Cisco 8223-64EF-M Router

Cisco 8000 overview

The Cisco^® 8000 Series Routers combine the revolutionary Cisco Silicon One^™ processor, Cisco IOS^® XR software, and a set of clean-sheet chassis to deliver a breakthrough in high-performance routers. As AI applications proliferate across enterprises and cloud environments, the demand for exponentially increasing bandwidth, enhanced security, and low latency has never been greater, particularly for Data Center Interconnect (DCI) applications that require deep buffer capabilities to handle bursty traffic patterns and prevent packet loss during congestion events. Traditional networks must evolve to support AI workloads, machine learning traffic patterns, and the massive data flows required for training and inference operations, while providing sufficient buffering capacity to maintain performance across long-distance connections between data centers. The Cisco 8200 Series is a family of fixed systems powered by Cisco Silicon One processors, offering advanced features including deep buffer architecture engineered for seamless integration and scalability in compact 1RU, 2 RU and 3 RU form factors, specifically designed to meet these AI-driven networking demands and DCI requirements.

With the agility of Silicon One enabling applications at scale in power- and space-optimized designs, Cisco 8200 Series systems address diverse use cases from AI data center interconnects requiring substantial buffer depth to absorb traffic bursts, to provider core and internet peering environments. The deep buffer capabilities are essential for maintaining consistent performance in DCI scenarios where distance-induced latency and variable traffic loads can cause significant congestion without adequate buffering. Beyond supporting Cisco IOS XR, the Cisco 8000 Series extends its versatility through support for the open source SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud) network operating system. Cisco actively contributes to the SONiC community, driving innovation and interoperability across multi-vendor environments while incorporating advanced security features essential for protecting AI infrastructure and sensitive data flows. This enables organizations to leverage open source flexibility while benefiting from industry-leading performance, built-in security capabilities, deep buffer architecture for DCI applications, and the reliability needed to support mission-critical AI applications and ever-growing bandwidth requirements.

Chassis features and benefits

Table 1.        8200 Series PIDs

Table 2.        Features and benefits of the Cisco 8200 Series fixed system

Product specifications

Table 3.        Product specification

8201-24H8FH

8201-32FH/8201-32FH-O

8202-32FH-M

8212-48FH-M

8223-64E-M/8223-64E-MO

8223-64EF-M/8223-64EF-MO

Regulatory and safety compliance

Table 4.        Regulatory and safety compliance

Cisco IOS XR software

Cisco IOS XR is a unified network OS spanning access, aggregation, edge, and core. The networking protocol stack within XR can be cut down by two-thirds when the IP transport architecture is simplified. Improvements to the XR internal architecture have reduced the memory footprint by 35 percent. By reducing code size and the resources required, XR can be installed onto even the most constrained hardware designs with full security features without impact to boot times.

Modernizing XR with install procedures using standard Linux software package managers has also improved operations. Instead of “one size fits all,” XR provides modularity, so that customers load only what they will use.

Service providers can easily access new software packages from trusted Cisco RPM Package Manager repositories. Alternatively, they can build their own repository of both Cisco and custom software packages, which can be fetched for final system configuration without spending time trying to sort out software dependencies. All the required Cisco software packages, homegrown and third-party software packages, and router configurations can be pulled into a single Cisco software image known as a Golden ISO. Customized images can be installed consistently and with confidence across devices in the network.

Cisco IOS XR brings an unmatched level of openness for programmability and customization

IOS XR supports open, model-driven APIs at all layers of the software stack. At the management layer, XR supports a comprehensive list of both native and industry-driven OpenConfig models with multiple encoding (XML and JSON) and transport (gRPC, NETCONF) options. The APIs at the management layer allow operators to apply configuration to the device or retrieve the state of the system. The APIs also address advanced traffic engineering use cases, allowing applications to control the route followed by traffic within the network. These APIs can be used independently or combined with other ecosystem abstraction layers such as P4Runtime.

IOS XR also supports the OFA (Open Forwarding Abstraction) API, which provides a logical representation of all the forwarding and telemetry capabilities of the underlying hardware. In addition, IOS XR provides a flexible consumption model, allowing third-party application software to run on the device alongside IOS XR to enable customization options for the customer network. With application hosting capabilities, operators can host their own controller agent or custom protocol; use various hosting apps for telemetry collection, traffic engineering, and configuration management; or manage the box like a Linux machine using third-party software such as Chef, Puppet, or Ansible.

