Configuration Guide for Cisco NCS 1004, IOS XR Release 25.x.x

PDF

Configuration Guide for Cisco NCS 1004, IOS XR Release 25.x.x

2-QDD-C line cards

Updated: July 31, 2026

Want to summarize with AI?

Log in

This section explains the NCS1K4-2-QDD-C line card, which provides two independent muxponder-slice configurations, each with a dedicated QSFP-DD trunk port supporting rates from 100G to 400G.

A 2-QDD-C card is a two-port QSFP-DD coherent optical line card that

  • provides two trunk ports and up to eight client ports for flexible muxponder slice operation,

  • supports trunk rates from 100G to 400G in muxponder-slice 0 and muxponder-slice 1, and

  • enables 100GE, OTU4, and 400GE client rates with QSFP-28 and QSFP-DD optics.

Table 1. Feature History

Feature Name

Release Information

Description

NCS1K4-2-QDD-C-K9 C-Band Line Card

Cisco IOS XR Release 7.3.1

NCS 1004 supports the NCS1K4-2-QDD-C-K9 C-Band line card. The card has eight client ports (QSFP28 and QSFP-DD) and two DWDM dual sub-channel module trunk ports. Each trunk port is capable of 200, 300, and 400 Gbps line rate with fine control of modulation format, baud-rate, and forward error correction. The trunk ports are software configurable. The line card supports module and slice configurations.

Command added:

  • controller fourHundredGigECtrlr

2-QDD-C line card modes

The 2-QDD-C line cards support both module and slice configurations.

  • The cards have two trunk ports (numbered 0 and 1) and eight client ports (numbered 2 through 9).

  • You can configure the line card in two modes:

  • Muxponder: Both trunk ports are configured with the same trunk rate. The client-to-trunk mapping is in sequence in vertical order.

  • Muxponder slice: Each trunk port is configured independently with different trunk rates. The client-to-trunk mapping is fixed in vertical order: for trunk 0 (ports 2–5), for trunk 1 (ports 6–9).

Limitations

  • Flex Ethernet is not supported.

  • A single 400GE cannot be split and used as 4x 100GE due to hardware limitations.

Unsupported features

These features are not supported in Release 7.3.1 for the 2-QDD-C line card:

  • OTU4 client

  • Layer 1 encryption

  • GCC remote node management

  • Line rates of 50G, 100G, 150G, 250G, and 350G

Sub 50G configurations for 2-QDD-C line card

Coupled mode restrictions

A sub 50G configuration on the 2-QDD-C card is a coupled-mode operating configuration that

  • allows each physical client port to carry up to four logical sub-50G lanes,

  • supports OTU2 (10G), OTU2e (10.7G), and 10GE client rates per lane, and

  • requires the muxponder-slice configuration with per-lane client-port-rate settings.

Table 2. Feature History

Feature Name

Release Information

Description

Support for n x 50G Rate

Cisco IOS XR Release 7.5.1

You can now configure sub 50G muxponder mode in a combination of trunk and client rates for 2-QDD-C cards.
Supported muxponder modes and data rate combinations

You can configure sub 50G muxponder mode in these combination of trunk and client rates:

  • 100GE muxponder mode:

    • 1x100GE and 2x50G

    • 3x100GE and 2x150G

    • 5x100GE and 2x250G

    • 7x100GE and 2x350G

  • OTU4 muxponder mode:

    • 1xOTU4 and 2x50G

    • 3xOTU4 and 2x150G

    • 5xOTU4 and 2x250G

    • 7xOTU4 and 2x350G

This table displays the port configuration for the supported data rates.

Table 3. Port configurations for supported data rates

Trunk data rate (per trunk)

Total configured data rate

Trunk ports

Client ports for trunk 0 (100G)

Shared client port (50G per trunk)

Client ports for trunk 1 (100G)

50G

100G

0, 1

-

2

-

150G

300G

0, 1

2

3

4

250G

500G

0, 1

2, 3

4

5, 6

350G

700G

0, 1

2, 3, 4

5

6, 7, 8

From Release 7.5.2, 2-QDD-C cards support an alternate port configuration for Sub 50G (split client port mapping) that you configure using CLI. This table displays the port configuration for the supported data rates.

Table 4. Port configurations for supported data rates

Trunk data rate (per trunk)

Total configured data rate

Trunk ports

Client ports for trunk 0 (100G)

Shared client port (50G per trunk)

Client ports for trunk 1 (100G)

50G

100G

0, 1

-

5

-

150G

300G

0, 1

2

5

6

250G

500G

0, 1

2, 3

5

6, 7

350G

700G

0, 1

2, 3, 4

5

6, 7, 8

For information on how to configure split client port mapping, see Configure the split client port mapping.

