WS-C6504-E Cisco Catalyst 6504-E Switch Chassis

Cisco WS-C6504-E Catalyst 6504-E Switch Chassis Overview

The Cisco WS-C6504-E is a high-performance switch chassis designed to provide reliable, scalable, and flexible networking solutions for enterprise and data center environments. Built for demanding networking infrastructures, this chassis delivers superior throughput, versatile expansion options, and comprehensive management capabilities.

Key Features of Cisco WS-C6504-E

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Part Number / SKU: WS-C6504-E
• Product Type: Switch Chassis
• Series: Catalyst 6500
• Model: 6504-E

Technical Specifications

Product Line and Type

• Product Line: Catalyst
• Model Type: Networking Switch Chassis
• Sub Type: Enterprise-grade chassis

Performance and Media Capabilities

• Switching Capacity: Up to 80 Gbps for high-speed LAN connectivity
• Total System Capacity: 320 Gbps to support heavy traffic loads
• Optimized for Layer 2 and Layer 3 network operations

Interfaces and Expansion

• Total Expansion Slots: 4, supporting modular upgrades and versatile connectivity options
• High-performance LAN interfaces designed for enterprise networking needs

Network Management and Protocols

• Fully manageable switch chassis for centralized control
• Supported Management Protocols: RMON (Remote Monitoring) for efficient network diagnostics

Software and Operating System

• Operating System: Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2.18SXE
• Cisco Catalyst OS Version: 8.4.2 for robust and stable network management

Power Specifications

• Input Voltage: 220V AC ensuring reliable power delivery

Enterprise-Class Modular Switching Architecture

The Cisco WS-C6504-E Catalyst 6504-E Switch Chassis belongs to the high-performance modular switching category designed for enterprise core, distribution, and data center aggregation environments. This category focuses on scalable chassis-based switches that provide exceptional flexibility, long-term investment protection, and the ability to support evolving network demands. The 6504-E chassis is engineered to deliver robust switching capacity while accommodating a wide range of supervisor engines, line cards, fabric modules, and power options, making it a foundational element in mission-critical network infrastructures.

This category emphasizes modularity as a core principle, allowing organizations to customize their switching platforms based on bandwidth requirements, redundancy needs, and feature sets. The Catalyst 6504-E chassis is optimized for environments that require high availability, predictable performance, and seamless integration with advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 services. Its architecture supports enterprise-grade routing, security services, quality of service enforcement, and virtualization-aware networking, ensuring it remains relevant across multiple technology cycles.

Chassis Design and Physical Characteristics

The physical design of the Cisco WS-C6504-E Catalyst 6504-E Switch Chassis reflects its role as a compact yet powerful modular switch. With four available slots for line cards and supervisor engines, the chassis provides a balanced approach between density and space efficiency. This makes it suitable for enterprise wiring closets, data center rows, and aggregation layers where rack space optimization is critical without sacrificing performance or expandability.

The chassis construction emphasizes durability and airflow efficiency, supporting front-to-back cooling patterns that align with modern data center standards. Its structural integrity is designed to support heavy line cards and redundant power supplies, ensuring stability during maintenance or upgrades. The category highlights chassis-based switches that can be deployed in standard racks while maintaining compliance with thermal and acoustic requirements.

Slot Architecture and Backplane Capacity

The slot architecture of the Catalyst 6504-E chassis is engineered to support a wide range of Catalyst 6500 Series modules. Each slot connects to a high-capacity backplane that enables consistent throughput across installed line cards. This category prioritizes non-blocking or near non-blocking architectures to ensure that traffic flows efficiently even under peak loads.

The backplane design supports advanced switching fabrics and supervisor engines, enabling organizations to scale performance over time by upgrading internal components rather than replacing the entire chassis. This approach aligns with enterprise strategies focused on capital expenditure optimization and long-term infrastructure planning.

Supervisor Engine Compatibility and Control Plane Capabilities

The Cisco WS-C6504-E Catalyst 6504-E Switch Chassis category includes compatibility with multiple supervisor engines, each offering different levels of performance, feature sets, and redundancy options. Supervisor engines serve as the control plane of the switch, managing routing tables, forwarding decisions, and system management functions. This flexibility allows network architects to select a supervisor engine that aligns with their operational requirements.

Advanced supervisor engines provide support for high-speed uplinks, enhanced security features, and virtualization-aware networking. The category underscores the importance of control plane scalability, enabling the switch to handle large routing tables, complex access control lists, and advanced traffic policies without degradation in performance.

High Availability and Redundancy Models

High availability is a defining characteristic of this category, and the Catalyst 6504-E chassis supports redundant supervisor configurations to minimize downtime. By deploying dual supervisors, enterprises can achieve stateful switchover capabilities, ensuring that control plane failures do not interrupt data forwarding. This design is critical for environments where uptime and service continuity are non-negotiable.

The redundancy model extends beyond supervisors to include power supplies and cooling components. This holistic approach to resilience ensures that the switch can withstand component failures while maintaining operational stability, aligning with stringent service level agreements.

