Cisco Router
(C8500L-8S4X)
The Cisco Catalyst C8500L-8S4X is a 1RU enterprise edge router in the Cisco Catalyst 8500L Series. It is designed for SD-WAN, WAN edge, Internet edge, branch aggregation, and cloud connectivity, delivering high-performance routing and advanced security in a compact form factor. Unlike the other Catalyst 8500 models that use Cisco's QuantumFlow Processor (QFP), the C8500L-8S4X uses a multicore x86 software-based architecture, making it a cost-effective option while still supporting the full Cisco IOS XE feature set.
C8500L-8S4X Specifications
| Model | Cisco Catalyst C8500L-8S4X |
| Rack Size | 1RU |
| Ports | 8 × 1G SFP + 4 × 1/10G SFP+ |
| Operating System | Cisco IOS XE |
| Memory | 16 GB (upgradable to 64 GB) |
| Storage | 32 GB boot flash + optional M.2 NVMe |
| Management | RJ-45 Mgmt, RJ-45 Console, USB Console |
| Primary Use | SD-WAN, WAN Edge, Enterprise Routing |
| Main Capabilities |
Cisco SD-WAN Advanced IP routing (BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, EIGRP) MPLS IPsec VPN QoS NAT High Availability (HSRP/VRRP) Cisco Umbrella integration Cisco Secure Firewall and Unified Threat Defense (UTD) Full Cisco IOS XE programmability with APIs and automation support |
| Typical Use Cases |
Enterprise WAN Edge SD-WAN Hub Internet Edge Data Center Edge Regional Office Aggregation Cloud Connectivity (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) |
| Advantages |
Compact 1RU design Flexible mix of 1G and 10G fiber interfaces Strong SD-WAN and security capabilities Lower cost than higher-end Catalyst 8500 models MACsec encryption Easy migration from Cisco ISR and ASR platforms Built on Cisco IOS XE for automation and programmability |