These restrictions apply to the coupled mode configuration:

  • Both trunk ports must be configured with the same bits-per-symbol or baud rate and must be sent over same fiber and direction.

  • The chromatic dispersion must be configured to the same value for both trunk ports.

  • When trunk internal loopback is configured, it must be done for both trunk ports. Configuring internal loopback on only one trunk results in traffic loss.

  • Fault on a trunk port of a coupled pair may cause errors on all clients including those running only on the unaffected trunk port.

Supported data rates for 2-QDD-C card

This topic provides the supported client and trunk data rates for muxponder configurations on the 2-QDD-C card, covering both combined-slice and individual muxponder-slice modes.

The 2-QDD-C card in combined-slice muxponder mode supports these data rate configurations:

  • 200G trunk: 100GE or OTU4 clients using QSFP-28 optics on trunk ports 0 and 1, client ports 2–5.

  • 300G trunk: 100GE or OTU4 clients using QSFP-28 optics on trunk ports 0 and 1, client ports 2–7.

  • 400G trunk (100GE): 100GE or OTU4 clients using QSFP-28 optics on trunk ports 0 and 1, client ports 2–9.

  • 400G trunk (400GE): 400GE clients using QSFP-DD optics on trunk ports 0 and 1, client ports 4 and 8.

This table displays the client and trunk ports that are enabled for the muxponder configuration.

Table 5. Combined-slice mode table

Trunk data rate

Card support

Client data rate

Client optics

Trunkports

Client ports

200

2-QDD-C

100GE, OTU4

QSFP-28

0, 1

2, 3, 4, 5

300

2-QDD-C

100GE, OTU4

QSFP-28

0, 1

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

400

2-QDD-C

100GE, OTU4

QSFP-28

0, 1

2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

400

2-QDD-C

400GE

QSFP-DD

0, 1

4,8

This table displays the client and trunk ports that are enabled for the muxponder slice 0 configuration.

Table 6. Muxponder slice 0 configuration

Trunk data rate

Card support

Client data rate

Trunk ports

Client ports

100

2-QDD-C

100GE, OTU4

0

2

200

2-QDD-C

100GE, OTU4

0

2, 3

300

2-QDD-C

100GE, OTU4

0

2, 3, 4

400

2-QDD-C

100GE, OTU4

0

2, 3, 4, 5

400

2-QDD-C

400GE

0

4

This table displays the client and trunk ports that are enabled for the muxponder slice 1 configuration.

Table 7. Muxponder slice 1 configuration

Trunk data rate

Card support

Client datarate

Trunk ports

Client ports

100

2-QDD-C

100GE, OTU4

1

6

200

2-QDD-C

100GE, OTU4

1

6, 7

300

2-QDD-C

100GE, OTU4

1

6, 7, 8

400

2-QDD-C

100GE, OTU4

1

6, 7, 8, 9

400

2-QDD-C

400GE

1

8

This table displays the trunk parameter ranges for the 2-QDD-C card.

Table 8. Trunk parameter ranges

Trunk payload

FEC

Min BPS

Max BPS

Min GBd

Max GBd

150G

27%

1.453125

4.335938

24.02079

71.67494

200G

27%

2

4.40625

31.51

69.43

250G

27%

2.414063

6

28.93129

71.9069

300G

27%

2.8984375

6

34.7175497

71.8681352

350G

27%

3.382813

6

40.5038

71.84047

400G

27%

3.8671875

6

46.2900663

71.8197392

150G

15%

1.320313

3.9375

24.02079

71.67494

200G

15%

1.7578125

5.25

24.02079115

71.74209625

250G

15%

2.195313

6

26.27274

71.80592

300G

15%

3.8203125

6

31.52728839

49.51525048

350G

15%

3.070313

6

36.78184

71.87901

400G

15%

3.8671875

6

42.03638452

71.9018782
Note

The recommended value for 6 BPS for corresponding line rates are listed below:

Trunk payload

FEC

BPS

GBd

300G

27%

6

34.7175

350G

27%

6

40.5038

400G

15%

6

42.0364

For more information on the QDD-C card, see the data sheet.

Configure the card mode for 2-QDD-C card

Set up the 2-QDD-C card to operate in either module (muxponder) or slice (muxponder-slice) mode, enabling flexible configuration of trunk rates and client types.

From Release 7.3.1, you can configure the 2-QDD-C line card in the module (muxponder) or slice configuration (muxponder slice).

Follow these steps to configure the 2-QDD-C card mode:

Procedure

1.

Run these commands to configure in muxponder mode.

