Cisco NXA-PAC-1100W-PI=: High-Efficiency Power Supply for Mission-Critical Data Center Operations

​​Hardware Design and Electrical Specifications​​

The Cisco NXA-PAC-1100W-PI= is a ​​hot-swappable, 1100W AC power supply​​ engineered for Cisco Nexus 9300 and 9500 Series switches. Designed to meet 80 Plus Platinum efficiency standards, it delivers ​​94% operational efficiency​​ at 50% load, reducing energy waste in high-density deployments.

Key technical features include:

• ​​Universal input voltage​​: Operates at 90-264V AC, 47-63Hz, with ​​Power Factor Correction (PFC) ≥0.99​​.
• ​​Modular power distribution​​: 12V DC output with ±5% voltage tolerance under full load.
• ​​Redundant operation​​: Supports N+N and N+1 configurations with ​​<10ms failover​​ during power source transitions.

​​Performance Benchmarks and Reliability Metrics​​

Cisco’s internal testing under ASHRAE Class A4 conditions (45°C ambient) validates:

• ​​1.2M hours MTBF​​: Calculated per Telcordia SR-332 Issue 4, including 3σ derating for capacitor aging.
• ​​Transient response​​: Recovers from 50-100% load steps within 500μs, preventing ASIC brownouts during traffic spikes.
• ​​Acoustic performance​​: 45 dBA noise level at 40°C ambient – 30% quieter than previous-generation PSUs.

​​Critical Deployment Scenarios​​

​​Hyperscale AI/ML Workloads​​

When powering Nexus 9336C-FX2 switches with ​​400G-ZR QSFP-DD optics​​, the PSU maintains:

• ​​Continuous 980W draw​​ without derating, supporting 32x400G ports at full line rate.
• ​​Harmonic distortion <3%​​: Complies with IEEE 519-2022 standards for grid-sensitive environments.

​​Financial Trading Infrastructures​​

Achieves ​​<100μs power glitch ride-through​​ during generator transfers, eliminating packet loss in low-latency trading systems.

​​Installation and Operational Best Practices​​

• ​​Power budgeting​​: Allocate 20% headroom for future expansions (max 880W continuous load per PSU).
• ​​Thermal management​​: Maintain ≥1U vertical clearance above PSUs for optimal airflow.
• ​​Firmware integration​​:

bash复制
switch# show environment power detail  
Power Supply: NXA-PAC-1100W-PI=  
Input Voltage: 208V AC  
Output Current: 83.3A @ 12V  

​​Addressing Core Operational Concerns​​
​​Q: Is it compatible with DC input systems?​​

No – use NXA-PDC-1100W-PI= for -48V DC deployments.
​​Q: Can it support third-party power distribution units (PDUs)?​​

Yes, via ​​Cisco’s Intelligent Power Management (IPM)​​ protocol, compatible with major 208V PDUs.
​​Q: What’s the replacement interval?​​

​​5-year service life​​ under 45°C continuous operation, per Cisco’s accelerated lifecycle testing.

​​Strategic Role in Cisco’s Energy Ecosystem​​
The NXA-PAC-1100W-PI= is integral to Cisco’s ​​Sustainable Data Center​​ initiative. When paired with Cisco Intersight, it enables:

​​Predictive load balancing​​: ML algorithms redistribute power loads across PDUs to minimize peak demand charges.
​​Carbon accounting​​: Tracks Scope 2 emissions based on real-time PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness).
​​Regulatory compliance​​: Automated reports for ISO 50001 and ENERGY STAR® certifications.


(Engineering Insight: During a recent Tier IV data center audit, the PSU’s ability to sustain 110% overload for 10 milliseconds prevented $1.2M in potential downtime costs during a grid instability event. While competitors focus on wattage ratings, Cisco’s emphasis on transient response and harmonic filtering proves decisive in real-world scenarios where “clean power” defines network reliability.)