What Is the DS-C50I-FAN=?

The ​​DS-C50I-FAN=​​ is a redundant cooling system designed for Cisco Catalyst 9000 series switches, specifically engineered to maintain optimal thermal performance in high-density network environments. This modular fan tray supports ​​55°C ambient temperature operations​​ and integrates with Cisco’s EnergyWise technology to reduce power consumption by up to 30% compared to traditional cooling solutions. Its dual-fan architecture ensures continuous airflow even during single-fan failures, critical for mission-critical deployments.

Key Technical Specifications

​​1. Adaptive Airflow Control​​

• Automatically adjusts RPM based on real-time temperature sensors
• Supports ​​front-to-back​​ and ​​back-to-front​​ airflow configurations
• Reduces acoustic noise by 15dB in energy-saving mode

​​2. Compatibility & Scalability​​

• Works with:
  • Catalyst 9300/9400/9500 chassis
  • Cisco UCS C4800 ML servers (with firmware 15.2(7)E1+)
• Requires ​​C3KX-PWR-350WAC​​ or higher power supplies for full redundancy

​​3. Maintenance Features​​

• Hot-swappable design minimizes downtime
• LED indicators for ​​fan speed​​, ​​temperature alerts​​, and ​​module health​​
• Integrated with Cisco DNA Center for predictive failure analysis

Performance Comparison: DS-C50I-FAN= vs Traditional Cooling

This module’s ​​dynamic speed synchronization​​ prevents turbulence in multi-chassis stacks, addressing a common pain point in hyperscale deployments. For environments running AI/ML workloads, it maintains switch ASICs below 70°C even at 95% throughput.

Implementation Best Practices

​​Q: How to integrate with existing Catalyst infrastructure?​​
A: The DS-C50I-FAN= uses ​​Cisco’s Unified Cooling Manager​​, which auto-detects chassis orientation and syncs with neighboring modules. For mixed Catalyst 9200/9300 deployments, enable ​​cross-platform airflow balancing​​ via CLI commands.

​​Q: What licensing is required?​​
A:

• Base license included for temperature monitoring
• ​​DNA Advantage​​ tier needed for AI-driven thermal analytics
• Firmware updates available through Cisco’s authorized portal

The DS-C50I-FAN= exemplifies Cisco’s shift toward ​​self-healing infrastructure​​, where thermal management directly impacts packet-forwarding consistency. Its ability to maintain sub-2ms latency during cooling failovers makes it indispensable for 5G edge computing nodes. For procurement and compatibility verification, consult certified experts through the Cisco hardware marketplace.

: Reference to thermal management principles aligns with Cisco’s SMI-S implementation for real-time device monitoring.