  • configure hw-module location location mxponder client-rate {100GEOTU4 } hw-module location location mxponder trunk-rate 100G | 150G | 200G | 250G | 300G | 350G | 400G }
  • configure hw-module location location mxponder client-rate { 400GE} hw-module location location mxponder trunk-rate { 200G | 400G }

Example:

This is a sample in which the card is configured in the muxponder mode with a 400G trunk rate. 


RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#config
Tue Oct 15 01:24:56.355 UTC
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/1 mxponder client-rate 100GE
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/1 mxponder trunk-rate 400G

This is a sample in which the card is configured in the muxponder mode with a 400GE trunk rate.


RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#configure   
Thu Oct  7 11:43:01.914 IST
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/2 mxponder trunk-rate 4
400G  450G  
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/2 mxponder trunk-rate 400G    
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/2 mxponder client-rate 400GE
2.

Run these commands to configure in the muxponder slice mode.

  • configure hw-module location location mxponder-slice mxponder-slice-number client-rate { 100GE | 400GE}
  • configure hw-module location location mxponder-slice mxponder-slice-number trunk-rate { 100G | 200G | 300G | 400G}

Example:

This is a sample in which the card is configured in the muxponder slice 0 mode with a 400G trunk rate.


RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#config
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/1 mxponder-slice 0 client-rate 100GE
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/1 mxponder-slice 0 trunk-rate 400G

This is a sample in which the card is configured in the muxponder slice 1 mode with a 400G trunk rate.


RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#config
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/1 mxponder-slice 1 client-rate 100GE
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/1 mxponder-slice 1 trunk-rate 400G
3.

Run the commit command to save and apply the muxponder and muxponder-slice configurations.

Example:

RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config-hwmod-mxp)#commit

The 2-QDD-C card’s muxponder and muxponder slices are configured. Each slice operates with the selected trunk rate and client type mapping.

Configure client traffic mode in a mixed configuration

Enable flexibility for 2-QDD-C cards in your system to simultaneously carry different client traffic types (Ethernet and Optical Transport Network) over separate or same slices.

Table 9. Feature History

Feature Name

Release Information

Description

Mixed Client Traffic Mode Configuration

Cisco IOS XR Release 7.5.1

You can now configure the client traffic mode on each trunk port of the 2-QDD-C card independently. This feature provides flexibility to carry both OTN and Ethernet client traffic on the 2-QDD-C card at the same time across two slices.

Enhanced Mixed Mode Client Traffic Configuration on 2-QDD-C Card

Cisco IOS XR Release 7.10.1

This feature is an upgrade of earlier mixed-mode configuration on 2-QDD-C card that required reprovision of all client ports to switch between provisioning Ethernet or OTU interfaces. This enhancement makes the 2-QDD-C card smarter to delegate OTU and Ethernet traffic in the same slice simultaneously, avoiding the need to reprovision the client ports. This enhancement provides you with greater flexibility to configure both Ethernet and OTU interfaces for different client ports on the same slice in the 2-QDD-C card without disrupting the client traffic. Enable this enhancement with the following keywords on the hw-module command:

  • client-port-rate <2-5> | <6-9>

  • client-type <100GE | OTU4>

You can configure the client traffic mode on each trunk in a line card independently. This provides flexibility for the same card to carry both OTN and Ethernet client traffic at the same time across 2 slices.

100G, 200G, and 300G trunk rates are supported on both the slices (slice 0 and slice 1) with different client modes (100GE/OTU4).

From Release 7.10.1, you can configure both Ethernet and OTU interfaces on different client ports on each trunk in the 2-QDD-C line card independently. This enhancement gives you flexibility on the same 2-QDD-C line card to carry both OTN and Ethernet client traffic at the same time in the same slice for each trunk rates.

An additional 400G trunk rate is supported on both the slices (slice 0 and slice 1) with different client modes (100GE/OTU4).

Different-slice mixed client traffic mode and Same-slice mixed client traffic mode

Follow these steps to configure the client traffic mode in a mixed configuration and same slice configuration:

Procedure

1.

Run these commands to configure the card in mixed client traffic mode.

Example:


hw-module location R/S
mxponder-slice 0
  trunk-rate [100G|200G|300G|400G]
  client-rate [100GE|OTU4]
!        
 mxponder-slice 1
  trunk-rate [100G|200G|300G|400G]
  client-rate [OTU4|100GE]
!
!

This is a sample configuration in which the card is configured with mixed client rates in the muxponder slice 0 and 1 mode.


RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#configure
Mon Mar 23 06:10:22.227 UTC
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/1 mxponder-slice 0 client-rate OTU4 trunk-rate 400G 
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/1 mxponder-slice 1 client-rate 100GE trunk-rate 400G
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#commit

This is a sample configuration of the mixed client traffic mode in different slices.


hw-module location 0/0
 mxponder-slice 0
  trunk-rate 400G
  client-rate OTU4
 !
 mxponder-slice 1
  trunk-rate 400G
  client-rate 100GE
 !
!

