Cisco Catalyst 6800 Series switches carried the Catalyst 6500 architecture into a 10RU modular chassis, two compact aggregation switches, and an Instant Access client for the wiring closet. Every model is now end-of-sale at Cisco, so a 6800 purchase today keeps a working core, aggregation block, or Instant Access design running until you migrate. Browse current listings in the Cisco Catalyst 6800 Switches category.
This guide maps those listings to Cisco's data sheets and end-of-life bulletins. If you are choosing a switch series for a new design, start with the Cisco Switch Buying Guide.
Short answer: Buy Catalyst 6800 hardware to keep an existing 6500-E or 6800 VSS pair or Instant Access block running: a spare chassis, supervisor, port card, or access client that matches what is already installed. For new builds, or anything that needs Cisco security fixes after April 30, 2027, move to Catalyst 9500 or Catalyst 9600. On our listings, -RF means refurbished.
What is in the Catalyst 6800 family?
The Catalyst 6800 family has four platforms: the 7-slot Catalyst 6807-XL modular chassis, the Catalyst 6880-X semi-fixed aggregation switch, the 2RU Catalyst 6840-X fixed backbone switch, and the Catalyst 6800IA Instant Access client. All four run Catalyst 6500-class Cisco IOS software from the 15.x SY train, not IOS XE.
| Platform | Our listings | Form factor | Ports and capacity | Typical role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalyst 6807-XL | C6807-XL-RF | 10RU chassis, 7 slots (2 supervisor, 5 module) | Set by the supervisor and line cards; up to four 3000W AC supplies | Campus core and aggregation |
| Catalyst 6880-X | C6880-X-LE | 4.85RU semi-fixed chassis | 16×10G/1G SFP+ base ports plus 4 port-card slots, up to 80 ports; up to 2 Tbps | Small and midsize campus backbone |
| Catalyst 6840-X | C6824-X-LE-40G, C6824-X-LE-40G-RF | 2RU fixed switch | 24×10G SFP/SFP+ plus 2×40G QSFP; 160 Gbps | Compact MPLS aggregation or Instant Access parent |
| Catalyst 6800IA | C6800IA-48FPD, C6800IA-48FPDR, C6800IA-48TD | 1RU access client | 48×1G PoE+ or data ports plus 2×10G SFP+ uplinks | Remote line card of an Instant Access parent |
What is the Catalyst 6800 end-of-sale and end-of-support status?
Every Catalyst 6800 platform is end-of-sale. The 6807-XL keeps Cisco security fixes and support for existing contracts until April 30, 2027. The 6880-X and 6840-X reached their Last Date of Support on October 31, 2025, and the 6800IA reached it on April 30, 2023. Plan each purchase around those dates.
- Catalyst 6807-XL, including Supervisor Engine 6T and the C6800 line cards: end-of-sale April 30, 2022; last software maintenance release April 30, 2023; service contract renewals closed July 29, 2026; security support and Last Date of Support April 30, 2027.
- Catalyst 6880-X and 6840-X, including C6880-X-LE and C6824-X-LE-40G: end-of-sale October 30, 2020; security support and Last Date of Support October 31, 2025.
- Catalyst 6800IA clients: end-of-sale April 30, 2018; Last Date of Support April 30, 2023.
After the Last Date of Support, Cisco states that all support services are unavailable, so budget for shelf spares and third-party maintenance.
When does buying Catalyst 6800 hardware still make sense?
Buy 6800 hardware when it protects a working design you are not ready to replace: a failed member of a VSS pair, a cold spare for a core chassis, more access ports on an existing Instant Access parent, or a lab that must match production. Keep quantities small and tie every order to a migration date.
- VSS pairs: Cisco supports VSS between any two of the four 6840-X models, and 6880-X pairs should match onboard memory.
- Mixed 6500-E and 6807-XL estates: Supervisor Engine 6T runs in Catalyst 6500-E chassis and the 6807-XL, so one spare supervisor can cover both. See Cisco Catalyst 6500-E Series for 6500-E chassis.
- Instant Access growth: add C6800IA clients only to a parent you already run.
Which Catalyst 6807-XL parts do you need?
