'QSFP'}
Cisco
Cisco NCS-5501-SE Refurbished - 40x10GE + 4x100GE Router
MPN: NCS-5501-SE
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Lifetime
Warranty
ISO 9001
Certified Testing
R2v3
Responsible Refurb
25+
Years
5K+
Customers
ISO
Certified
✓
Tested
Every WhaleyComm unit is professionally tested, reset to factory defaults, and certified by our in-house engineers — the same standard trusted by 5,000+ organisations across 25 years. Not a refurb marketplace. A certified lifecycle partner.
Tested to factory specification. Backed by 25 years of enterprise trust.
The Refurbished Cisco NCS-5501-SE is a purpose-built network convergence system router engineered for demanding service provider edge, peering, and aggregation environments. Offering a combination of 40x10GE SFP+ access ports and 4x100GE QSFP uplink ports, this fixed-configuration 1RU platform provides the port density and forwarding capacity needed to handle modern high-bandwidth traffic demands without sacrificing rack space.Built on Cisco's NCS 5500 series architecture, the NCS-5501-SE is designed to run IOS XR, Cisco's carrier-grade operating system known for its modular design, in-service software upgrades, and rich programmability features. This enables network operators to automate workflows, implement segment routing, and support MPLS-based services with confidence.
The "SE" (Scale Enhanced) designation indicates expanded routing table capacity compared to the base NCS-5501, making it well-suited for environments requiring full Internet routing tables or large-scale VPN deployments. Its deep buffer architecture helps manage traffic bursts common in peering and transit scenarios.
Sourced, tested, and fulfilled by WhaleyComm, this Refurbished unit undergoes inspection to ensure it meets operational standards — giving your organization access to carrier-grade routing infrastructure at a fraction of the new-unit cost. Ideal for service providers, internet exchanges, large enterprise WAN edges, and data center interconnect use cases.
Technical Specifications
{'Model'
'NCS-5501-SE', 'Brand': 'Cisco', 'Series': 'NCS 5500', 'Form Factor': '1RU Fixed', '10GE SFP+ Ports': '40', '100GE QSFP Ports': '4', 'Operating System': 'Cisco IOS XR', 'Condition': 'Refurbished', 'Port Type (Access)': 'SFP+', 'Port Type (Uplink)': 'QSFP'}
Ideal Use Cases
Service Provider Edge Routing
The NCS-5501-SE is well-suited for service provider edge deployments requiring full Internet routing table support and high-density 10GE access connectivity. Its SE-variant scale enhancements accommodate the large routing table sizes typical of peering and transit roles.
Data Center Interconnect (DCI)
With 4x100GE uplink capacity and robust MPLS support under IOS XR, this platform can serve as a cost-effective DCI router connecting geographically distributed data center facilities. The high-bandwidth uplinks ensure low-latency, high-throughput connectivity between sites.
Enterprise WAN Aggregation
Large enterprises with complex WAN requirements can leverage the NCS-5501-SE to aggregate multiple 10GE branch or regional connections into 100GE backbone uplinks. IOS XR's programmability and segment routing support simplify policy management across large-scale WAN topologies.
What's Included
✔ Cisco NCS-5501-SE Refurbished Router Unit
✔ Power Supply (configuration may vary — confirm at time of order)
✔ Rack Mounting Hardware
✔ WhaleyComm Fulfillment & Inspection Verification
Lifetime Warranty - No Time Limits. No Questions.
Every WhaleyComm unit ships with a Lifetime Warranty. If it fails under normal operating conditions at any point, we replace it. 25 years, 5,000+ customers.
Compatibility Details
Review supported optics, cables, software, management protocols, and environment-specific compatibility guidance.
✓
The Cisco NCS-5501-SE runs Cisco IOS XR and is compatible with Cisco's NCS 5500 series ecosystem. It supports standard SFP+ transceivers on 10GE ports and QSFP transceivers on 100GE uplink ports, compatible with a broad range of Cisco and MSA-compliant optics. The platform integrates with Cisco Network Services Orchestrator (NSO) for automation, and supports industry-standard protocols including MPLS, BGP, IS-IS, OSPF, and Segment Routing. Compatible with Cisco's broader service provider routing portfolio for multi-chassis and hierarchical network designs. [Verify specific IOS XR version compatibility and optics qualification list with WhaleyComm prior to deployment.]
Shipping & Returns
Clear fulfilment, tracking, return, warranty, and support information for enterprise hardware orders.
Shipping
Orders ship within 1-2 business days.
Returns
Contact support for DOA or warranty issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Product-specific answers about compatibility, testing, warranty, fulfilment, and purchase confidence.
The "SE" stands for Scale Enhanced, indicating that this variant supports a larger routing table capacity compared to the base NCS-5501 model. This makes it suitable for environments that require full Internet BGP routing tables or large-scale VPN deployments.
The NCS-5501-SE runs Cisco IOS XR, a carrier-grade, modular operating system designed for high availability and programmability. It supports in-service software upgrades (ISSU) and integrates with modern network automation frameworks.
Yes. As a Refurbished unit fulfilled by WhaleyComm, the NCS-5501-SE undergoes an inspection process to verify operational condition before shipment. Please contact WhaleyComm directly for details on testing standards and available warranty options.
The 10GE SFP+ ports support standard SFP+ form factor transceivers, while the 4x100GE uplink ports use QSFP form factor transceivers. Both Cisco-branded and MSA-compliant optics may be used, though Cisco IOS XR may generate alerts for non-Cisco optics. We recommend confirming transceiver compatibility with WhaleyComm prior to purchase.
Cisco NCS-5501-SE Refurbished - 40x10GE + 4x100GE Router
$6,900.00