This is a sample configuration in which both the slices use the same client mode.

hw-module location 0/3
 mxponder
  trunk-rate 350G
  client-rate 100GE
 !
!
2.

Run the show hw-module location mxponder command to verify the card configuration.

Example:


RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#show hw-module location 0/0 mxponder
Location:             0/0
Slice ID:             0
Client Bitrate:       OTU4
Trunk  Bitrate:       400G
Status:               Provisioned
Client Port                     Peer/Trunk Port            CoherentDSP0/0/0/0   
                                Traffic Split Percentage

OTU40/0/0/2                     ODU40/0/0/0/1                      100
OTU40/0/0/3                     ODU40/0/0/0/2                      100
OTU40/0/0/4                     ODU40/0/0/0/3                      100
OTU40/0/0/5                     ODU40/0/0/0/4                      100


Location:             0/0
Slice ID:             1
Client Bitrate:       100GE
Trunk  Bitrate:       400G
Status:               Provisioned
Client Port                     Peer/Trunk Port            CoherentDSP0/0/0/1   
                                Traffic Split Percentage
HundredGigECtrlr0/0/0/6         ODU40/0/0/1/1                         100
HundredGigECtrlr0/0/0/7         ODU40/0/0/1/2                         100
HundredGigECtrlr0/0/0/8         ODU40/0/0/1/3                         100
HundredGigECtrlr0/0/0/9         ODU40/0/0/1/4                         100

This example verifies a configuration in which both slices use the same client mode.

RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios# show hw-module location 0/3 mxponder
Fri Nov 26 12:21:16.174 UTC

Location:             0/3
Client Bitrate:       100GE
Trunk  Bitrate:       350G
Status:               Provisioned
LLDP Drop Enabled:    FALSE
ARP Snoop Enabled:    FALSE
Client Port                     Mapper/Trunk Port          CoherentDSP0/3/0/0   CoherentDSP0/3/0/1
                                Traffic Split Percentage

HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/2         ODU40/3/0/0/1                         100                        0
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/3         ODU40/3/0/0/2                         100                        0
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/4         ODU40/3/0/0/3                         100                        0
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/5         ODU40/3/0/0/4                          50                       50
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/6         ODU40/3/0/1/1                           0                      100
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/7         ODU40/3/0/1/2                           0                      100
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/8         ODU40/3/0/1/3                           0                      100

RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#show hw-module location 0/3 mxponder
Fri Nov 26 12:21:16.174 UTC

Location:             0/3
Client Bitrate:       100GE
Trunk  Bitrate:       350G
Status:               Provisioned
LLDP Drop Enabled:    FALSE
ARP Snoop Enabled:    FALSE
Client Port                     Mapper/Trunk Port          CoherentDSP0/3/0/0   CoherentDSP0/3/0/1      
                                Traffic Split Percentage

HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/2         ODU40/3/0/0/1                         100                        0
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/3         ODU40/3/0/0/2                         100                        0
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/4         ODU40/3/0/0/3                         100                        0
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/5         ODU40/3/0/0/4                          50                       50
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/6         ODU40/3/0/1/1                           0                      100
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/7         ODU40/3/0/1/2                           0                      100
HundredGigECtrlr0/3/0/8         ODU40/3/0/1/3                           0                      100
3.

Run these commands to configure the card in mixed client traffic mode in same slice.

Example:

hw-module location R/S
mxponder-slice 0
  trunk-rate [100G|200G|300G|400G]
  client-port-rate 2 client-type <100GE|OTU4>
!
!        
 mxponder-slice 1
  trunk-rate [100G|200G|300G|400G]
client-port-rate 2 client-type <100GE|OTU4>
!
!

This is a sample configuration in which the card is configured with mixed client rates in the muxponder slice 0 mode.

RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios#configure
Mon Mar 23 06:10:22.227 UTC
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/1 mxponder-slice 0 client-port-rate 2 client-type OTU4 trunk-rate 400G 
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#hw-module location 0/1 mxponder-slice 0 client-port-rate 3 client-type 100GE trunk-rate 400G
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:ios(config)#commit

This is a sample configuration of the mixed client port rate in same slice.

hw-module location 0/0
 mxponder-slice 0
  trunk-rate 200G
  client-port-rate 2 client-type 100G
  client-port-rate 3 client-type otu4
 !
 mxponder-slice 1
  trunk-rate 400G
  client-port-rate 4 client-type 100G
  client-port-rate 8 client-type otu4
 !
!

The 2-QDD-C card carries the configured client traffic mode on each slice (or within the same slice, as enabled), and verification output shows selected client and trunk bit rates with a "Provisioned" status.