United States$5,000,000+
Inventory Delivered By
E
Edward Hughes
5
High density line card delivered excellent throughput. Stable even under peak load.
A9K-40GE-L
Original Stock
Ready to Ship
40PORT GE LOW QUEUE LINE CARD REQUIRES SFP
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Name:
A9K-40GE-L
- Description:
- 40PORT GE LOW QUEUE LINE CARD REQUIRES SFP
- Rating:
Added to cart 28 times recently
- Availability:
In stock - Ready to Ship
- Brand:
- Cisco
- GTIN:
- 779184491200
- Condition:
- Warranty:
- 3
- List Price:
$36,000.00
- Price:
$19,131.0046.9% off
Quantity:
1
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A9K-40GE-L Overview
A9K-40GE-L is a 40 Gigabit Ethernet module designed for high-performance networking environments. It supports 40Gbps data rates via QSFP+ connectors and is engineered for seamless integration with Cisco routers and switches, ensuring reliable TCP/IP connectivity for mission-critical data center and service provider applications.
Engineered with a modular form factor for easy chassis installation, the A9K-40GE-L module is ideally suited for expanding data center capacity and upgrading network interfaces. It delivers advanced features such as auto-negotiation, jumbo frame support, and QoS, providing high-speed, low-latency performance in demanding operational environments.
A9K-40GE-L price is $19,131.00, a 46.9% saving from the Cisco list price of $36,000.00. A9K-40GE-L is in stock and available for next-day dispatch. (terms applied)
Request bulk order quote for A9K-40GE-L for additional pricing. Browse the full Router Asr 9000 Modules And Cards series or explore all Cisco products.
A9K-40GE-L Specifications
- Power Consumption
- N/A
- Weight
- N/A
- Height
- N/A
- Depth
- N/A
- Width
- N/A
- Expansion Slots
- N/A
- Form Factor
- Modular
- Operating Temperature
- 0 to 70°C
- Storage Temperature
- -40 to 85°C
- Input Voltage
- 3.3V
- Compatibility
- Cisco
- Product Type
- Network Module / Network Card
- Module Type
- Ethernet
- Supported Features
- Auto-negotiation / Jumbo Frames / QoS
- Interface Ports
- Ethernet
- Data Rate
- 40Gbps
- Connector Type
- QSFP+
- Supported Protocols
- TCP/IP / Ethernet
- Max Speed
- 40Gbps
- Product Name
- A9K-40GE-L
A9K-40GE-L Use Case
Hyperscale Data-Center Spine with A9K-40GE-L-40PORT for Unmatched Throughput
Scenario: A global cloud provider deploys the A9K-40GE-L-40PORT GE Low-Queue line card with SFPs in ASR 9000 series routers as the spine layer in a leaf-spine fabric. Outcome: Consistent sub-millisecond latency under full 1.6 Tbps load, predictable buffer management and zero-packet loss during traffic bursts. Benefit: Scales to thousands of virtual machines, accelerates East-West traffic and maintains SLAs for IaaS and PaaS workloads.
Service-Provider Metro Edge for Ultra-Low-Latency 5G Backhaul
Scenario: A Tier 1 carrier integrates A9K-40GE-L-40PORT line cards at metro POPs to aggregate 5G cell-site backhaul over 40 GE SFP interfaces. Outcome: Deterministic queuing and hardware-based QoS deliver sub-10 µs jitter and end-to-end SLA compliance for voice, video and IoT slices. Benefit: Maximizes port density, simplifies fiber management and future-proofs the edge for 5G/FTTx services.
Enterprise Hybrid-Cloud WAN with High-Density 40 GE Connectivity
Scenario: A multinational corporation leverages the A9K-40GE-L-40PORT in its ASR 9000 backbone to interconnect branch offices and public-cloud gateways via 40 GE SFP links. Outcome: Seamless dynamic bandwidth scaling, sub-1 ms inter-site latency and deterministic buffer allocation for real-time collaboration and data replication. Benefit: Reduces MPLS costs, enhances disaster recovery and accelerates cloud-native application performance.
Quality Certifications
To get the detailed certification, please go to the Compliance Center.
