuing for 10Gbps WAN traffic, supporting differentiated services (DSCP), traffic shaping, low-latency queuing (LLQ) and bandwidth reservation for real-time voice, video and business-critical application traffic.
9. SNMP MIB Remote Monitoring Support: Implements standard Cisco Ethernet interface SNMP MIBs for remote network monitoring of module hardware operational status, SFP+ transceiver digital diagnostic monitoring (DDM), aggregate ingress/egress traffic throughput, packet error counters, link up/down fault alarm reporting and resource utilization metrics.
10. SFP+ Digital Diagnostic Monitoring (DDM): Real-time telemetry collection from installed SFP+ transceivers including optical transmit/receive power, laser bias current, module temperature and supply voltage, enabling proactive remote fiber link fault troubleshooting without on-site inspection.

2. Hardware & Performance Specifications

Core 10GE SFP+ Port Transmission Performance

• Interface Standard: IEEE 802.3ae 10 Gigabit Ethernet, full-duplex point-to-point operation (no half-duplex support)
• Port Form Factor: Single hot-swappable SFP+ transceiver slot (SFF-8432 standard)
• Supported Transceiver Types:
  1. Optical fiber: 10GBASE-SR (short-reach multimode), 10GBASE-LR (long-reach single-mode), 10GBASE-ER/10GBASE-ZR (extended long-reach single-mode)
  2. Copper: 10GBASE-T SFP+ (RJ45 twisted-pair copper)
• Maximum Line-Rate Throughput: 10 Gbps bidirectional full-duplex IP traffic forwarding
• Jumbo Frame Support: Configurable MTU range from 1500 bytes standard Ethernet up to 9000 bytes jumbo frames
• VLAN Support: IEEE 802.1Q tagged VLAN sub-interfaces for multi-VLAN WAN transport
• Supported Layer 3 Transport Protocols: IPv4, IPv6, GRE, IPsec, SD-WAN overlay tunnels

Front Panel LED Indicator Definitions

1. LINK LED: Solid green = Valid synchronized 10GE physical layer link established with remote switch/router equipment; off = No optical/copper signal detected or link down fault condition
2. ACT LED: Blinking green = Active bidirectional IP packet traffic transmission/reception over the 10GE SFP+ port; steady off = No active payload traffic passing through the interface

Electrical & Thermal Specifications

Power Consumption

• Typical operating power draw under medium 10Gbps traffic load: ~9 Watts
• Maximum full-load power consumption at sustained line-rate 10Gbps bidirectional throughput: ~13 Watts
• Power Delivery: Powered exclusively through the ISR 4000 router chassis SM-X slot internal backplane bus; no external power supply connectors mounted on the SM-X module hardware

Thermal & Environmental Operating Parameters

• Certified Continuous Operating Temperature Range: 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) standard enterprise branch datacenter equipment room environment
• Extended Validated Short-Term Operating Temperature: 0°C to 55°C (32°F to 131°F)
• Storage & Transport Temperature Range: -40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F)
• Operating Relative Humidity: 5% to 85% RH, non-condensing
• Storage Relative Humidity: 5% to 95% RH, non-condensing
• Operating Altitude: Certified operational range -150 m to 2,000 m (-500 ft to 6,500 ft); extended validated range up to 3,000 m (10,000 ft)
• Cooling Design: Fanless passive heat dissipation architecture with integrated aluminum heat sink, no onboard cooling fans; cooling airflow supplied by the host ISR 4000 router’s internal chassis fan assembly
• Airflow Direction: Horizontal chassis airflow passing over the SM-X module passive heat sink for thermal dissipation

Physical Form Factor & Weight

• Form Factor: Standard single-wide SM-X service module expansion card form factor, designed exclusively for SM-X dedicated expansion slots of Cisco ISR 4000 Series routers
• Bare SM-X Module Net Weight (without SFP+ transceivers, fiber cables and accessory packaging): Approximately 790 grams
• Physical Dimensions (H x W x D): 1.25 × 3.50 × 7.24 inches (32 × 89 × 184 mm)

