Where does line card software run on the NCS 4016 and 4009 platforms?

Question

Options

• Aon the line card
• Bon the route processor
• Con the fabric
• Don an external server

• A
  6% (2)
• B
  90% (28)
• C
  3% (1)

Explanation

On the Cisco NCS 4016 and 4009 platforms, line card software is centrally hosted and executed on the Route Processor (RP), making B correct. This is a deliberate architectural design where the RP handles the software execution for line cards rather than each card running its own local software stack.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A (on the line card) - This is the intuitive guess, but these platforms offload software execution to the RP; the line cards themselves don't run their own software independently.
• C (on the fabric) - The fabric cards handle switching/interconnect between line cards, not software execution.
• D (on an external server) - No external server is involved in normal line card software operation on these platforms.

Memory tip: Think "NCS 40xx = centralized control." Unlike distributed architectures where each card is self-sufficient, the NCS 4016/4009 use the Route Processor as the brain for line card software - the RP runs it all.

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