Cisco WS-X6K-SUP2-2GE Full Official Product Description
1. Part Number & Naming Definition
Official Full Name
Cisco Catalyst 6000 / 6500 Series Supervisor Engine 2, 2-Gigabit Ethernet
SKU:WS-X6K-SUP2-2GE
Naming Breakdown
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WS-X6K: Catalyst 6000 / Catalyst 6500 modular chassis platform
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SUP: Supervisor Engine (Chassis control, management and centralized forwarding module)
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2: Generation 2 Supervisor hardware platform
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2GE: Two onboard GBIC-based Gigabit Ethernet uplink interfaces
Core Product Positioning
The Cisco WS-X6K-SUP2-2GE Supervisor Engine 2 is the second-generation control and switching module built for Catalyst 6000 and Catalyst 6500 modular chassis. Equipped with PFC2 (Policy Feature Card 2), it delivers Layer 2 switching plus hardware-aided Layer 3 forwarding. When paired with optional MSFC2 daughter card, it enables full multilayer routing capability. Supported by Switch Fabric Module (SFM), it upgrades system switching capacity up to 256 Gbps for high-performance campus core, enterprise distribution, and early metro Ethernet aggregation networks. This supervisor supports Catalyst OS native operation and provides flexible mixed deployment with a broad portfolio of Catalyst 6500 interface line cards.
2. Hardware Compatibility
Supported Chassis
Catalyst 6006, 6009, Catalyst 6503, 6506, 6509, 6509-NEB, 6513
Supported Daughter Cards
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WS-F6K-PFC2 (factory standard)
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WS-F6K-MSFC2 (optional multilayer routing daughter card)
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Switch Fabric Module WS-X6500-SFM / WS-X6500-SFM2 for fabric-mode operation
Redundancy Support
Dual supervisor redundant deployment (EHSA Enhanced High System Availability); cold standby architecture with traffic interruption during failover
Supported Operating System
Catalyst OS (CatOS); Limited Cisco IOS support with MSFC2 installed
Unsupported Platforms
Catalyst 4500 series, Nexus switching platforms, Catalyst 6500-E chassis optimized for later supervisors, Supervisor 720 / SUP32 dedicated hardware
3. Physical & Performance Specifications
Form Factor
Hot-swappable supervisor module supporting OIR (Online Insertion and Removal)
Front Panel Interfaces
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2 × GBIC slots for 1000BASE-X Gigabit Ethernet uplinks
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1 × RJ45 RS-232 console management port
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1 × AUX management port
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Bootflash storage interface
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System status LED array, uplink link status indicators
Switching & Forwarding Capacity
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Backplane capacity without SFM: 32 Gbps shared bus
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Maximum fabric switching capacity with SFM2: 256 Gbps
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Centralized forwarding throughput: 30 Mpps
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Distributed forwarding up to 210 Mpps with DFC daughter cards on line cards
Table Scale (PFC2)
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MAC address table: 32,768 entries
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IPv4 route entries (MSFC2): up to 128,000
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Multicast forwarding entries: 32,000
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Layer 2 / Layer 3 ACL hardware entries: 16,000
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Maximum active VLANs: 4094
Onboard Hardware
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Default DRAM: 128 MB (upgradable)
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Bootflash: 16 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: 3,000 meters (9,842 ft)
4. Supported Functional Capabilities
Layer 2 Switching Features
802.1Q VLAN trunking, ISL trunking, STP/RSTP/MSTP, LACP, PAGP, VTP, IGMP Snooping, SPAN/RSPAN, Jumbo frame support
Layer 3 Routing (MSFC2 required)
IPv4 static routing, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, PIM-SM/SSM, HSRP, VRF-lite
Native hardware IPv6 is not supported
QoS Mechanisms
Layer 2 CoS classification, Layer 3 DSCP marking, weighted round-robin queuing, traffic policing and shaping
Network Security
Port security, standard & extended ACLs, 802.1X, DHCP snooping, SSHv1/v2, SNMP security filtering
High Availability
EHSA dual supervisor redundancy, OIR, chassis environmental monitoring, power and fan failure alarm
Operations & Management
CLI console management, SNMP v1/v2c, Syslog logging, NTP, RMON, real-time port traffic counters
5. Typical Deployment Scenarios
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Legacy enterprise campus core and building distribution layer switching
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Medium-scale converged voice-data networks based on Catalyst 6500 chassis
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Early-stage service provider metro Ethernet aggregation nodes
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Data center access layer switching for legacy infrastructure
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Spare replacement inventory for existing Catalyst 6000/6500 deployments
6. Regulatory & Compliance Certifications
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Safety Standards: UL 60950, IEC/EN 60950, CSA C22.2 No.60950
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EMC Compliance: CE Mark, FCC Part 15 Class A, ICES-003 Class A, VCCI Class A
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Environmental: RoHS compliant, WEEE directive compliant
7. Standard Factory Package Contents
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Cisco WS-X6K-SUP2-2GE Supervisor Engine 2
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Hardware installation guide
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Safety and regulatory documentation
Note: GBIC transceivers, MSFC2 daughter cards and SFM modules are sold separately.
End-of-Sale Status
The WS-X6K-SUP2-2GE has reached Cisco End-of-Sale and End-of-Support. Spare modules are available via authorized spare distributors and secondary markets. Recommended migration: Catalyst 6500 Supervisor 720, Supervisor 32 or modern Catalyst 9000 / Nexus switching platforms.
UNSPSC Classification Code
43222619 – Cisco WS-X6K-SUP2-2GE Supervisor Engine 2 for Catalyst 6000/6500 modular switches, second-generation chassis control and forwarding module supporting PFC2 multilayer switching and SFM fabric upgrade for legacy campus and metro network infrastructure.
Hardware Warranty
Original Cisco factory hardware carries manufacturer limited warranty; refurbished hardware follows reseller commercial warranty terms.
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