3. Regulatory & Compliance Certifications

1. Safety Standards: UL 60950-1, CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1, EN 60950-1, IEC 60950-1, GB 4943 Chinese national safety standard
2. EMC & EMI Standards: FCC CFR Title 47 Part 15 Class A, VCCI Class A ITE, EN55022 Class A, CISPR 22 Class A, ICES-003 Class A, CISPR 24, EN 61000 series electromagnetic immunity standards
3. Ethernet & Optical Telecommunications Compliance: IEEE 802.3ae 10Gigabit Ethernet, SFF-8432 SFP+ mechanical/electrical standard, SFF-8472 digital diagnostic monitoring (DDM) specification
4. Environmental Directive: EU RoHS hazardous substance restriction compliance

4. Core Deployment Advantages

1. Dedicated Single-Port 10Gbps High-Speed WAN Uplink Design: The SM-X-1X10GE delivers a pure high-bandwidth 10GE optical uplink interface optimized for enterprise edge high-throughput workloads including SD-WAN overlay transport, metro Ethernet access and inter-datacenter IP interconnection. It provides a streamlined dedicated 10G uplink solution without extra unused Gigabit downlink ports, optimizing router slot resource utilization for WAN-focused edge deployments.
2. Online Insertion and Removal (OIR) Reduces Network Maintenance Downtime: Native OIR support allows field technicians to replace the SM-X-1X10GE module without powering down the entire ISR 4000 router chassis. This eliminates extended enterprise edge network outages required for full chassis power cycles during hardware spare part replacement, drastically improving network availability for business-critical multi-site overlay SD-WAN and inter-branch WAN services.
3. Flexible SFP+ Transceiver Media Compatibility for Global Deployment: The universal SFP+ slot supports a full portfolio of 10Gbps optical and copper transceivers, enabling flexible deployment across diverse network media types: short-reach multimode fiber for local datacenter cross-connects, long-reach single-mode fiber for metro Ethernet and inter-city branch WAN links, and 10GBASE-T copper for high-speed short-distance switch interconnections.
4. Line-Rate Hardware Packet Forwarding for High-Volume Edge Traffic: Optimized dedicated packet forwarding pipeline on the SM-X module hardware delivers sustained line-rate 10Gbps bidirectional IP traffic throughput, eliminating route processor CPU bottlenecks under heavy enterprise WAN traffic loads. This preserves the router’s main CPU resources for critical control-plane workloads including SD-WAN orchestration, firewall inspection, voice DSP processing and security policy enforcement.
5. Full Native SD-WAN Integration for Modern Overlay Enterprise Networks: The SM-X-1X10GE is fully integrated with the complete Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN feature stack, supporting high-capacity encrypted overlay tunnels, application-aware intelligent traffic routing, per-application QoS prioritization and centralized vManage cloud/orchestrator management. It serves as an ideal high-bandwidth transport uplink for large regional enterprise branch SD-WAN edge routers.
6. Comprehensive SFP+ Digital Diagnostic Monitoring (DDM) for Proactive Fiber Fault Management: Built-in DDM telemetry collection from installed SFP+ transceivers provides real-time visibility into critical optical layer metrics including transmit/receive optical power, laser bias current, module operating temperature and supply voltage. Network administrators can remotely identify fiber link degradation, faulty transceivers and thermal faults without costly on-site field technician dispatches, improving mean time to resolve (MTTR) for WAN outages.
7. Unified IOS XE Feature Suite Compatibility for All Edge Workloads: The SM-X-1X10GE 10GE interface seamlessly integrates with the full portfolio of core Cisco IOS XE enterprise edge features: IP routing, stateful zone-based firewall, NAT/PAT, IPSec VPN tunneling, differentiated services QoS, ACL security filtering, AAA user authentication and encrypted remote network management. All WAN interface configuration, monitoring and policy management is centralized within a single consistent IOS XE command-line interface, eliminating disjointed separate management systems for edge WAN and security infrastructure.
8. Fanless Passive Heat Sink High-Reliability Low-Maintenance Architecture: The SM-X-1X10GE module utilizes a fanless integrated aluminum passive heat sink cooling design with zero moving mechanical fan components. This eliminates mechanical hardware failure risks associated with rotating cooling fans, enabling stable 24/7 continuous unattended operation in remote unmanned enterprise branch datacenter equipment closets with minimal long-term on-site maintenance requirements. Low idle and full-load power consumption reduces overall router chassis energy draw and enterprise branch site cooling operational energy costs.

Supplementary Product Specification Notes

UNSPSC Classification Code

K9 Security Compliance Note

Factory Hardware Warranty Terms