Product Comparison Table 
| A9K-40GE-L |  A9K-8T-E |  A9K-2T20GE-E |  A9K-8T/4-E |  A9K-8T-L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Type | Network Module / Network Card | Network Module / Network Card | Network Module / Network Card | Network Module | Network Module / Network Card |
| Module Type | Ethernet | Ethernet | Ethernet | Ethernet | Ethernet |
| Data Rate | 40Gbps | 10Gbps | 20Gbps | 1G | 10G |
| Connector Type | QSFP+ | SFP+ | SFP+ | RJ-45 | SFP+ |
| Supported Protocols | TCP/IP / Ethernet | TCP/IP | TCP/IP, MPLS | TCP/IP | TCP/IP |
| Form Factor | Modular | Modular | Modular | PCIe | Modular |
| Operating Temperature | 0 to 70°C | 0 to 70°C | 0 to 70°C | 0 to 70°C | 0 to 70°C |
| Storage Temperature | -40 to 85°C | -40 to 85°C | -40 to 85°C | -40 to 85°C | -40 to 85°C |
| Input Voltage | 3.3V | 3.3V | 3.3V | 3.3V | 3.3V |
| Compatibility | Cisco | Cisco | Cisco ASR9000 Series Routers | Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Dell, HP | Cisco |
| Max Speed | 40Gbps | 10Gbps | 20Gbps | 1Gbps | 10Gbps |
| Supported Features | Auto-negotiation / Jumbo Frames / QoS | Auto-negotiation / Wake-on-LAN / Jumbo Frames / QoS | Auto-negotiation, Jumbo Frames, QoS | Auto-negotiation, Jumbo Frames, QoS | Auto-negotiation / Jumbo Frames / QoS |
| Power Consumption | N/A | 15W | 25W | 5W | 15W |
| Interface Ports | Ethernet | SFP+ | Ethernet | Ethernet | Ethernet |
| Expansion Slots | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Product Name | A9K-40GE-L | Cisco A9K-8T-E Ethernet Module | Cisco A9K-2T20GE-E | A9K-8T/4-E | A9K-8T-L |
| Height | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Width | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Depth | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Weight | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Reviews & Ratings
P
Patrick Sullivan
5
Low queue design helped reduce latency. Very satisfied.
C
Charles Newman
5
Solid performance for 40GE deployments. Cisco engineering shows.
H
Henry Collins
5
Handled heavy traffic reliably without errors.
W
William Dawson
5
Enterprise ready line card with predictable performance.
Questions & Answers
What is the Cisco A9K-40GE-L line card?
The Cisco A9K-40GE-L is a 40-port Gigabit Ethernet low-queue line card designed for the ASR 9000 series. It delivers high port density and optimized forwarding for service provider networks.
How many Gigabit Ethernet ports does the A9K-40GE-L support?
The A9K-40GE-L supports up to 40 independent Gigabit Ethernet ports, providing scalable connectivity for high-density deployments.
What does “low queue” mean on this line card?
Low queue means the card minimizes packet buffering to reduce latency, ensuring deterministic performance for time-sensitive applications.
Does the A9K-40GE-L require SFP modules?
Yes, the A9K-40GE-L requires external SFP or SFP-Lite transceivers for each port; the line card does not include built-in optics.
Which SFP transceivers are compatible with the A9K-40GE-L?
Compatible transceivers include Cisco SFP-GE-SX, SFP-GE-LX, SFP-GE-ZX and third-party SFPs validated for the ASR 9000 series.
Which routers support the A9K-40GE-L line card?
The A9K-40GE-L is supported in Cisco ASR 9001, ASR 9006, and ASR 9010 chassis with the appropriate fabric and supervisor modules.
What is the forwarding throughput of the A9K-40GE-L?
The line card delivers up to 80 Gbps of aggregate forwarding bandwidth, leveraging Cisco’s ASIC for wire-rate performance.
What software release is required for the A9K-40GE-L?
The A9K-40GE-L requires Cisco IOS XR Release 5.2.1 or later to support full feature and performance capabilities.
How do I install the A9K-40GE-L in my ASR 9000 chassis?
Power down the chassis, slide the line card into the desired slot until it clicks, secure with retention screws, then power the chassis back on.
Is the A9K-40GE-L hot-swappable?
No, the A9K-40GE-L is not hot-swappable; you must power down the ASR 9000 chassis before inserting or removing the card.
How do I configure ports on the A9K-40GE-L?
Use IOS XR CLI commands: enter interface range TenGigE 0/0/0 to 0/0/39, then apply speed, duplex, and QoS policies as required.
What is the power consumption of the A9K-40GE-L?
The typical power draw is 180W, with a maximum of 200W under full load; actual consumption varies by traffic and transceiver type.
What warranty and support options are available?
Cisco offers a limited lifetime hardware warranty plus optional SMARTnet services for 24x7 technical support, hardware replacement, and software updates.
What are common use cases for the A9K-40GE-L?
Typical use cases include service provider edge aggregation, enterprise data center spine/leaf interconnects, and mobile backhaul.
Can I upgrade from an older ASR 9000 line card to the A9K-40GE-L?
Yes. Verify chassis compatibility, update to the required IOS XR release, then replace the old card with the A9K-40GE-L following Cisco upgrade procedures.
Where can I find the SKU and ordering information?
The product SKU is A9K-40GE-L. Order through Cisco’s global partner network or authorized resellers; reference the Cisco ordering guide for pricing and lead times.