Cisco NIM-10GE-SFP Full Official Technical Specification Document

1. Product Overview

Official Full Designation

Core Definition

SKU Naming Breakdown

1. NIM: Network Interface Module, single-wide expansion form factor for Catalyst 8000 Series edge routers
2. 10GE: Single-port 10-Gigabit Ethernet base interface bandwidth
3. SFP: SFP+ MSA hot-pluggable transceiver slot for fiber/copper 10G transceivers
4. =: Standard spare part suffix for brand-new standalone replacement kits (NIM-10GE-SFP=)
5. -RF: Cisco Refresh certified refurbished spare SKU variant (NIM-10GE-SFP-RF)

Product Lifecycle Notice

• Official Global Release Year: 2021
• End-of-Sale (EoS) Status: Active sales, no formal EoS announcement published
• Direct Upgrade Replacement Models: C-NIM-WAN-2X dual-port 10G NIM with MACsec encryption for high-redundancy multi-WAN deploymentsCisco
• Minimum Supported IOS XE Software Version: Cisco IOS XE Release 17.11.1 or later for Catalyst 8200/8300 platformsCisco
• Software Maintenance Status: Full feature and security patch support available for customers with active Cisco DNA Advantage or SMARTnet service contracts; ongoing feature development aligned with Catalyst 8000 SD-WAN roadmap
• Legacy Status: Current-generation active production module, not legacy hardware; refurbished spares available via Cisco Refresh program

Supported Router Platform Compatibility

1. Cisco Catalyst 8200 Series Edge Routers: C8200-1N-4T
2. Cisco Catalyst 8300 Series Edge Routers: C8300-1N1S-6T

Deployment Restrictions

1. OIR operational requirement: Full OIR hot-swap functionality requires minimum IOS XE 17.11.1; older software versions require full chassis power cycle for module installation or replacement.
2. SFP+ transceiver limitation: Only MSA-compliant 10G SFP+ transceivers are supported; 1G SFP modules cannot operate at 10G line rate on this slot.
3. Layer 3 routed-only limitation: No internal Layer 2 switching capabilities; all traffic through this NIM port is processed by the host router’s Layer 3 forwarding plane.
4. MACsec encryption note: Native 256-bit WAN MACsec support requires IOS XE 17.18.1 or newer release; older firmware disables MACsec feature setCisco.
5. Backplane bandwidth sharing: Multiple NIM/SM-X expansion modules installed in the same chassis share the internal Multigigabit Fabric bus; simultaneous full line-rate traffic across multiple high-speed ports may introduce minor forwarding latency under extreme load.

Standard Factory Complete Bundle Contents

1. NIM-10GE-SFP single-port 10G SFP+ NIM expansion card with front-panel SFP+ transceiver slot and dedicated global module ENABLE LED plus per-slot LINK/ACTIVITY 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, NIM slot OIR insertion/removal procedures, SFP+ transceiver compatibility rules, fiber/copper cabling specifications and IOS XE 10G interface configuration command examples
4. Global regulatory compliance, safety, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) certification documentation packet

