Table Of Contents

SIP and SPA Product Overview

Introduction to SIPs and SPAs

SPA Interface Processors

Shared Port Adapters

SIP and SPA Compatibility

SFP Module Compatibility

SIP and SPA Product Overview

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This chapter provides an introduction to SPA interface processors (SIPs) and shared port adapters (SPAs). It includes the following sections:

•Introduction to SIPs and SPAs

•SIP and SPA Compatibility

•SFP Module Compatibility

For more hardware details on the specific SIP and SPAs that are supported on the Cisco uBR10012 router, refer to the companion publication, Cisco uBR10012 Universal Broadband Router SIP and SPA Hardware Installation Guide.

Introduction to SIPs and SPAs

SIPs and SPAs are a new carrier card and port adapter architecture to increase modularity, flexibility, and density across Cisco Systems routers for network connectivity. This section describes the SIPs and SPAs and provides some guidelines for their use.

SPA Interface Processors

The following list describes some of the general characteristics of a SIP:

•A SIP is a carrier card that inserts into a router slot like a line card. It provides no network connectivity on its own.

•A SIP contains one or more bays (subslots), which are used to house one or more SPAs. The SPA provides interface ports for network connectivity.

•During normal operation the SIP should reside in the router fully populated either with functional SPAs in all bays, or with a blank filler plate (SPA-BLANK=) inserted in all empty bays.

•SIPs support online insertion and removal (OIR) with SPAs inserted in their bays. SPAs also support OIR and can be inserted or removed independently from the SIP.

Shared Port Adapters

The following list describes some of the general characteristics of a SPA:

•A SPA is a modular type of port adapter that inserts into a bay of a compatible SIP carrier card to provide network connectivity and increased interface port density. A SIP can hold one or more SPAs, depending on the SIP type.

•SPAs are available in various sizes. The Cisco Wideband SPA is a single-wide, half-height SPA. Figure 2-1 shows how bays are numbered on the Cisco Wideband SIP. The Wideband SIP supports up to two Wideband SPAs in bays 0 and 1. On the Wideband SIP, bays 2 and 3 are empty and must have blank filler plates.

Figure 2-1 Single-Wide, Half-Height SPAs (Vertical Slot Orientation)

•Each SPA provides a certain number of connectors, or ports, that are the interfaces to one or more networks. The Wideband SPA has two Gigabit Ethernet ports that use small form-factor pluggable (SFP) modules.

•Either a blank filler plate or a functional SPA should reside in every bay of a SIP during normal operation to maintain cooling integrity. Blank filler plates are available in single-height form only.

•SPAs support online insertion and removal (OIR). They can be inserted or removed independently from the SIP. SIPs also support online insertion and removal (OIR) with SPAs inserted in their bays.

SIP and SPA Compatibility

The Cisco uBR10012 router supports only the Wideband SIP (part number UBR10-2XDS-SIP). The Wideband SIP can support up to two Wideband SPAs (part number SPA-24XDS-SFP).

SFP Module Compatibility

Some SPAs implement small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceivers to provide network connectivity. An SFP module is a transceiver device that plugs into a port on a SPA's front panel to provide network connectivity. Cisco Systems qualifies the SFP modules that can be used with SPAs.

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Note The SPAs will only accept the SFP modules listed as supported in this document. An SFP check is run every time an SFP module is inserted into a SPA and only SFP modules that pass this check will be usable.

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Table 2-1 shows the types of SFP modules that have been qualified for use with a SPA:

Table 2-1 SFP Module Compatibility 

SPA	Qualified SFP Modules (Cisco Part Numbers)
Wideband SPA	•GLC-SX-MM •GLC-LH-SM •GLC-ZX-SM

For information on the SFP modules supported by the Wideband SPA, see the Cisco uBR10012 Universal Broadband Router SIP and SPA Hardware Installation Guide.