Cisco WS-C6500-SFM enterprise networking (router/Catalyst switch/UCS families) Datacentre Switch

The Cisco WS-C6500-SFM is a Catalyst 6500-series Switch Fabric Module, the first-generation central crossbar fabric card for the platform. Fitted alongside a fabric-capable supervisor such as Supervisor Engine 1A, the SFM gives fabric-enabled line cards a dedicated high-speed crossbar connection separate from the chassis’s older shared backplane bus.

This materially increases the aggregate switching bandwidth available compared with a classic bus-only configuration. This first-generation module was later succeeded by the higher-throughput SFM2, but remains a valid and supported way to add centralised-fabric switching to a Catalyst 6500 chassis running an appropriate supervisor and IOS/CatOS combination. Catalyst 6500 chassis of this generation remain in service on many established enterprise and data-centre networks. Tech-Star (UK-based, shipped worldwide) inspects and tests each unit before dispatch; confirm compatibility with your specific supervisor and line-card mix before ordering.