N3K-C3264Q Cisco Layer3 Switch with 40GbE Expansion Slot

Cisco Nexus 3264Q Managed Switch Overview

The Cisco N3K-C3264Q is a high-density, rack-mountable network switch engineered for modern data centers that demand ultra-fast throughput, low latency, and scalable Layer 3 functionality. Designed within the Nexus 3000 Series, this model supports advanced traffic handling and virtualization-ready networking.

Manufacturer and Identification Details

• Brand: Cisco
• Model / SKU: N3K-C3264Q
• Category: Managed Network Switch
• Total Port Configuration: 64 Ports
• Form Factor: Rack-mountable chassis

Switch Architecture and Design

Built with a compact 2U enclosure, the Nexus 3264Q integrates seamlessly into enterprise racks while delivering exceptional bandwidth density. Its architecture supports non-blocking performance suitable for cloud computing, virtualization, and high-performance computing environments.

Device Classification

• Switch Type: Layer 3 Managed Ethernet Switch
• Network Subtype: 40 Gigabit Ethernet
• Rack Unit Height: 2U

High-Speed Port Configuration

40G QSFP+ Connectivity

This Cisco Nexus switch is optimized for high-throughput workloads, offering extensive QSFP+ connectivity for spine-leaf architectures and east-west traffic patterns.

• Total Ports: 64 × 40GbE QSFP+
• Optimized for data center aggregation and core switching
• Supports scalable and flexible network topologies

Performance and Throughput Capabilities

Switching and Forwarding Power

Designed for intensive traffic loads, the Nexus 3264Q delivers industry-leading performance metrics to ensure uninterrupted data flow across demanding infrastructures.

• Switching Capacity: Up to 5.12 Tbps
• Forwarding Rate: Approximately 3.8 Billion Packets per Second
• Low-latency hardware-based packet processing

Advanced Network Capacity

Scalability and Control

The switch supports a wide range of enterprise-grade features that enhance scalability, segmentation, and traffic governance across complex networks.

• VLAN Support: Up to 4096 virtual interfaces
• MSTP Instances: 64
• Rapid STP Instances: 512
• Layer 3 Multicast Entries: Up to 64,000
• IPv4 Host Table Capacity: 72,000 entries

Traffic Management and Security Tables

• Ingress ACL Entries: Up to 7,000
• Egress ACL Entries: Up to 1,000
• QoS Hardware Profiles: 8

Management and Expansion Interfaces

Integrated Management Ports

Multiple management and auxiliary interfaces are included to simplify configuration, monitoring, and maintenance.

• 1 × RJ-45 1000Base-T Ethernet management port
• 1 × RJ-45 Serial (RS-232) console port
• 2 × USB Type-A ports for local operations

Power Supply and Redundancy Options

Flexible Power Design

The Nexus 3264Q supports redundant power configurations to enhance availability in mission-critical environments.

• Internal power supply architecture
• Hot-pluggable power modules
• Supports up to two power supply units
• Optional power redundancy for higher uptime

Cisco N3K-C3264Q Rack-Mountable Data Center Switching

The Cisco N3K-C3264Q Rack-mountable Nexus 3264Q 64 Ports Manageable Switch category represents a high-performance class of data center network switches designed to address the growing demands of modern enterprise, cloud, and service provider infrastructures. This category focuses on ultra-low latency, high-density 40 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, making it an ideal solution for leaf-spine architectures, high-performance computing environments, and large-scale virtualization deployments. Built on the proven Cisco Nexus 3000 Series platform, these switches emphasize scalability, reliability, and advanced network programmability, enabling organizations to build agile, resilient, and future-ready network fabrics.

Rack-mountable Nexus 3264Q switches are engineered to optimize east-west traffic flows within data centers, supporting applications that require massive bandwidth, predictable latency, and consistent throughput. The category is particularly suited for environments running virtualization platforms, containerized workloads, big data analytics, and distributed storage systems. With a focus on operational efficiency, these switches integrate seamlessly into existing Cisco data center ecosystems while also supporting open standards that allow interoperability with third-party hardware and software solutions.

High-Density 40 Gigabit Ethernet Switching Architecture

The Cisco N3K-C3264Q category is defined by its high-density 40 Gigabit Ethernet port configuration, offering 64 QSFP+ ports in a compact rack-mountable form factor. This density allows data center operators to significantly reduce the number of switches required per rack while increasing overall bandwidth capacity. The architecture supports non-blocking performance, ensuring that all ports can operate at full line rate simultaneously without congestion, which is critical for latency-sensitive applications and high-throughput workloads.

Optimized for Leaf-Spine Network Designs

Leaf-spine architectures are a cornerstone of modern data center design, and the Nexus 3264Q category is purpose-built to support this topology. When deployed as leaf switches, these devices connect servers and storage systems with ultra-fast 40GbE links, while spine deployments leverage the same performance characteristics to aggregate traffic across the fabric. This uniformity simplifies network design, improves scalability, and reduces operational complexity, making it easier to expand the data center without re-architecting the entire network.

Consistent Low-Latency Performance

One of the defining characteristics of the Cisco Nexus 3264Q category is its consistent low-latency switching behavior. By leveraging cut-through switching and advanced ASIC design, these switches deliver predictable latency even under heavy load. This is particularly beneficial for financial trading platforms, real-time analytics, and high-performance computing clusters where microseconds can have a measurable impact on application performance.

High Throughput for East-West Traffic

As data centers increasingly rely on distributed application architectures, east-west traffic between servers has grown exponentially. The Nexus 3264Q category addresses this trend by providing massive aggregate bandwidth and efficient packet forwarding, ensuring that inter-server communication remains fast and reliable. This capability is essential for virtualized environments where virtual machines and containers frequently communicate across the network.