Line Card Flexibility and Port Density Options

The category encompassing the Cisco WS-C6504-E Catalyst 6504-E Switch Chassis is defined by extensive line card flexibility. Organizations can deploy a mix of Ethernet, fiber, and service modules to meet diverse connectivity requirements. This adaptability allows the chassis to function as a core switch, aggregation switch, or high-density access switch depending on the selected modules.

Line cards in this category support various speeds and media types, enabling seamless integration with legacy systems while providing a path to higher bandwidth technologies. This versatility is particularly valuable in enterprise environments undergoing phased network upgrades.

Support for Advanced Network Services

Beyond basic switching, the line cards supported by the Catalyst 6504-E chassis can deliver advanced network services such as integrated security, traffic monitoring, and application optimization. This category highlights switches that consolidate multiple network functions into a single platform, reducing complexity and operational overhead.

Service modules enhance the chassis by enabling deep packet inspection, intrusion prevention, and network analysis directly within the switching fabric. This integrated approach improves performance and simplifies network architecture by minimizing the need for external appliances.

Power Supply Architecture and Energy Efficiency

The Cisco WS-C6504-E Catalyst 6504-E Switch Chassis category places significant emphasis on flexible power architectures. The chassis supports multiple power supply options, allowing organizations to scale power capacity based on installed modules. This modular power design ensures efficient energy utilization while maintaining support for high-density configurations.

Redundant power supplies contribute to system resilience, enabling continuous operation even in the event of a power module failure. This category aligns with enterprise sustainability initiatives by supporting energy-efficient power supplies that reduce operational costs and environmental impact.

Thermal Management and Cooling Design

Effective thermal management is a critical aspect of chassis-based switches, and the Catalyst 6504-E category emphasizes optimized airflow and intelligent fan control. The chassis cooling system is designed to maintain optimal operating temperatures across all modules, ensuring consistent performance and longevity.

Adaptive cooling mechanisms adjust fan speeds based on real-time temperature readings, balancing noise levels and energy consumption. This design is particularly beneficial in mixed-use environments where acoustic considerations are important.

Layer 2 Switching Capabilities

The category of modular enterprise switches represented by the Cisco WS-C6504-E Catalyst 6504-E Switch Chassis delivers comprehensive Layer 2 switching features. These include advanced VLAN segmentation, spanning tree enhancements, and link aggregation technologies that support scalable and resilient network topologies.

Layer 2 features are implemented with an emphasis on stability and interoperability, ensuring seamless integration with existing network infrastructures. This category supports enterprise requirements for predictable behavior and simplified network management.

Quality of Service and Traffic Prioritization

Quality of Service is a core capability within this category, enabling organizations to prioritize critical applications such as voice, video, and real-time collaboration. The Catalyst 6504-E chassis supports granular traffic classification and queuing mechanisms that ensure consistent application performance.

QoS policies can be enforced at both ingress and egress points, providing end-to-end traffic management across the network. This level of control is essential for enterprises with diverse application workloads and stringent performance requirements.

Layer 3 Routing and Enterprise Networking Features

The Cisco WS-C6504-E Catalyst 6504-E Switch Chassis category extends beyond switching to include robust Layer 3 routing capabilities. These features enable the chassis to function as a central routing platform, supporting dynamic routing protocols and large-scale IP networks.

Layer 3 services are implemented in hardware to ensure high throughput and low latency, even under heavy traffic loads. This category is designed to support enterprise and campus networks that require efficient routing between multiple segments and locations.

Scalability for Large Routing Tables

Scalability is a defining attribute of this category, with support for extensive routing tables and complex network topologies. The Catalyst 6504-E chassis is capable of handling thousands of routes while maintaining consistent performance, making it suitable for large enterprises and service provider environments.

This scalability ensures that the switch can adapt to network growth without requiring disruptive upgrades, aligning with long-term infrastructure planning strategies.

Security Integration and Network Protection

Security is deeply integrated into the category of enterprise modular switches that includes the Cisco WS-C6504-E Catalyst 6504-E Switch Chassis. The platform supports advanced security features such as access control enforcement, network segmentation, and threat detection.

By integrating security at the switching layer, organizations can reduce attack surfaces and enforce consistent policies across the network. This approach enhances overall security posture while simplifying management.

Policy Enforcement and Access Control

Access control capabilities within this category enable precise regulation of network traffic based on user identity, device type, and application requirements. The Catalyst 6504-E chassis supports sophisticated policy frameworks that align with enterprise security standards.

These capabilities allow organizations to implement zero-trust principles and ensure that only authorized traffic traverses the network.

Use Cases in Enterprise and Data Center Environments

The Cisco WS-C6504-E Catalyst 6504-E Switch Chassis category is well suited for a variety of enterprise and data center use cases. In campus networks, it serves as a reliable core or distribution switch, aggregating traffic from access layers while providing high availability.

In data center environments, the chassis functions as an aggregation platform that supports high-speed uplinks and integrated services. Its modular design allows organizations to tailor the platform to specific workloads and performance requirements.

Support for Virtualized and Converged Networks

This category supports virtualized and converged network architectures by providing consistent performance and advanced traffic management capabilities. The Catalyst 6504-E chassis integrates seamlessly with virtualized environments, ensuring that network policies extend across physical and virtual domains.

This capability is essential for modern enterprises adopting cloud, virtualization, and hybrid IT models.