Cisco IOS XR is the industry’s most trusted network operating system

XR is the most advanced network operating system for improving the security posture of the router. The Cisco Secure Boot subsystem helps ensure that the device boot image is genuine and untampered. With advanced signing technology, XR can establish software integrity enforcement and measurement. To further enhance the trusted defense posture, multiple runtime defenses within XR guard against malicious actors and make exploitation of bugs more difficult. Even if booted securely, a router may run for months or years without rebooting, which could leave vulnerabilities at runtime undetected for a long time. XR leverages Integrated Measurement Architecture (IMA) to significantly enhance security by verifying the integrity of running software. In the IMA appraisal mode, signature validations prevent unauthorized images from launching. In the IMA measurement mode, the hashes of all images are logged in a secure location used for verification. Records of runtime processes can be sent for analysis, so the operator knows that system software, updates, or patches are running as intended.

Detailed information on IOS XR can be found in the IOS XR data sheet.

SONiC Open Source Network Operating System

SONiC (Software for Open Networking in the Cloud) brings unprecedented flexibility and openness to the Cisco 8200 Series, enabling organizations to break free from vendor lock-in while maintaining enterprise-grade performance and reliability. Built on a modular, container-based architecture running on Linux, SONiC provides a standardized network operating system that supports multi-vendor hardware ecosystems and accelerates innovation through community-driven development. The disaggregated approach allows network operators to independently choose best-of-breed hardware and software components, reducing total cost of ownership while increasing deployment flexibility and maximizing supply chain diversification. SONiC's support for industry-standard APIs, including SAI (Switch Abstraction Interface), enables seamless integration with existing network management tools and third-party applications, making it ideal for cloud-scale deployments and modern DevOps workflows that require consistent operational frameworks across platforms.

Cisco's active contribution to the SONiC community enhances the platform's capabilities while ensuring optimal performance on Cisco 8200 hardware, leveraging the power efficiency and density advantages of Cisco Silicon One ASICs. The combination delivers advanced programmability through standard interfaces like gNMI, REST APIs, and Python scripting, enabling automated network operations and rapid service deployment with feature velocity that reduces dependency on traditional vendor software release cycles. SONiC's microservice-based containerized architecture provides modular components for increased resiliency, while its telemetry and monitoring capabilities offer real-time visibility into network performance. With built-in support for modern protocols, zero-touch provisioning, and cloud-native management approaches, SONiC on Cisco 8200 Series empowers organizations to build agile, scalable networks that protect platform investments, reduce OpEx and CapEx, and leverage the innovation benefits of open source software development while maintaining the security and partnership support of validated vendor hardware platforms.

Ordering information

Table 5.        8200 Series ordering information

The Fan, power supply units, and accessory kit will be ordered as part of the system.

The software license, Right-to-Use (RTU) licenses, and Software Innovation Access (SIA) subscription will be ordered with the system for the system to work properly

The RTU licenses provide customers with the ability to access and use specific perpetual software functionalities without the requirement to purchase the complete software package.

The SIA subscriptions are term-based agreements that provide customers with access to specific software benefits. They enable customers to optimize their software usage, easily manage licenses across their network infrastructure, and perform seamless upgrades to the latest versions of IOS XR software.

Cisco Licensing

Cisco Licensing is a flexible and secure licensing model that provides you with an easier, faster, and more consistent way to purchase, activate, manage, renew, and upgrade software products across the Cisco portfolio and across your organization. And it’s secure – you control what users can access. With Cisco Licensing you get:

●     Easy activation. Cisco Licensing establishes a pool of software licenses that can be used across the entire organization – no more PAKs (product activation keys).

●     License flexibility. Your software is not node-locked to your hardware, so you can easily use and transfer licenses as needed.

For a more detailed overview of Cisco Licensing, go to https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/buy/licensing/licensing-guide.html.

The IOS XR Flexible Consumption Model (FCM) requires Cisco Licensing registration and license usage reporting. A customer network under the IOS XR FCM is considered compliant if the FCM-enabled devices in the network are registered to Cisco Licensing and are reporting the usage. For a more detailed overview of the Cisco IOS XR Software FCM, go to: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/routers/8000-series-routers/ios-xr-software-flexible-consumption-model-2-0-ds.html.