Advanced Manageability and Cisco NX-OS Software

Manageability is a core strength of the Cisco N3K-C3264Q category, driven by the robust Cisco NX-OS operating system. NX-OS provides a feature-rich, modular, and resilient software foundation that simplifies configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting. Network administrators benefit from a consistent command-line interface, comprehensive APIs, and support for automation frameworks that streamline day-to-day operations.

Automation and Programmability Capabilities

Modern data centers require automation to scale efficiently, and the Nexus 3264Q category supports a wide range of programmability options. With support for REST APIs, Python scripting, and integration with automation tools, these switches enable infrastructure as code approaches that reduce manual configuration errors and accelerate deployment cycles. This programmability aligns with DevOps and NetOps practices, allowing network teams to respond quickly to changing business requirements.

Telemetry and Real-Time Visibility

Enhanced telemetry features provide real-time insight into network performance, traffic patterns, and system health. By exporting detailed metrics to monitoring platforms, the Nexus 3264Q category helps administrators proactively identify bottlenecks, troubleshoot issues, and optimize resource utilization. This level of visibility is essential for maintaining service-level agreements in mission-critical environments.

Consistent Policy Enforcement

Policy-based management capabilities allow organizations to define and enforce network policies consistently across the data center fabric. This ensures that security, quality of service, and traffic engineering rules are applied uniformly, reducing the risk of misconfiguration and improving overall network reliability.

Scalability and Future-Ready Network Design

The Cisco Nexus 3264Q category is designed with scalability in mind, enabling data centers to grow seamlessly as demand increases. The high port density and support for breakout configurations allow organizations to adapt their network layouts over time without replacing core infrastructure. This flexibility protects capital investments while providing a clear upgrade path for future bandwidth requirements.

Support for Virtualization and Cloud Workloads

Virtualized and cloud-native workloads place unique demands on network infrastructure, including rapid provisioning, dynamic traffic patterns, and multi-tenant isolation. The Nexus 3264Q category supports these requirements through features such as VLAN scalability, VXLAN readiness, and integration with orchestration platforms. These capabilities make the switches well-suited for private cloud deployments and hybrid cloud environments.

Integration with Cisco Data Center Solutions

As part of the broader Cisco Nexus ecosystem, the 3264Q category integrates seamlessly with other Cisco data center technologies, including fabric extenders, spine switches, and network management platforms. This integration simplifies deployment and ensures consistent operational practices across the entire infrastructure.

Investment Protection and Longevity

By supporting open standards and modular software enhancements, the Nexus 3264Q category helps organizations protect their investments over the long term. Firmware updates and feature enhancements can be applied without disruptive hardware changes, extending the useful life of the switch and reducing total cost of ownership.

Reliability, Resilience, and Enterprise-Grade Design

Reliability is a critical requirement for data center networking, and the Cisco N3K-C3264Q category is engineered to deliver continuous operation in demanding environments. Redundant power supplies, advanced cooling systems, and robust hardware components ensure high availability and minimize the risk of downtime. These design elements make the switches suitable for mission-critical applications where network interruptions are not acceptable.

High Availability Features

High availability is achieved through a combination of hardware redundancy and software resilience. Features such as graceful insertion and removal, fast convergence protocols, and non-disruptive software upgrades allow maintenance activities to be performed without impacting network services. This capability is essential for organizations that operate around the clock.

Thermal and Power Efficiency

The Nexus 3264Q category is optimized for efficient power consumption and thermal management, helping data centers reduce operational costs. Intelligent airflow design and energy-efficient components ensure that the switches operate reliably even in high-density rack environments, contributing to overall data center sustainability goals.

Enterprise-Class Build Quality

Built to meet stringent enterprise standards, the hardware in this category undergoes extensive testing to ensure durability and performance. This commitment to quality provides confidence that the switches can withstand the rigors of continuous operation in large-scale deployments.

Security Capabilities and Network Segmentation

Security is an integral aspect of the Cisco Nexus 3264Q category, addressing the need to protect data center resources from internal and external threats. Advanced security features enable network segmentation, traffic isolation, and secure management access, helping organizations maintain compliance with industry regulations and best practices.

Access Control and Traffic Filtering

Granular access control mechanisms allow administrators to define who can access network resources and under what conditions. By implementing traffic filtering and access policies at the switch level, the Nexus 3264Q category helps reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive systems.

Secure Management and Monitoring

Secure management protocols and authentication methods ensure that only authorized personnel can configure and monitor the switches. This protects the integrity of the network configuration and reduces the risk of malicious or accidental changes.

Foundation for Zero-Trust Architectures

The security features supported by this category provide a strong foundation for implementing zero-trust networking principles within the data center. By enforcing strict access controls and continuous monitoring, organizations can enhance their overall security posture while maintaining high performance.

Use Cases and Deployment Scenarios

The Cisco N3K-C3264Q Rack-mountable Nexus 3264Q category supports a wide range of deployment scenarios across industries. From enterprise data centers to service provider environments, these switches deliver the performance and flexibility needed to support diverse workloads and operational models.

High-Performance Computing and Analytics

In high-performance computing clusters and analytics platforms, network performance directly impacts application efficiency. The low latency and high throughput of the Nexus 3264Q category make it an excellent choice for these demanding use cases, enabling faster data processing and improved time-to-insight.

Virtualized Enterprise Data Centers

Enterprises running large-scale virtualization benefit from the scalability and manageability of this category. The ability to support thousands of virtual endpoints while maintaining consistent performance ensures that business-critical applications remain responsive and reliable.

Cloud and Service Provider Infrastructure

Service providers and cloud operators require network infrastructure that can scale rapidly while maintaining strict performance and availability standards. The Cisco Nexus 3264Q category addresses these needs by combining high port density, advanced automation, and enterprise-grade reliability in a single platform.