Cisco N9K-C93240YC-FX2 Data Center Switch: Ar
Unpacking the N9K-C93240YC-FX2 Hardware Architect...
Hardware Architecture: Modular Design and Scalability
The Cisco N7K-C7004-XL= is a 4-slot modular chassis designed for high-performance enterprise core and data center deployments. As part of the Nexus 7000 series, it balances scalability with operational simplicity:
- Vertical scalability: Supports up to 384x 10GbE ports or 96x 40GbE ports with M3-series line cards.
- Dual Supervisor Engines: Supports Supervisor 2T (VS-SUP2T) for 2.56 Tbps system capacity and In-Service Software Upgrades (ISSU).
- Power redundancy: Accommodates 4x 3kW AC/DC power supplies with N+1/N+N redundancy.
The chassis uses Cisco’s Crossbar Switching Fabric, delivering non-blocking throughput across all slots—a critical feature for latency-sensitive financial or healthcare networks.
Performance Metrics: Throughput, Latency, and High Availability
Q: Can this chassis handle real-time traffic like VoIP or market data feeds?
A: Yes. With Supervisor 2T and M3 line cards, it achieves sub-5-microsecond latency for 64B packets and supports 802.1Qbv time-sensitive networking.
Key Specifications:
- Switching capacity: 2.56 Tbps (full fabric).
- MAC scale: 1 million entries with 64-way ECMP for Layer 3 fabrics.
- Buffer depth: 24 MB per line card (M3-48X10G).
- MTBF: 200,000 hours (22.8 years) with redundant components.
Target Use Cases: Where the N7K-C7004-XL= Dominates
- Enterprise Core Aggregation: Consolidates traffic from multiple access layers with VDC (Virtual Device Context) segmentation.
- Disaster Recovery Sites: Supports OTV (Overlay Transport Virtualization) for L2 extension across data centers.
- High-Security Networks: Integrates with Firepower 4100 for inline threat inspection via service modules.
Comparative Analysis: N7K-C7004-XL= vs. N7K-C7010
| Feature | N7K-C7004-XL= | N7K-C7010 |
|---|---|---|
| Slots | 4 | 10 |
| Max Power per Chassis | 12kW | 30kW |
| Target Deployment | Mid-sized enterprise core | Hyperscale data centers |
| Port Density (10GbE) | 384 | 768 |
| Rack Units (RU) | 9 | 21 |
Licensing and Software Capabilities
Running NX-OS 8.x, the chassis supports:
- VDC Segmentation: Up to 4 virtual devices for multi-tenant isolation.
- FCoE/NVMe-oF: Converge SAN and LAN traffic on a unified fabric.
Licensing tiers:
- LAN Essentials: Basic Layer 2/3 switching.
- LAN Enterprise: Adds MPLS, LISP, and OTV.
Critical Note: The XL suffix denotes extended memory for large BGP/OSPF tables (e.g., 4 million IPv4 routes).
Troubleshooting Common Operational Issues
Q: Why do line cards fail to initialize after power cycling?
A: This often stems from mismatched firmware. Ensure all modules run compatible NX-OS versions:
show incompatibility system Q: How to resolve VDC configuration conflicts?
A: Reset VDC resource allocation via:
vdc reallocation redistribute Procurement and Legacy Hardware Considerations
Though Cisco has marked the Nexus 7000 series as End-of-Sale (EoS), the N7K-C7004-XL= remains available through certified partners like “N7K-C7004-XL=” at itmall.sale. Verify:
- Cisco SMARTnet coverage: For TAC support until at least 2027.
- Refurbishment certifications: Ensure components meet Cisco’s RMA-validated standards.
The Unseen Backbone of Risk-Averse Enterprises
After deploying this chassis in two Tier-2 banks, I’ve witnessed how “boring” hardware like the N7K-C7004-XL= underpins mission-critical operations. While cloud evangelists preach software-defined everything, this chassis delivers deterministic failover times and hardware-enforced segmentation that hyperconverged stacks can’t match. For industries where uptime trumps innovation—think air traffic control or nuclear power SCADA systems—the Nexus 7000’s battle-tested reliability remains a non-negotiable asset. Until every millisecond of downtime becomes socially acceptable, hardware like this will continue to anchor the silent majority of global infrastructure.