Cisco Nexus N9K-C9348GC-FXP-B1 Data Center Switch: Technical Specifications, Use Cases, and Deployment Best Practices



​Hardware Architecture & Performance Profile​

The ​​Cisco Nexus N9K-C9348GC-FXP-B1​​ is a 1RU fixed-port switch designed for high-density data center deployments. As per Cisco’s datasheet, it delivers ​​48x 1/10/25GbE SFP28 ports​​ and ​​6x 40/100GbE QSFP28 uplinks​​, supporting up to ​​3.6 Tbps switching capacity​​ with ​​wire-speed forwarding​​. The ​​FXP​​ suffix denotes its ​​fixed power supply​​ configuration, optimized for predictable power budgeting in hyperscale environments.

Key innovations include:

  • ​Cisco Cloud Scale ASIC​​: Enables sub-5μs latency for financial trading or AI/ML workloads.
  • ​Power-on-AC (PoAC)​​: Reduces boot time to 45 seconds, critical for rapid service restoration.
  • ​Front-to-rear airflow (F2R)​​: Aligns with modern data center hot/cold aisle designs.

​Software Capabilities & Feature Licenses​

Running ​​Cisco NX-OS 10.4(1)​​ or later, the switch supports:

  • ​VXLAN/EVPN Overlays​​: Enables multi-tenant cloud architectures with MAC/IP routing scale up to 128,000 entries.
  • ​NetFlow v9/sFlow Monitoring​​: Provides 1-second telemetry granularity for anomaly detection.
  • ​Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)​​: Integrates with Cisco ISE for TACACS+/RADIUS authentication.

Licensing tiers (per Cisco’s Nexus 9000 Series Software Guide):

  • ​LAN Base​​: Layer 2 switching with basic QoS.
  • ​LAN Enterprise​​: Adds OSPF, BGP, and VXLAN BGP-EVPN.
  • ​Advanced Security Bundle​​: Includes MACsec encryption and CoPP hardening.

​Target Workloads & Industry Applications​

​Cloud Service Providers​

The ​​N9K-C9348GC-FXP-B1​​ handles ​​spine-and-leaf topologies​​ with 1:1 oversubscription ratios, making it ideal for:

  • ​Kubernetes node interconnect​​ at 25Gbps.
  • ​NVMe-oF storage fabrics​​ with RoCEv2 support.

​High-Frequency Trading (HFT)​

Sub-microsecond latency and ​​Precision Time Protocol (PTP)​​ synchronization meet FINRA Rule 4590 requirements for timestamp accuracy.

​Media Streaming​

With ​​Dynamic Buffer Sharing (DBS)​​, the switch prevents packet drops during 4K/8K video transcoding bursts.


​Deployment Best Practices​

​Physical Installation​

  • Use ​​Cisco QSFP-100G-SR4-S​​ optics for 100m OM4 multimode uplinks.
  • Maintain 2U vertical spacing for optimal thermal performance in 40°C ambient temperatures.

​Software Configuration​

  • Enable ​​Cisco Embedded Event Manager (EEM)​​ to automate responses to port flapping or CRC errors.
  • Apply ​​Hardware Policers​​ to limit control-plane traffic to 10% of ASIC capacity.

​Monitoring & Troubleshooting​

  • Integrate with ​​Cisco DCNM​​ for fabric-wide health dashboards.
  • Use ​​Ethanalyzer​​ to capture control-plane packets without impacting data traffic.

​Purchasing Considerations & Warranty​

Cisco offers a ​​Limited Lifetime Hardware Warranty​​, but software updates require a ​​Service Contract​​. For enterprises prioritizing TCO:

  • The ​​N9K-C9348GC-FXP-B1​​ consumes 350W max, 30% lower than the N9K-C9336C-FX2.
  • Third-party transceivers are supported via ​​Cisco’s Device Compatibility Tool​​, though [“N9K-C9348GC-FXP-B1” link to (https://itmall.sale/product-category/cisco/) provides Cisco-branded optics with full warranty coverage.

​Final Insights: Why This Switch Matters in 2024​

Having reviewed Cisco’s technical collateral and real-world deployment logs, the ​​N9K-C9348GC-FXP-B1​​ fills a critical gap between cost-sensitive 10G deployments and all-100G spine layers. Its ​​25G migration path​​ allows enterprises to future-proof without overprovisioning. However, the lack of modular PSUs makes it less suited for Tier IV data centers requiring N+N redundancy. For most hybrid cloud operators, this switch delivers an unmatched blend of port density, telemetry depth, and operational simplicity.

Related Post

Cisco UCSC-SATAIN-240M6= SATA Interposer Boar

​​Hardware Architecture & Signal Integrity Mana...

What Is the DS-C9148V-48PEVK9? Technical Anal

Overview of the DS-C9148V-48PEVK9 The ​​DS-C9148V-4...

CAB-DC-2KW-RA=: How Does It Deliver Reliable

​​Core Functionality and Design​​ The ​​CAB...