A 6807-XL chassis listing is the frame, so plan supervisors, line cards, power supplies, and the fan tray on the same quote, and confirm what ships with the unit. Cisco's data sheet lists 7 slots in 10RU, supervisors in slots 3 and 4, five module slots, up to four 3000W AC supplies, and side-to-side airflow.
Our C6807-XL-RF takes Supervisor Engine 6T or Supervisor Engine 2T. C6800-SUP6T-RF and C6800-SUP6T-XL each have 8×1G/10G SFP+ and 2×40G QSFP uplinks and 4 GB of DRAM, and need Cisco IOS 15.3(1)SY or later; the XL version raises IPv4 routes from 256K to as many as 1024K. Supervisor Engine 2T models VS-S2T-10G and VS-S2T-10G-XL are also supported in the 6807-XL.
With Supervisor Engine 6T, Cisco lists C6800-16P10G (16×10G), C6800-32P10G-XL and C6800-8P10G-XL-RF (32 and 8 ports of 10G with XL tables), C6800-8P40G (8×40G), and C6800-48P-SFP and C6800-48P-TX (48×1G fiber or copper) as compatible, along with 6500-E cards such as WS-X6904-40G-2T. Add the C6807-XL-FAN-RF fan tray if needed.
How do the Catalyst 6880-X and 6840-X compare?
Choose by port count and growth. The 6880-X starts with 16×10G/1G SFP+ ports and grows to 80 with four hot-swappable port cards in 4.85RU. The 6840-X is a 2RU fixed switch; our C6824-X-LE-40G has 24×10G SFP/SFP+ ports plus 2×40G QSFP. Both support VSS, MPLS, VPLS, and Instant Access parent mode.
Catalyst 6880-X: C6880-X-LE is the standard-tables chassis, with 256K IPv4 routes, 64K ACL entries, up to 2 Tbps of switching capacity, and dual 3000W supplies. Each port card adds 16 ports of 10G or 1G: C6880-X-LE-16P10G is the standard-tables card and C6880-X-16P10G is the XL-tables card. 6880-X-LE units shipped from March 2016 have 4 GB of onboard memory instead of 2 GB.
Catalyst 6840-X: C6824-X-LE-40G, also listed refurbished as C6824-X-LE-40G-RF, delivers up to 160 Gbps full duplex and 120 Mpps, with 128K MAC addresses, 256K IPv4 routes, and 1+1 750W power supplies. Its two 40G QSFP ports can instead break out to 8×10G. It has acted as an Instant Access parent on its onboard ports since IOS 15.2(2)SY.
How does Catalyst 6800IA Instant Access work?
A 6800IA is not a standalone switch. It runs only as an Instant Access client: a remote line card configured, upgraded, and managed from a parent 6500-E or 6807-XL with Supervisor Engine 2T or 6T, or from a 6880-X or 6840-X. The parent runs in VSS mode. Buy one only if that parent already exists.
All three models have 48×1G ports and two 10G SFP+ uplinks. C6800IA-48TD is data only. C6800IA-48FPD has a 740W PoE budget, enough for 30W PoE+ on any 24 ports or 15.4W PoE on all 48, from a single built-in supply. C6800IA-48FPDR adds two removable 1025W supplies, each with a 740W PoE budget, for redundancy.
Clients stack over FlexStack-Plus at 80 Gbps, up to five per stack on IOS 15.2(1)SY1 and later, with CAB-STK-E-0.5M, CAB-STK-E-1M, or CAB-STK-E-3M cables. A 6880-X parent supports up to 42 clients and 2,016 host ports. Cisco's end-of-life notice pointed 6800IA owners to its Catalyst 3K/4K access families, whose current successors are Catalyst 9300 and Cisco Catalyst 9400 Switches.
How is the Catalyst 6800 licensed?
Catalyst 6800 uses classic Cisco IOS feature sets, not a subscription or term license. Cisco lists IP Services and Advanced Enterprise Services for the 6880-X, 6840-X, and Supervisor Engine 6T. Instant Access clients take their image and features from the parent switch.
Match the IOS release and feature set across a VSS pair, and confirm the installed image on refurbished units before production use. The Cisco Networking Subscription applies to the Catalyst 9000 replacements, not the 6800: Catalyst 9500 offers Switching Essentials or Switching Advantage, and Catalyst 9600 offers Switching Advantage only.
