Cisco 8500 Series Secure Routers

Data sheet

Cisco 8500 Series Secure Routers Data Sheet

Last updated:  June 10, 2025.

 

Overview

Cisco 8500 Series Secure Routers deliver secure networking simplified. Powered by the third-generation Quantum Flow Processor (QFP) ASIC for high throughput and scale, and the unified Cisco secure networking platform, the Cisco 8500 Series Secure Routers deliver robust, platform-level security, advanced performance engineering via routing and SD-WAN, and on-premises, infrastructure-as-code, or cloud management flexibility that enables businesses to seamlessly scale and grow. Each class of secure routers is designed to deliver risk reduction, enhanced reliability, and future readiness.

Platform highlights

Purpose-built for datacenter and colocation environments, the Cisco 8500 Series Secure Routers offer massive scalability and granular traffic optimization. With support for high-throughput workloads, physical guardrails, and advanced automation, the 8500 Series ensures your datacenter infrastructure remains fast, secure, and futureready for exponential growth and evolving demands.

Industries:

  • Public Sector
  • Financial services
  • Technology
  • Large enterprises

Sites:

  • Enterprise data centers
  • Colocation

Use Cases:

  • Secure WAN aggregation for high-performance, scalable routing for massive data flows
  • Secure interconnects between data centers and clouds

Key features and benefits

  • Dedicated Quantum Flow Processor ASIC for fast cryptography and deep packet inspection
  • Hardware acceleration ensures high throughput and scale

  • Compact 1RU form factor
  • Front-panel accessibility for label trays

  • Future-proofs security with advanced, quantum-resistant encryption

Models and specifications

The Cisco 8500 Series Secure Routers are 1 RU fixed form factor devices. There are two models: Cisco 8550-G2 and 8570-G2. Cisco 8550-G2 provides 12 x 10GE ports, whereas the Cisco 8570-G2 provides 12 x 10GE, 2 x 40GE, and 2 x 100GE ports (max 240GE of ports enabled simultaneously).

Figure 1. Front View of a Cisco C8550-G2 Secure Router
Table 1. Front panel of Cisco C8550-G2 Secure Router
LabelDescription
1RFID
2USB 3.0 Type C Storage
3Management RJ45 Port
4Console RJ45 / Micro-USB Port
512 x 1/10G SFP+ Ports
6Label Tray
Figure 2. Front View of a Cisco C8570-G2 Secure Router
Table 2 Front panel of Cisco C8570-G2 Secure Router
LabelDescription
1RFID
2USB 3.0 Type C Storage
3Management RJ45 Port
4Console RJ45 / Micro-USB Port
5Bay 2: 1x 40/100G QSFP28, 2x 40G QSFP+
6Bay 1: 1x 40/100G QSFP28, 4x 1/10G SFP+
7Bay 0: 8x 1/10G SFP+
8Label Tray
Table 3. Technical specifications
 Cisco Secure Router
C8550-G2
Cisco Secure Router
C8570-G2
Interfaces
WAN Ports12x 1/10GE (SFP+)12x 1/10GE (SFP+)
2x 40GE (QSFP+)
2x 40/100GE (QSFP28)
Note: max 240GE ports can be enabled simultaneously
WAN MacSupported in all built-in portsSupported in all built-in ports
Management Port1x RJ45 OOB Management
1x RJ45 / 1x Micro-USB
1x RJ45 OOB Management
1x RJ45 / 1x Micro-USB
Memory and Storage
DRAM32GB (default)
64GB
32GB (default)
64GB
Storage480GB (default)480GB (default)
Power Supply

