Infinian Technology Dealer, Distributor and Partner of Cisco Catalyst 8500 Edge Platform Series Router in India – Bangalore, Chennai for Price/Cost Call: 9739091119
The Cisco Catalyst 8500 Series is a high-performance SD-WAN edge routing platform designed for data centers, regional hubs, and large branches. It’s built to handle multigigabit throughput, cloud-first networking, and next-gen WAN aggregation — and is often seen as the successor to the ASR 1000 and ISR high-end series.

📦 Catalyst 8500 Models
Model | Throughput | Interface Ports | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
C8500-12X4QC | Up to 20–40 Gbps+ | 12x 10GE (SFP+), 4x 40GE (QSFP+) | Most common model, flexible WAN core |
C8500L-8S4X | Up to 10 Gbps | 8x GE SFP, 4x 10GE SFP+ | Compact, fixed, lower-cost model |
C8500-20X6C | 100+ Gbps capable | 20x 10GE + 6x 100GE (QSFP28) | SP/core-level performance |
C8500-12X4QC-A | “A” model = App hosting | App hosting support built-in | SD-WAN + VNF use cases |
These platforms are built from the ground up for services, with inline crypto, multi-threaded parallel processing, and per-port classification and accounting. They support MACsec, IPsec, and advanced QoS, making them a top-tier choice for organizations with demanding networking needs.
🔧 Key Features
Feature | Details |
---|---|
Performance | 10 Gbps to 200+ Gbps (model-dependent) |
Built on | Cisco QuantumFlow Processor 3.0 (QFP 3.0) |
Interface Options | Fixed ports + modular expandability (in C8500-12X4QC) |
Security & SD-WAN | Full Cisco SD-WAN, advanced threat protection, Umbrella integration |
Cloud Connectivity | Optimized for AWS, Azure, GCP, and multicloud architecture |
High Availability | Redundant PSU, fans, carrier-grade reliability |
- Runs Cisco IOS XE with a single software image
- Supports both traditional routing and SD-WAN mode
- Fully programmable with API support for automation
- Built-in application hosting on select models (e.g., C8500-12X4QC-A)
Recommendations
- Need ultra-high throughput (100 Gbps+)? The C8500-20X6C is your go-to for scalable, energy-efficient edge aggregation.
- Balanced performance and modularity in 1RU? Choose the C8500-12X4QC—great port flexibility and strong SD-WAN throughput.
- Cost-effective small-to-medium edge? The C8500-12X or C8500L-8S4X offer solid options, with trade-offs in performance and security features.
🏢 Ideal Use Cases
- Enterprise HQs: High-throughput routing and security
- Data Centers: Aggregation and cloud edge connectivity
- Service Providers: Multi-tenant edge routing
- Campus Networks: Secure, scalable SD-WAN deployments
Advantages / What They Do Well
- Very high performance, especially for WAN-edge / cloud-edge aggregation.
- Good port flexibility: you can pick a model closer to your required link speeds; you get a mix of 1/10/40/100GE depending on model.
- Strong hardware offload via QFP 3.0 for encryption etc, which helps with low latency, higher throughput with security.
- Built for scale: supports many IPsec tunnels, many routes etc. Good for large branches, regional hubs, cloud connectivity.
- Modern management, better feature set (SD-WAN, telemetry, automation) via IOS-XE.