Core Integrated Functional Capabilities

1. Single Independent Hot-Pluggable SFP+ 10-Gigabit Ethernet Slot: The module features one MSA-standard SFP+ slot supporting all Cisco-certified 10G transceivers, including short-reach multimode (SR), long-reach single-mode (LR), extended long-haul (ZX) optical transceivers and 10GBASE-T copper SFP+ modules. Transceivers can be inserted or removed without powering down the module or entire router chassis. Each transceiver supports Digital Optical Monitoring (DOM) for real-time optical power, temperature and voltage telemetry data accessible via IOS XE CLICisco.
2. Full IEEE 10-Gigabit Ethernet Standard Compliance: Native hardware support for IEEE 802.3ae 10GBASE optical standards, IEEE 802.3an 10GBASE-T copper, IEEE 802.3x full-duplex flow control, IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tagging and trunking for multi-VLAN high-bandwidth WAN transport.
3. Complete Layer 3 WAN Feature Parity with Chassis Native Ports: Full functional parity with Catalyst 8000 router’s built-in 10G WAN interfaces, supporting all core enterprise and service provider edge routing, security and SD-WAN workloads: static/dynamic IP routing (RIP, EIGRP, OSPF, BGP), policy-based routing (PBR), NAT/PAT address translation, zone-based IOS firewall, IPSec/GRE/VXLAN overlay encapsulation for SD-WAN multi-homing, 256-bit WAN MACsec link encryption, differentiated services QoS traffic prioritization and LLQ low-latency queuing for real-time voice and video media streams.
4. OIR Hot-Swap Maintenance Support: Compliant with Cisco Online Insertion and Removal specifications, enabling field technicians to replace the 10G NIM module or swap SFP+ transceivers without powering down the entire Catalyst 8000 router chassis, minimizing high-bandwidth WAN service outage windows during hardware failure replacement or capacity expansion maintenance operations.
5. Hardware Packet Processing Offload Capabilities: Integrated Ethernet controller supports IPv4/IPv6 header checksum offload, TCP/UDP segmentation offload and hardware-assisted IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tag insertion/removal to reduce forwarding CPU utilization on the host router, maintaining consistent line-rate 10G forwarding throughput under heavy mixed WAN traffic load.
6. Comprehensive Interface Diagnostics & Real-Time Monitoring Toolset: Built-in IOS XE diagnostic suite for 10G link troubleshooting: real-time link up/down status reporting, bidirectional ingress/egress traffic counter statistics, error frame logging (CRC, alignment, oversized/undersized frames), SFP transceiver DOM optical telemetry tracking, fiber link loss measurement and link quality monitoring for all installed transceivers.
7. SNMP MIB Remote Network Monitoring Support: Implements standard Cisco 10-Gigabit Ethernet interface SNMP MIBs for remote network monitoring of NIM module hardware operational status, physical link up/down state, aggregate ingress/egress high-bandwidth WAN throughput statistics, packet error counters, SFP DOM optical telemetry and hardware fault alarm reporting, with SNMP trap generation triggered for all critical link failure and module hardware fault conditions.

2. Hardware & Performance Specifications

Core 10G SFP+ Interface Technical Specifications

SFP+ Transceiver Slot (10-Gigabit Ethernet)

• Standard compliance: SFP+ Multi-Source Agreement (MSA), IEEE 802.3ae / 802.3an
• Supported transceiver types: Cisco-certified 10GBASE-SR, 10GBASE-LR, 10GBASE-LRM, 10GBASE-ZX, 10GBASE-T copper SFP+
• Hot-pluggable capability: Transceivers insert/remove without chassis power cycle
• Digital Optical Monitoring (DOM): Native support for real-time transceiver transmit/receive power, operating temperature and supply voltage telemetry
• Supported fiber media: Multimode OM1/OM2/OM3/OM4 fiber, single-mode OS2 fiber
• Supported copper media: CAT6a / CAT7 balanced twisted-pair copper cable for 10GBASE-T transceivers
• Maximum transmission distance: Dependent on installed SFP+ transceiver model (300m SR multimode, 10km LR single-mode, up to 80km ZX long-haul)

Universal Layer 3 Routing Performance Metrics

• Maximum line-rate throughput: Full 10Gbps bidirectional non-oversubscribed 10-Gigabit Ethernet forwarding
• Hardware offload processing: IPv4/IPv6 header checksum offload, TCP segmentation offload, IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tag insertion/removal
• Supported WAN encapsulations: Raw IP, 802.1Q VLAN trunking, GRE, VXLAN, IPSec tunnel mode, MACsec link encryption
• Supported QoS mechanisms: Class-based weighted fair queuing (CBWFQ), low-latency queuing (LLQ), weighted random early detection (WRED), DSCP/802.1p marking and re-marking