750W AC

950W DC

750W AC

950W DC
Throughput
Forwarding (512B)Up to 115 GbpsUp to 190 Gbps
IPsec (512B)Up to 48 GbpsUp to 63 Gbps
SD-WAN* (512B)Up to 19 GbpsUp to 21 Gbps
Scale
IPv4/IPv6 routes8M+8M+
IPsec tunnels10,00010,000
* SD-WAN feature combination: IPsec + QoS + Deep Packet Inspection + Flexible Netflow
Table 4. Physical specifications
 Cisco Secure Router
C8550-G2
Cisco Secure Router
C8570-G2
Dimensions (H x W x D)1.73 in. x 17.50 in. x 18.46 in.1.73 in. x 17.50 in. x18.46 in.
Rack units (RU)1 RU1 RU
Chassis weight with 2x AC powersupplies and fan tray20.6 lbs21 lbs
Operating temperature32°F to 104°F32°F to 104°F
Storage temperature-40°F to 150°F-40°F to 150°F
Relative humidityOperating: 10 to 85%
Non-operating and storage:5 to 95%
Operating: 10 to 85%
Non-operating and storage:5 to 95%
NEBS criteria levelsGR-1089 and GR-63GR-1089 and GR-63
Altitude-500 to 10,000 feet
(-152 to 3048 meters)
-500 to 10,000 feet
(-152 to 3048 meters)

Software management

Software

The minimum Cisco IOS XE release versions for the Cisco 8500 Series Secure Routers are listed below:

 Device OSCisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager
Cisco C8550-G2Starting IOS XE 17.15.3Starting SD-WAN Release 20.15.3
Cisco C8570-G2Starting IOS XE 17.15.3Starting SD-WAN Release 20.15.3

Ordering information

For a detailed overview of the ordering process, please visit the Cisco 8500 Series Secure Routers Ordering Guide

Warranty

Cisco 8500 Series Secure Routers come standard with a Cisco Limited 2-Year Return To Factory Hardware Warranty. For more information, refer to: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/warranties/warr-2yr-ltd-hw.html

Sustainability profile

Cisco is embedding sustainability into the product lifecycle—from manufacturing to end of use. Designed with consideration for Cisco’s Circular Design Principles, our products feature both individual and portfolio-wide programs and innovations, including those that address efficient architecture design, power consumption, energy management, packaging sustainability, and takeback. These elements are pivotal in reducing operational costs and advancing net-zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions targets, and other sustainability-related ambitions.

Information about Cisco’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives and performance is available in Cisco’s Purpose Reporting Hub.

Table 5. Sustainability references
Sustainability topicDescription
Energy managementEnergy Management dashboardThe Energy Management dashboard on the Catalyst SD-WAN Manager offers comprehensive energy management capabilities, allowing users to monitor energy usage, energy mix, costs, and greenhouse gas in real time.

Energy Management
Environmental monitoring configurationThe environmental monitoring chapter in the System Management Configuration Guide provides guidelines for configuring monitoring of environmental conditions of chassis components.
EcolabelsENERGY STAR®Cisco 8500 Series Secure Routers are ENERGY STAR certified and meet energy-efficiency specifications set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), helping customers save energy and money while helping to protect the environment, improve air quality, and protect public health.
80 PLUS Platinum / Titanium Certified Power Supply UnitsCisco 8500 Series Secure Routers support high-efficiency power supply units. 80 PLUS Platinum Certified PSUs offer up to 94% efficiency at 50% load and titanium PSUs reaching up to 96% efficiency at 50% load at 230V input.
Materials, modularity, and reuseHardware standardization and modularityCisco 8500 Series Secure Routers uses standard subassemblies and common components across products to streamline production and enhance repairability and upgradability.
Simplified architectureCisco 8500 Series Secure Routers offer a simplified architecture by consolidating multiple dis-creet ASIC/NPU components into a central system-on-chip (SoC) architecture, providing multiple dis-crete functions in a more integrated design.
Materials, modularity, and reusePowder-coat finishCisco 8500 Series Secure Routers use a powder-coating finish instead of oil-based wet paint. In comparison, a powder-coating finish reduces the amount of harmful solvents used and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted during the painting process.
Bezel-free designCisco 8500 Series Secure Routers use a bezel-free design reducing plastic usage.
Cisco Takeback and ReuseThis program allows customers to return used equipment for responsible recycling and reuse.

