Cisco WS-X45-SUP6-E Full Official Product Description
1. Part Number & Naming Definition
Official Full Name
Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Supervisor Engine 6-E (WS-X45-SUP6-E)
SKU:WS-X45-SUP6-E
Naming Breakdown
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WS-X45: Catalyst 4500 Series modular switch platform
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SUP: Supervisor Engine (Control & Forwarding Processor Module)
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6-E: Generation 6 Supervisor, E-Series optimized with CenterFlex ASIC technology
Core Product Positioning
The Cisco WS-X45-SUP6-E Supervisor Engine 6-E is a high-performance centralized supervisor module built with Cisco CenterFlex ASIC technology for Catalyst 4500 E-Series chassis. It delivers robust Layer 2/Layer3/Layer4 switching, native hardware IPv6 forwarding, flexible mixed line card support, and enterprise-grade security, QoS and high availability. Designed for campus core aggregation, building distribution layers, enterprise data center access, and service provider metro Ethernet deployments, this supervisor enables seamless coexistence of legacy classic line cards and modern E-Series line cards inside the same chassis to maximize hardware investment protection.
2. Hardware Compatibility
Supported Chassis
Catalyst 4503-E, 4506-E, 4507R-E, 4507R+E, 4510R-E, 4510R+E
Supported Line Cards
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Catalyst 4500 Classic line cards (6 Gbps per slot)
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Catalyst 4500 E-Series line cards (24 Gbps per slot)
Mixed classic and E-series line cards are supported simultaneously without performance degradation
Redundancy Support
1+1 redundant supervisor deployment supported on 4507R-E / 4510R-E chassis; supports ISSU, stateful switchover (SSO)
Supported Operating System
Cisco IOS Software, minimum release: IOS 12.2(40)SG;CatOS is not supported
Unsupported Platforms
Catalyst 4500 non-E legacy chassis, Catalyst 6500, Nexus switching platforms
3. Physical & Performance Specifications
Form Factor
Hot-swappable supervisor engine supporting OIR (Online Insertion and Removal)
Front Panel Interfaces
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2 × XFP slots for 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks
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Support twin gigabit converter module: converts XFP ports to 4 × SFP 1GE ports
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1 × RJ45 Console management port
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1 × 10/100/1000BASE-T out-of-band management port
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Compact Flash storage slot, Type A / Type B USB ports
Switching & Forwarding Capacity
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Total switching fabric capacity: 320 Gbps
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L2/L3/L4 forwarding throughput: 250 Mpps
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Hardware IPv4 forwarding; hardware wire-speed IPv6 forwarding
Table Sizes
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MAC address table: 55,000 entries
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IPv4 Unicast routes: 256,000
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IPv6 Unicast routes: 128,000
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Multicast routes: 32,000
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Combined QoS & Security ACL hardware entries: 128,000
Onboard Hardware
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Processor: 1.3 GHz CPU
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SDRAM: Standard 512 MB, upgradable to 1 GB
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Boot Flash: 64 MB
Environmental Operating Parameters
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Operating Temperature: 0°C ~ 40°C (32°F ~ 104°F)
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Storage Temperature: -40°C ~ 70°C (-40°F ~ 158°F)
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Relative Humidity: 10% ~ 90%, non-condensing
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Maximum operating altitude: 3000 meters
4. Supported Functional Capabilities
Layer 2 Features
802.1Q VLAN tagging, QinQ, STP/RSTP/MSTP, LACP/PAGP, LLDP, IGMP Snooping, MLD Snooping, VTP, DTP, ERSPAN, SPAN/RSPAN
Layer 3 Routing
IPv4 / IPv6 static routing, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, IS-IS, VRF-Lite, PIM-SM/SSM, uRPF
Advanced QoS
8 hardware queues per port, hierarchical policing, traffic shaping, WRED, DSCP/802.1p marking, dynamic buffer allocation
Network Security
802.1X authentication, DHCP Snooping, ARP Inspection, Port Security, ACL filtering, SSHv2, NAC support
High Availability
SSO (Stateful Switchover), NSF/GR, ISSU, OIR, redundant supervisor failover, chassis environmental monitoring
Operations & Management
SNMP v2c/v3, Syslog, NTP, CLI console, USB management, compact flash image storage, real-time traffic statistics and error counters
5. Typical Deployment Scenarios
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Enterprise campus core and building distribution aggregation switches
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Medium-sized data center access layer switching
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Service provider metro Ethernet access and aggregation nodes
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Converged voice, video and data unified campus networks
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Hardware upgrade & spare inventory maintenance for existing Catalyst 4500E deployments
6. Regulatory & Compliance Certifications
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Safety Standards: UL 60950-1, IEC/EN 60950, CSA C22.2 No.60950
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EMC Compliance: CE Mark, FCC Part15 Class A, ICES-003 Class A, VCCI Class A
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Environmental: RoHS 2.0 compliant, WEEE directive compliant
7. Standard Factory Package Contents
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Cisco WS-X45-SUP6-E Supervisor Engine 6-E
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Hardware installation guide
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Safety and regulatory documentation
Note: XFP / SFP transceivers and twin gigabit converter modules are sold separately.
End-of-Sale Status
The WS-X45-SUP6-E has reached Cisco End-of-Sale. Spare modules are available through authorized spare distributors and secondary markets. Recommended migration: Next-generation Catalyst 4500E supervisor options or modern Nexus switching platforms.
UNSPSC Classification Code
43222619 – Cisco WS-X45-SUP6-E Supervisor Engine 6-E for Catalyst 4500 E-Series switches, a centralized control and forwarding module delivering enterprise-class L2/L3 switching, hardware IPv6 and flexible mixed line-card operation for campus and metro network infrastructure.
Hardware Warranty
Original Cisco factory hardware carries manufacturer limited warranty; refurbished equipment follows reseller commercial warranty terms.
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