The Cisco WS-F6700-DFC3CXL Distributed Forwarding Card (DFC3CXL) is a high-performance hardware forwarding module designed for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switches equipped with compatible CEF720-based 67xx line cards. By enabling Distributed Cisco Express Forwarding (dCEF), the DFC3CXL allows each line card to perform local packet forwarding, significantly improving switching performance, reducing latency, and increasing overall chassis scalability.
Built for large-scale enterprise and service provider environments, the WS-F6700-DFC3CXL offloads packet forwarding tasks from the Cisco Supervisor Engine 720, allowing the supervisor to focus on control plane operations while each line card independently processes traffic. This distributed forwarding architecture improves throughput and ensures consistent performance in high-density, high-bandwidth network deployments.
The XL (Extra Large) version provides expanded hardware resources, supporting larger routing tables, Forwarding Information Bases (FIB), and adjacency tables. This enhanced scalability makes the module ideal for organizations managing complex routing environments, extensive IPv4 and IPv6 networks, and growing enterprise infrastructures.
Compatible with a range of Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series CEF720 line cards, including the WS-X6704, WS-X6724, WS-X6748, WS-X6708, and WS-X6716, the DFC3CXL integrates seamlessly into existing modular switching platforms. It supports advanced networking capabilities such as Distributed Cisco Express Forwarding (dCEF), IPv4, IPv6, MPLS, multicast routing, hardware-based Access Control Lists (ACLs), and Quality of Service (QoS), depending on the installed Cisco IOS software and system configuration.
Installed directly onto supported line cards as a daughter card module, the Cisco WS-F6700-DFC3CXL enhances forwarding efficiency without requiring additional chassis space. Its hardware-based architecture minimizes packet forwarding latency while maximizing overall switch performance in demanding network environments.
Ideal for enterprise core networks, large campus infrastructures, data center aggregation layers, and service provider edge deployments, the Cisco WS-F6700-DFC3CXL Distributed Forwarding Card delivers scalable hardware forwarding, increased routing capacity, and enterprise-class performance for mission-critical Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series deployments.
Product Specifications – Cisco WS-F6700-DFC3CXL Distributed Forwarding Card (DFC3CXL) for Catalyst 6500 Series
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| Specification |
Details |
| Product Name |
Cisco WS-F6700-DFC3CXL Distributed Forwarding Card (DFC3CXL) |
| Manufacturer |
Cisco Systems |
| Part Number |
WS-F6700-DFC3CXL |
| Product Series |
Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series |
| Product Type |
Distributed Forwarding Card (DFC) |
| Module Type |
Daughter Card for CEF720 67xx Series Line Cards |
| Forwarding Engine |
Distributed Cisco Express Forwarding (dCEF) |
| Architecture |
Distributed Hardware-Based Forwarding Architecture |
| Forwarding Function |
Local Packet Forwarding on Individual Line Cards |
| Processing Type |
Hardware-Based Layer 2 and Layer 3 Packet Forwarding |
| Routing Scale |
XL Routing and Forwarding Table Capacity |
| FIB Scale |
Extended Forwarding Information Base (FIB) |
| Adjacency Table Scale |
XL Adjacency Table Support |
| ACL Processing |
Hardware-Based Access Control List Processing |
| QoS Support |
Hardware-Based Quality of Service Enforcement |
| IPv4 Support |
Yes |
| IPv6 Support |
Yes |
| Multicast Support |
Supported |
| MPLS Support |
Supported (Platform and Cisco IOS Dependent) |
| Cisco Express Forwarding |
Distributed Cisco Express Forwarding (dCEF) |
| Supervisor Requirement |
Compatible with Cisco Supervisor Engine 720 Variants |
| Compatible Line Cards |
WS-X6704, WS-X6724, WS-X6748, WS-X6708, WS-X6716 and Other Compatible CEF720 Line Cards |
| Compatible Platform |
Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switches |
| Operating System |
Cisco IOS |
| Installation Type |
Daughter Card Mounted Directly on Supported Line Cards |
| Power Consumption |
Approximately 2.35A @ 42V DC |
| Hot-Swappable |
Installed During Line Card Maintenance (Line Card Removal Required) |
| Form Factor |
Daughter Card Module |
| Management |
Managed Through Cisco IOS on the Host Switch |
| Scalability |
Optimized for Large Enterprise and Service Provider Deployments |
| Latency |
Reduces Packet Forwarding Latency Through Distributed Processing |
| Performance Benefit |
Offloads Packet Forwarding from the Supervisor Engine |
| Reliability |
Enterprise-Class Carrier-Grade Performance |
| Deployment Type |
Enterprise Core, Data Center Aggregation and Service Provider Networks |
| Region Variant |
Global |
| Application |
High-Speed Distributed Switching and Routing |
| Condition |
New / Refurbished / Cisco Certified |
| Use Cases |
High-Performance Enterprise Core Networks, Data Center Aggregation Layers, Service Provider Edge Deployments, Large-Scale Campus Networks |
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FAQs
Q1. What is the purpose of the DFC3CXL module?
It enables distributed forwarding, allowing line cards to process traffic locally instead of relying on the central supervisor.
Q2. What does “XL” mean in this module?
It indicates enhanced memory and scalability for larger routing tables and higher performance.
Q3. Which switches support this module?
It is designed for Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series switches with compatible 67xx line cards.
Q4. Does it improve performance?
Yes, it significantly increases throughput and reduces latency by distributing forwarding tasks.
Q5. Is this module still supported?
It is part of older Catalyst 6500 architecture and may be in end-of-life stages, but still used in legacy deployments.
