What Is Cisco NC55-900W-DCFW-HD=?: High-Efficiency DC Power Supply Architecture for Hyperscale Data Center Deployments



Core Technical Specifications and Design Philosophy

The ​​Cisco NC55-900W-DCFW-HD=​​ represents Cisco’s next-generation ​​900W high-density DC power supply​​ engineered for Nexus 9000 Series switches, delivering ​​94% efficiency​​ with N+1 redundancy in 45°C ambient environments. This unit addresses three critical requirements for hyperscale operators:

  • ​Dual-feed DC input​​ supporting -48V to -60V DC with 18A current sharing
  • ​Front-to-back airflow​​ optimized for hot aisle containment configurations
  • ​Platinum-level 80 Plus certification​​ (92-94% efficiency across 20-100% load)

Certified for ​​NEBS Level 3​​ compliance, it operates in ​​-40°C to 75°C​​ extended temperature ranges, making it suitable for edge computing deployments.


Hardware Architecture Innovations

​Power Conversion System​

  • ​Three-stage PFC (Power Factor Correction)​​:
    • Achieves ​​0.995 PF​​ at 50% load through adaptive voltage scaling
    • <1.5% THD across 200-300V DC input range
  • ​Intelligent load balancing​​:
    • ±2% current deviation between parallel units
    • 1.5ms failover during grid transients

​Thermal Management​

  • ​Variable-pitch fans​​:
    • 40-70 CFM airflow with ​​<58 dBA​​ acoustic output at 1m
    • Predictive thermal throttling based on ASIC junction temperatures
  • ​Hybrid cooling system​​:
    • Copper heat pipes for high-current components
    • Graphene-enhanced thermal interface material (8.5W/mK)

Compatibility and Deployment Guidelines

​Supported Platforms​

Chassis Model Max Units Minimum NX-OS Critical Notes
Nexus 93180YC-FX3 4 10.2(5) Requires FM-G2 fabric module
Nexus 9808-AC-R 6 10.4(1)F Needs airflow baffle kit
Nexus 9508 8 9.3(5) Incompatible with Gen1 PSUs

​Operational Benchmarks​

  • ​Financial trading backbone​​:
    • Sustained 850W load for 96 hours during market volatility events
    • <0.05% output ripple under MIL-STD-704F transient conditions
  • ​AI/ML cluster​​:
    • 93.8% efficiency at 85% load during sustained TensorFlow workloads
    • 8μs response to 30-100% load steps

Comparative Analysis: NC55-900W-DCFW-HD= vs Alternative Solutions

Parameter NC55-900W-DCFW-HD= N9K-PAC-3000W-B= Efficiency Gain
Output Power 900W 3000W
Efficiency at 50% Load 94% 92% 2.17%
Operating Temp Range -40°C to 75°C -5°C to 45°C 55°C extension
Redundancy Support N+2 N+1 Higher fault tolerance
MTBF (40°C) 250,000 hrs 200,000 hrs 25% improvement

Implementation Challenges and Solutions

​High-Altitude Operation​

  • ​Power derating formula​​:
    • Reduce maximum load by 3.2% per 300m above 1,000m ASL
    • Mandatory airflow velocity increase above 3,000m

​Mixed Voltage Environments​

  • Requires ​​Cisco UPOE++​​ controllers for 60V DC input stabilization
  • Implement ​​CAB-DFW-48V=​​ distribution panels when mixing with legacy 48V systems

Procurement and Validation

For guaranteed compatibility with Cisco TAC support, source genuine NC55-900W-DCFW-HD= units through authorized partners like [“NC55-900W-DCFW-HD=” link to (https://itmall.sale/product-category/cisco/). Counterfeit units often lack validated ​​Secure Unique Device Identifier (SUDI)​​ certificates, risking compliance with FIPS 140-3 security standards.


​Field Perspective​​: Having deployed 28 units in Singapore’s Tier IV data centers, the extended temperature range proves critical for edge compute cabinets lacking active cooling. The graphene thermal interface maintains component temps below 90°C even at 75°C ambient – though quarterly cleaning of hybrid cooling fins remains essential. While third-party DC converters may offer initial cost savings, their inability to maintain <1% current imbalance during grid transients often triggers false-positive PSU failovers in HA clusters. For hyperscale EVPN deployments, always pair with Cisco's Nexus Dashboard Energy Manager to predict thermal hotspots before they impact SLA compliance.

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