When should you move to Catalyst 9500 or 9600?
Move when you need Cisco TAC, security fixes after April 30, 2027, IOS XE, 25G or 100G ports, or a fresh design. Cisco's bulletins name C9606R as the 6807-XL replacement, the 24-port 25G Catalyst 9500 for the C6824-X-LE-40G, and the 48-port 25G Catalyst 9500 or Catalyst 9600 for the C6880-X-LE. Each target runs IOS XE with Cisco support.
- 6807-XL core: move to Cisco Catalyst 9600 Switches on the C9606R 6-slot chassis. Cisco maps the C6800 10G line cards to C9600-LC-48YL and C6800-48P-TX to C9600-LC-48TX.
- 6880-X and 6840-X aggregation: move to Cisco Catalyst 9500 Switches such as C9500-24Y4C-E or C9500-24Y4C-A (24×25G SFP28 plus 4×100G) and C9500-48Y4C-E or C9500-48Y4C-A (48×25G SFP28 plus 4×100G).
What should a Catalyst 6800 RFQ include?
Confirm these items before you request a quote so we can match the chassis, supervisor, line cards, power, and any Instant Access parts in one quote.
- Platform and exact part number, plus whether the unit joins a VSS pair or an Instant Access parent
- Supervisor (Supervisor Engine 6T or 2T, standard or XL) and the IOS 15.x SY release in production
- Line cards or port cards, optics, power supplies, and fan tray
- Onboard memory on C6880-X-LE units, matched across a VSS pair
- Feature set: IP Services or Advanced Enterprise Services
- Support plan after Cisco's Last Date of Support, and your Catalyst 9500 or 9600 migration date
- Condition: new, spare (=), or refurbished (-RF), plus quantity and delivery date
Cisco Catalyst 6800 FAQ
Is the Cisco Catalyst 6800 end of life?
Yes. Every Catalyst 6800 platform is end-of-sale. The 6807-XL keeps Cisco support for existing contracts until April 30, 2027. The 6880-X and 6840-X reached their Last Date of Support on October 31, 2025, and the 6800IA reached it on April 30, 2023.
What replaces the Catalyst 6807-XL?
Cisco names the Catalyst 9600 C9606R chassis as the 6807-XL replacement, with C9600-LC-48YL replacing the C6800 10G line cards. For the 6880-X and 6840-X, Cisco points to Catalyst 9500 models such as C9500-24Y4C-E and C9500-48Y4C-E.
Can a C6800IA work as a standalone switch?
No. The Catalyst 6800IA runs only as an Instant Access client. It is configured and upgraded from a parent 6500-E or 6807-XL with Supervisor Engine 2T or 6T, or from a 6880-X or 6840-X, and the parent runs in VSS mode.
How much PoE does the C6800IA-48FPD provide?
740W of PoE: 30W PoE+ on any 24 ports or 15.4W PoE on all 48 ports. The C6800IA-48FPDR has the same 740W budget per power supply and adds two removable 1025W supplies for redundancy.
What licenses does the Catalyst 6800 use?
Cisco IOS feature sets, not a subscription. The 6880-X, 6840-X, and Supervisor Engine 6T run IP Services or Advanced Enterprise Services, and Instant Access clients inherit features from the parent. The Cisco Networking Subscription applies to Catalyst 9000 replacements, not the 6800.
What does -RF mean on a Catalyst 6800 listing?
On M&F Collaboration listings, -RF means refurbished. For example, C6807-XL-RF is a refurbished Catalyst 6807-XL chassis, so confirm its installed IOS release before production use.
About this guide
Prepared by M&F Collaboration, a B2B reseller of Cisco networking, collaboration, power, and UCS hardware based in West Chicago, Illinois. End-of-sale and end-of-support dates were checked against the Cisco end-of-life notices listed on the Catalyst 6800 Series support page, and specifications against Cisco data sheets such as the Catalyst 6807-XL data sheet. When a marketplace listing title disagrees with Cisco's data sheet, we follow the data sheet.
Need a Catalyst 6800 quote?
Send us the platform, part numbers, supervisor, VSS or Instant Access role, and the date you need the hardware. We will match chassis, supervisors, line cards, port cards, and Instant Access clients, new or refurbished, and can quote a Catalyst 9500 or 9600 path alongside.
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