Cisco 8223-64E-M | 8200 Series 64-Port 800G Router, 51.2 Tbps, 3RU

Q: What is the primary use case for the Cisco 8223-64E-M?
A: The 8223-64E-M is designed for data center interconnect, distributed AI workloads, scale-across networking between geographically dispersed data centers, and high-capacity provider core applications. It excels in environments requiring high bandwidth, deep buffers for bursty traffic, and secure connectivity over long distances up to 1,000 km with coherent optics.

Q: What is the difference between the 8223-64E-M and 8223-64EF-M models?
A: The 8223-64E-M supports 64x 800G QSFP-DD800 optics, while the 8223-64EF-M supports 64x 800G OSFP optics. Both deliver the same 51.2 Tbps capacity and feature set, with the difference being the physical optical form factor. The -M suffix indicates IOS XR operating system, while -MO variants run SONiC.

Q: Does the 8223-64E-M support network automation and telemetry?
A: Yes, the 8223-64E-M fully supports modern automation protocols including Segment Routing (SR and SRv6), EVPN, NETCONF, gRPC, YANG data models, and streaming telemetry. These capabilities enable zero-touch provisioning, intent-based networking, and real-time network monitoring for large-scale deployments.

Q: What security features does this router provide?
A: The 8223-64E-M includes line-rate MACsec encryption on all 64 ports for data-in-transit protection, with support for post-quantum resilient encryption algorithms. It also features integrated security monitoring tools and can be managed through Cisco's network assurance platforms for continuous security posture assessment.

Q: Can the 8223-64E-M be used in existing data center infrastructure?
A: Yes, the 8223-64E-M integrates seamlessly into existing infrastructure with backward compatibility for QSFP+, QSFP28, and QSFP56-DD optics. It supports both native Ethernet and Routed Optical Network (RON) architectures with 400G DCO optics, making it suitable for brownfield upgrades or greenfield deployments.