Based on the Cisco Global Cloud Index digitalization is projected to grow global data center and public/private cloud networks traffic more than 25 percent annually resulting in a threefold increase by 2019. To help network providers meet these challenges the Cisco^® Network Convergence System 5500 Series is built with features such as high port densities deep packet buffering and forwarding hardware optimized for these types of deployments.

The Cisco NCS 55A1 are the second generation of fixed chassis available for the Cisco NCS 5500 Series. That new series offers three fixed configuration chassis the NCS 55A1-36H-S NCS 55A1-36H-SE-S and NCS 55A1-24H. These systems provide functionality vital to both the Top of Rack (ToR) and spine or leaf roles common to modern spine-and-leaf architectures. Capabilities such as advanced packet classification segment routing ultra-wide ECMP programmable network management and telemetry are added to the robust and mature features already present in Cisco IOS^® XR Software Release 6.0.0.