Catalyst Line card/module utilization

[yk-kawabata]

How can I know line card's cpu utilization about chassis swtiches like C6800, C9600?

[Scott Hodgdon · Accepted solution]

yk-kawabata,

The 6880 and 9600 are two different architectures. The 6880 is distributed, so each module has a local CPU and forwarding engine for packet forwarding operations. The 9600 is centralized, so all forwarding operations happen on the supervisor and there would be no need to look at a module CPU. 

For the 6880, you can use the show platform hardware capacity cpu command and it should show all CPUs in the chassis. If not, there should be a sub-option to say which module you want to view: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst6500/ios/commands/additional_commands/cmds3.html#wp1111593 .

Cheers,
Scott Hodgdon

Senior Technical Marketing Engineer

Enterprise Networking and Cloud Group

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Just to add a note to what Scott describes, I believe (certainly true for earlier 6500) 6800 line cards may, or may not, have a processor (e.g. DFC) on a line card.  If the line card doesn't have an installed processor, that card is controlled by the central processor (supervisor).

[Scott Hodgdon]

Joseph,

All 6880 modules have DFC4s and CPUs on the module.

Cheers,
Scott Hodgdon

Senior Technical Marketing Engineer

Enterprise Networking and Cloud Group

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Thanks Scott.

Does the 6800 support any 6500 line cards?  If so, any w/o DFC?

[Scott Hodgdon]

Joseph,

The 6880 has specialized modules just for that chassis, so no 6500 modules will work in that one.

The 6807-XL chassis can utilize modules that also work in a 6500 E-Series chassis. The best thing to do for module support is to refer to the IOS Release Notes for the version of IOS you want to run. Keep in mind some modules work with different Supervisors in the 6807-XL (Sup2T and Sup6T), and this should be called out in the Release Notes as well.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Scott Hodgdon

Senior Technical Marketing Engineer

Enterprise Networking and Cloud Group

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Scott, again, thank you for the clarification.

I agree.

Yes, in fact to clarify about the 6807, looking at 6807 datasheet , table 2, 6700 line cards are listed, with CFC (line card depends on main supervisor) or DFC4.  So, it appears you could have some line cards, in this chassis, without a local processor (the DFC).  The later line cards, 68xx and 69xx, look like they all (?) would have DFCs.

I.e. it's possible to find in the 6800 series, (6807) line cards (not 6880 modules), lack of a line card processor.