Takeback and Reuse Program
Cisco RefreshThis program offers certified remanufactured products, providing cost-effective alternatives to new equipment.

Cisco Refresh
Foam reductionCisco 8000 Series Secure Routers are packaged with corrugated and fiber flute materials, containing minimum 25% post-consumer recycled content.

Circular economy and packaging sustainability
Accessory opt-inAccessory opt-in allows customers to select whether to include the accessory kit. Not including the kit results in using fewer materials and reducing waste. The default is now to not include the kit unless it is required.
Regulatory complianceEnvironmental complianceInformation regarding Cisco compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations is available at the Environmental Compliance section of Cisco’s Purpose Reporting Hub.

Environmental compliance
Product Approvals Status (PAS)Information regarding the certification status for given Cisco products in certain countries is available at Cisco’s self-service PAS database.

PAS database
Product-related materials complianceThis page addresses Cisco’s position regarding relevant product-related materials legislation, such as Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS); Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).

RoHS and REACH
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), battery, and packaging complianceThis page discusses Cisco’s position regarding relevant productrelated legislation on recycling, battery, and packaging.

WEEE, battery and packaging
Cisco packaging materials and codesThis table provides packaging material identification for packaging used for Cisco products.

Packaging materials and codes
GeneralSustainability inquiriesFor ESG or CSR inquiries, please contact your Cisco account team.
Cisco policies, positions, and guidesLinks to select Cisco’s Environmental Sustainability policies, positions, and guides are provided in the “Policies, positions, and guides” section of Cisco’s Purpose Reporting Hub.

Policies, positions, and guides
Cisco Green PayThis page provides an overview of Cisco Green Pay, a financing program aimed at promoting more sustainable technology adoption by providing flexible payment options.

Green Pay

Appendix

Safety and compliance

Chassis

This section below lists the safety and compliance information for the Cisco 8500 Series Secure Routers chassis.

Safety and certifications

 

EMI and EMC compliance
  • UL 60950-1
  • CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60950-1
  • EN 60950-1
  • IEC 60950-1
  • AS/NZS 60950-1
  • GB4943
  • 47 CFR Part 15 Class A
  • ICES 003 Class A
  • AS/NZS CISPR 32 Class A
  • CISPR 22/CISPR 32 Class A
  • EN55022/EN55032 Class A
  • VCCI Class A
  • KN32 Class A
  • IEC/EN 61000-3-2: Power Line Harmonics
  • IEC/EN 61000-3-3: Voltage Fluctuations and Flicker
  • IEC/EN-61000-4-2: Electrostatic Discharge Immunity
  • IEC/EN-61000-4-3: Radiated Immunity
  • IEC/EN-61000-4-4: Electrical Fast Transient Immunity
  • IEC/EN-61000-4-5: Surge AC, DC, and Signal Ports
  • IEC/EN-61000-4-6: Immunity to Conducted Disturbances
  • IEC/EN-61000-4-11: Voltage DIPS, Short Interruptions, and Voltage Variations
  • KN35
  • EN300 386: Telecommunications Network Equipment (EMC)
  • EN55022: Information Technology Equipment (Emissions)
  • EN55032: Multimedia Equipment (Emissions)
  • EN55024: Information Technology Equipment (Immunity)
  • EN55035: Multimedia Equipment (Immunity)
  • EN50082-1/EN-61000-6-1: Generic Immunity Standard

Document history

New or revised topicDescribed inDate
Document createdDatasheetJune 10, 2025

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Bias-free language

The documentation set for this product strives to use bias-free language. For the purposes of this documentation set, bias-free is defined as language that does not imply discrimination based on age, disability, gender, racial identity, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. Exceptions may be present in the documentation due to language that is hardcoded in the user interfaces of the product software, language used based on RFP documentation, or language that is used by a referenced third-party product. Learn more about how Cisco is using inclusive language.