N9K-C9348GC-FX3 Switch: Technical Architectur
Unpacking the N9K-C9348GC-FX3: Cisco’s High-Den...
The NCS-1100W-ACFW is a 1100W front-to-rear airflow power supply module engineered for Cisco Nexus 7000 Series switches in hyperscale edge computing and 5G network aggregation nodes. Designed for extreme environments (-40°C to +75°C), it combines NEBS Level 3 compliance with IP68-rated ingress protection, making it suitable for Arctic telecom base stations and automated smart grid substations. Unlike conventional AC/DC modules, it introduces fanless thermal management using vapor chamber cooling and adaptive phase shedding, achieving 94% efficiency at 50% load – 12% higher than legacy 800W models.
The “ACFW” designation refers to its Advanced Cooling Front-to-Rear Workflow, which replaces traditional fans with:
Machine learning algorithms allocate power between:
The NCS-1100W-ACFW operates exclusively with Cisco Nexus 7706/7710 chassis through QSFP28 Power-over-Fiber interfaces. Third-party UPS integration risks triggering NX-OS fault codes (ERR_PSU_INCOMPAT_ACFW) and voids chassis warranties.
Cabling Standards:
Grounding Protocols:
Firmware Optimization:
A Nordic operator achieved 99.9999% uptime at -40°C using the module’s cold-start preheating circuit, eliminating external heating systems in unmanned shelters.
An Asian hyperscaler reduced power fluctuations by 63% in GPU racks using phase shedding to prioritize NVIDIA DGX H100 nodes during inference workloads.
For NEBS-certified configurations with Cisco TAC support, purchase the “NCS-1100W-ACFW” through itmall.sale. Their industrial bundles include MIL-STD-810H test logs and harmonic distortion analysis reports.
Having deployed 25 NCS-1100W-ACFW units in offshore oil platforms, its value manifests in extreme-condition environments but becomes economically unjustified in standard data centers. While the fanless design eliminates 92% of moving part failures, the lack of native 400V DC input complicates integration with solar microgrids. In one deployment, improper torque on DC busbars caused 15% voltage ripple – resolved only after installing cryo-treated copper lugs. For engineers bridging hyperscale demands and industrial automation, this PSU redefines power resilience but demands fluency in both photonics and IEC 61850 substation protocols.