Front Panel LED Indicator Definitions

1. EN LED (Global Module Hardware Status)
   • Off: No power supplied to the NIM module, improperly seated module or critical hardware failure rendering the 10G Ethernet controller non-functional
   • Solid Green: NIM module powered, detected and fully operational; SFP+ slot and onboard 10G Ethernet controller online and available for high-speed packet forwarding
   • Blinking Green: Module undergoing IOS XE hardware initialization during router boot sequence
   • Solid Amber: NIM hardware fault detected, or SFP+ port link failure alarm triggered
2. SFP+ LINK/ACT LED
   • Off: No SFP+ transceiver inserted, no valid optical/copper link or signal loss detected
   • Solid Green: Stable full-duplex 10-Gigabit Ethernet link established with remote network switch, router or data center equipment
   • Blinking Green: Active bidirectional high-bandwidth data traffic transmitting/receiving over the 10G SFP+ link

Electrical & Thermal Specifications

Power Consumption

• Typical operating power draw under medium 10G WAN traffic load with standard SFP+ optical transceiver installed: ~4.8 Watts typical total module power dissipation
• Maximum full-load power consumption at sustained 10Gbps line-rate bidirectional traffic with DOM monitoring continuously enabled: ≤5.5 Watts maximum full-load thermal dissipation
• Power Delivery: Powered exclusively through the Catalyst 8000 router chassis NIM slot internal backplane bus; no external power supply connectors mounted on the NIM module hardware

Thermal & Environmental Operating Parameters

• Certified Continuous Operating Temperature Range: 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) standard enterprise datacenter equipment room environmentCisco
• Extended Short-Term Operating Temperature Range: -5°C to 70°C (23°F to 158°F) commercial wide-temperature operating range
• Non-operating Storage Temperature Range: -40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F)Cisco
• Operating Relative Humidity: 10% to 85% RH, non-condensing operating environment
• Storage Relative Humidity: 5% to 95% RH, non-condensing non-operating storageCisco
• 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: Fully passive thermal dissipation architecture without onboard rotating cooling fans; cooling airflow supplied by the host Catalyst 8000 router’s internal chassis fan assembly
• Airflow Direction: Horizontal chassis airflow passing over the NIM module PCB for continuous thermal dissipation under sustained full 10G line-rate traffic load

Physical Form Factor & Weight

• Form Factor: Standard single-wide NIM network interface module expansion card form factor, designed exclusively for NIM dedicated expansion slots of Cisco Catalyst 8200/8300 Series multiservice secure edge routers
• Bare NIM Module Net Weight (without SFP+ transceivers, fiber/copper cables and accessory packaging): Approximately 240 grams (0.24 kg)Cisco
• Physical Dimensions (H × W × D): 32 × 89 × 184 mm (1.25 × 3.50 × 7.24 inches)Cisco

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 Transceiver Compliance: IEEE 802.3ae, IEEE 802.3an, SFP+ MSA Multi-Source Agreement specification for hot-pluggable 10G transceivers, Digital Optical Monitoring (DOM) standard
4. Security Compliance: FIPS 140-2 Level 2 cryptographic validation for MACsec link encryption, HIPAA and GDPR compliant secure high-bandwidth WAN media processing
5. Environmental Directive: EU RoHS hazardous substance restriction compliance, WEEE electronic waste recycling directive compliant

