Cisco SLES-2S-LP-D3S= Low-Power Dual-Slot Module: Technical Specifications and Deployment Strategies

​​Product Overview and Core Functionality​​

The ​​Cisco SLES-2S-LP-D3S=​​ is a ​​low-power, high-density dual-slot module​​ designed for enterprise and data center environments requiring energy-efficient network expansion. This module integrates with Cisco’s modular switching platforms to deliver ​​40G/100G Ethernet connectivity​​ while minimizing power consumption. It supports ​​Layer 2/3 features​​, including ​​VXLAN routing​​ and ​​MACsec encryption​​, making it ideal for scalable, secure network architectures.

​​Technical Specifications and Performance Metrics​​

​​Hardware Architecture​​

• ​​Port Configuration​​: ​​16×25G SFP28​​ or ​​4×100G QSFP28​​ ports per slot, supporting ​​breakout modes​​ for flexible deployment.
• ​​Power Efficiency​​: ​​≤3.5W per port​​ under full load, compliant with ​​Energy Star 3.0​​ and ​​80 PLUS Platinum​​ standards.
• ​​Buffer Capacity​​: ​​24 MB shared packet buffer​​ per slot, enabling ​​low-latency forwarding​​ at line rate.

​​Environmental and Mechanical Design​​

• ​​Thermal Tolerance​​: Operates at ​​0°C to 40°C​​ with ​​adaptive fan control​​ for dynamic cooling.
• ​​Form Factor​​: ​​Front-to-back airflow​​ design, compatible with ​​Cisco Nexus 9500 Series​​ chassis.
• ​​Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)​​: ​​200,000 hours​​ (22.8 years) under typical conditions.

​​Target Applications and Industry Use Cases​​

​​Hyperscale Data Centers​​

• ​​Spine-Leaf Clos Fabrics​​: Provides ​​non-blocking throughput​​ for ​​Cisco ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure)​​ deployments, reducing oversubscription to ​​1:1​​.
• ​​NVMe-oF Storage Networks​​: Achieves ​​<5 μs latency​​ for ​​RoCEv2 (RDMA over Converged Ethernet)​​ traffic between all-flash arrays and compute nodes.

​​Enterprise Campus Networks​​

• ​​Software-Defined Access (SD-Access)​​: Extends ​​Group-Based Policy (GBP)​​ enforcement to edge switches via ​​Cisco DNA Center​​.
• ​​IoT Device Aggregation​​: Secures ​​10,000+ endpoints​​ with ​​TrustSec microsegmentation​​ and ​​Cisco ISE integration​​.

​​Compatibility and Integration​​

​​Supported Cisco Platforms​​

• ​​Switches​​: Nexus 9504/9508 with ​​N9K-X9716D-GX line cards​​, Catalyst 9400 Series with ​​C9400-SUP-1​​ supervisors.
• ​​Routers​​: ASR 9902 with ​​RSP8800 Route Switch Processors​​ for DCI (Data Center Interconnect) workloads.

​​Software and Protocol Support​​

• ​​Cisco NX-OS 10.4(1)F​​: Enables ​​EVPN (Ethernet VPN)​​ control plane for multi-tenant VXLAN fabrics.
• ​​NetFlow v9/IPFIX​​: Monitors application performance with ​​Sampled Flexible NetFlow​​ at 1:1000 sampling rates.

​​Installation and Configuration Best Practices​​

​​Physical Deployment Guidelines​​

1. ​​Slot Allocation​​: Install in ​​slots 1–4​​ of Nexus 9500 chassis for optimal airflow and power distribution.
2. ​​Cable Management​​: Use ​​Cisco QSFP-100G-SR4-S​​ optics with ​​MPO-24 to 6×LC breakout cables​​ for 40G migrations.
3. ​​Power Budgeting​​: Reserve ​​≥800W per module​​ in dual-slot mode to prevent oversubscription.

​​Software Configuration​​

• ​​VXLAN Bridging​​:

  feature vn-segment-vlan-based  
  vlan 1000  
    vn-segment 10000  

• ​​MACsec Encryption​​:

  interface Ethernet1/1  
    macsec cipher-suite gcm-aes-256  
    macsec keychain KC1  

​​Troubleshooting Common Operational Issues​​

​​Link Flapping at 100G Speeds​​

• ​​Root Cause​​: ​​Dirty optical connectors​​ or ​​fiber misalignment​​ in breakout configurations.
• ​​Resolution​​: Clean connectors with ​​FiberStory OptiClean Pro​​ and verify ​​MPO polarity​​ (Method B).

​​Buffer Congestion in ACI Fabrics​​

• ​​Diagnosis​​: Use ​​show queuing interface​​ to detect ​​egress queue drops​​ >0.1%.
• ​​Mitigation​​: Adjust ​​ETS (Enhanced Transmission Selection)​​ thresholds for loss-sensitive traffic.

​​Procurement and Vendor Ecosystem​​

For guaranteed compatibility and lifecycle support, “SLES-2S-LP-D3S=” is available via ITMall.sale, offering ​​Cisco Smart Net Total Care​​ and ​​NDAA-compliant​​ supply chain assurance.

​​Engineer’s Perspective: Balancing Efficiency and Performance​​

The SLES-2S-LP-D3S= addresses a critical gap in modern networks: delivering high-density connectivity without the traditional power trade-offs. While its ​​3.5W/port​​ efficiency is revolutionary for hyperscalers, enterprises may find its ​​VXLAN/EVPN complexity​​ daunting without dedicated automation tools. In edge compute scenarios, where space and power are constrained, this module shines—but in legacy campuses, simpler Catalyst solutions might suffice. Its true value lies in environments where ​​energy costs​​ and ​​carbon footprint​​ are boardroom priorities. For Cisco-centric architectures, it’s a future-proof investment; for others, a reminder that efficiency demands specialization.