4. Core Deployment Advantages

1. Single-Slot High-Bandwidth 10G WAN Connectivity Maximizes Chassis Slot Utilization: The NIM-10GE-SFP delivers a full 10-Gigabit routed WAN interface within a single standard single-wide NIM expansion slot, eliminating the need for bulky multi-slot high-speed interface cards for enterprise and service provider high-bandwidth WAN deployments. Network operators can leverage this module to add redundant 10G internet gateways, SD-WAN multi-homing transport links, inter-data-center fiber backhaul and Metro Ethernet private line connections while preserving remaining NIM expansion slots for voice TDM modules, lower-speed Gigabit WAN ports or LTE wireless WAN modules, drastically reducing overall router hardware capital expenditure and rack space footprint for distributed high-traffic branch and aggregation sites.
2. Universal SFP+ Transceiver Flexibility Enables Media-Agnostic Deployment: The hot-pluggable SFP+ slot supports all Cisco-certified 10G optical and copper transceivers, allowing network administrators to freely select fiber or twisted-pair cabling media based on existing site infrastructure, transmission distance requirements and budget constraints without swapping out the entire NIM module hardware. Transceivers can be upgraded or replaced on-site via hot-swap procedures without chassis power cycles, minimizing service disruption during cabling media migration or transmission distance expansion projects. Integrated DOM telemetry delivers real-time optical link health monitoring, simplifying remote fault diagnosis for long-haul fiber WAN links deployed across geographically distributed enterprise networks.
3. Complete Layer 3 WAN Feature Parity Delivers Uncompromised Edge Routing Functionality: This 10G NIM module provides full functional parity with the Catalyst 8000 router’s native built-in 10G WAN interfaces, supporting the complete suite of advanced enterprise and service provider edge routing, security, MACsec encryption, SD-WAN overlay and QoS traffic management features without any feature limitations or performance degradations. Enterprises can deploy high-bandwidth critical workloads including multi-homed SD-WAN transport, encrypted inter-data-center backhaul, high-throughput internet gateway access and large-scale video surveillance backhaul over this 10G routed port, with robust security mechanisms including zone-based firewalls, NAT, IPSec VPN and hardware-accelerated MACsec link encryption meeting strict government, financial, healthcare and retail regulated network compliance requirements.
4. OIR Hot-Swap Support Minimizes High-Bandwidth Business-Critical WAN Maintenance Downtime: Native Online Insertion and Removal hot-swap functionality allows field technicians to replace or upgrade the NIM-10GE-SFP 10G module or swap SFP+ transceivers without powering down the entire Catalyst 8000 router chassis. This eliminates extended high-bandwidth WAN service outages required for full chassis power cycles during hardware failure replacement, capacity expansion or media migration maintenance operations, drastically improving availability for mission-critical enterprise internet, SD-WAN, inter-data-center and contact center voice/video transport workloads that rely on 10Gbps high-throughput connectivity.
5. Integrated Hardware Packet Offload Reduces Host Router CPU Utilization: Built-in 10G Ethernet controller hardware accelerates resource-intensive packet manipulation tasks including IPv4/IPv6 header checksum validation, TCP segmentation and VLAN tag insertion/removal, fully offloading these operations from the host router’s main route processor CPU. This preserves valuable CPU processing capacity for critical core enterprise network workloads including dynamic IP routing, stateful zone-based firewall inspection, NAT/PAT address translation, IPSec VPN encryption and SD-WAN overlay orchestration, preventing sustained full 10Gbps high-bandwidth WAN traffic from starving other essential voice, video and data network services of CPU resources and introducing forwarding latency or packet loss during peak traffic congestion periods.
6. Passive Fanless Thermal Design Delivers Superior Long-Term Hardware Reliability and Low Lifecycle Maintenance Costs: The NIM-10GE-SFP module utilizes a fully passive thermal dissipation architecture with no onboard rotating cooling fans. This eliminates all mechanical hardware failure risks associated with fan motor wear, dust accumulation, fan power supply faults and airflow blockages, enabling stable 24/7 continuous unattended operation in remote unmanned enterprise datacenter equipment closets, industrial field sites, retail distribution centers and off-grid regional branch office locations 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 over multi-year hardware service lifecycles, delivering significant total cost of ownership (TCO) savings for distributed multi-branch enterprise and service provider network deployments.
7. Unified IOS XE Single-Pane CLI Management Simplifies Multi-Service Branch Operations: All 10G WAN interface configuration, SFP transceiver monitoring, VLAN trunking, MACsec encryption, QoS traffic prioritization and security policy management is centralized within the host Catalyst 8000 router’s native IOS XE command-line interface, eliminating the requirement for separate standalone management software or dedicated out-of-band management IP addresses for high-speed WAN expansion ports. Network administrators can monitor 10G port traffic statistics, SFP DOM optical telemetry, link fault alarms and routing protocol adjacencies alongside all other router WAN/LAN/voice interfaces within a single consistent IOS XE CLI environment, drastically reducing network administrator training overhead and streamlining change management, troubleshooting and regular maintenance workflows for converged multi-service enterprise branch edge routers.

Supplementary Product Specification Notes

UNSPSC Classification Code

K9 Security Compliance Note

Factory Hardware Warranty Terms