N5K-C5596T-FA Cisco Nexus L3 Switch, 32 Ports

Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA Nexus 32 Ports Switch Overview

The Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA is a high-performance Layer 3 switch from the renowned Nexus 500 series, designed to deliver robust networking capabilities for enterprise-grade environments. Ideal for data centers and high-density network deployments, this switch ensures efficient connectivity and advanced network management.

Key Manufacturer Details

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Product Line: Nexus
• Series: 500
• Model: 5596T
• SKU/Part Number: N5K-C5596T-FA
• Product Type: Network Switch
• Sub-Type: 32 Ports

Product Specifications

• Switch Type: Layer 3
• Chassis Size: 2RU
• Power & Cooling: 2 Power Supplies, 4 Fans
• Ports Configuration: 32x10GT and 16xSFP+ Fixed Ports
• Manageability: Fully manageable

Network & Connectivity Features

• Total Network Ports: 32
• RJ-45 Ethernet Ports: 32
• Supported Media Types: Twisted Pair
• Ethernet Technology: 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GBase-T)
• Stacking Capability: Not available

Expansion & Upgrade Options

• Expansion Slots: 19
• Expansion Slot Type: SFP+

Layer & Protocol Support

• Network Layer: Layer 3 routing support
• Protocols: Supports advanced routing and management protocols

Power & Electrical Details

• PoE Support: Not supported on RJ-45 ports
• Input Voltage: 110V AC / 220V AC

Performance Highlights

• High-density 10G connectivity with combined copper and SFP+ options
• Optimized for large-scale network deployments and data center environments
• Redundant power and cooling for enhanced reliability
• Advanced Layer 3 routing for seamless traffic management

Why Choose Cisco Nexus 5596T?

• Enterprise-grade performance with 32 high-speed ports
• Flexible expansion and high scalability for growing networks
• Fully manageable with support for modern network protocols
• Reliable, energy-efficient, and ideal for mission-critical operationsCisco N5K-C5596T-FA Nexus 32 Ports L3 Switch

The Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA Nexus 32 Ports Layer 3 Switch is a high-performance, next-generation network switch designed for modern data centers, enterprise networks, and service providers. As part of Cisco's renowned Nexus 5000 series, this Layer 3 switch delivers robust network performance, enhanced scalability, and comprehensive management capabilities, making it an ideal solution for environments requiring high-speed connectivity and advanced Layer 3 routing features. With its 32 fixed 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports, the N5K-C5596T-FA provides flexible connectivity options while maintaining exceptional reliability and security standards.

Advanced Layer 3 Routing Capabilities

The Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA switch supports a wide range of Layer 3 routing protocols, enabling seamless integration into complex network topologies. This switch comes equipped with support for Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP), Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), and Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS), allowing organizations to optimize network traffic and improve overall performance.

By providing advanced Layer 3 capabilities, this switch facilitates efficient routing between multiple VLANs and subnets, reducing network latency and enhancing application performance. Organizations can also implement route summarization, policy-based routing, and route redistribution to simplify network management and increase operational efficiency.

High Availability and Redundancy Features

Ensuring network uptime is critical in enterprise and data center environments, and the Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA excels in delivering high availability. With support for Virtual PortChannel (vPC) technology, redundant supervisor modules, and in-service software upgrades (ISSU), this switch minimizes downtime during maintenance and upgrades. vPC allows multiple switches to operate as a single logical entity, ensuring continuous connectivity and load balancing across devices.

Redundant power supplies and field-replaceable fans further enhance system reliability, providing uninterrupted network operation even in demanding environments. These features are essential for mission-critical applications, data center consolidation, and high-density network deployments.

Scalable Performance and Port Density

The Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA offers impressive scalability, accommodating growing network demands with ease. Featuring 32 high-speed Ethernet ports, the switch supports flexible deployment options, including top-of-rack (ToR) and end-of-row (EoR) configurations. Each port provides wire-speed Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching, enabling seamless traffic flow for bandwidth-intensive applications such as virtualization, cloud computing, and big data analytics.

Additionally, this switch supports port aggregation and link bundling through EtherChannel technology, enhancing bandwidth utilization and providing additional redundancy. The combination of high port density and scalable architecture makes the N5K-C5596T-FA a future-proof solution for enterprise networks that anticipate rapid growth and evolving connectivity requirements.

Comprehensive Security Features

Network security is a top priority for any organization, and the Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA incorporates a wide array of security features to safeguard critical data and network resources. The switch supports access control lists (ACLs) for granular traffic filtering, dynamic ARP inspection, and IP source guard, protecting against spoofing and malicious traffic.

Advanced authentication methods, including 802.1X and TACACS+, provide robust access control for users and devices. With integrated features like port security, traffic segmentation, and support for Cisco TrustSec, organizations can enforce security policies across the network without compromising performance or scalability.

Energy Efficiency and Environmental Optimization

The Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA is engineered with energy efficiency in mind, offering significant reductions in power consumption compared to traditional switches. Its modular design, efficient power supplies, and intelligent fan control systems reduce energy usage without sacrificing performance.

Environmental optimization also extends to thermal management, allowing the switch to operate efficiently in high-density data center environments. These features not only lower operational costs but also support organizations’ sustainability initiatives by reducing their overall carbon footprint.

Unified Management and Automation

Managing complex network environments requires centralized control and automation capabilities, and the Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA delivers through Cisco’s comprehensive management solutions. Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) provides a centralized interface for provisioning, monitoring, and troubleshooting network devices, simplifying operations across multiple switches and data center locations.

Automation features such as REST APIs, Python scripting, and integration with Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) allow administrators to streamline repetitive tasks, improve operational efficiency, and reduce human error. This unified management approach is crucial for modern data centers, where agility and speed of deployment are key competitive advantages.

Virtualization and Multi-Tenant Support

Modern enterprise networks require flexible support for virtualization and multi-tenant environments. The Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA includes Virtual Device Contexts (VDCs), enabling the creation of multiple logical switches within a single physical device. Each VDC operates independently, providing isolated resources for different applications, departments, or tenants.

This capability allows organizations to maximize hardware utilization while maintaining strict segmentation and security. In cloud and service provider scenarios, VDCs simplify network provisioning and allow efficient scaling of resources to meet dynamic workload demands.

Quality of Service (QoS) and Traffic Optimization

Ensuring predictable network performance is vital for latency-sensitive applications such as voice, video, and real-time collaboration. The Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA supports advanced QoS mechanisms, including classification, marking, policing, and shaping. These features enable administrators to prioritize critical traffic, reduce congestion, and maintain consistent performance across all network services.

With configurable queues and hierarchical QoS policies, this switch provides granular control over bandwidth allocation and traffic prioritization, ensuring high availability and optimal performance for mission-critical applications.

Integration with Cisco Ecosystem

The N5K-C5596T-FA seamlessly integrates with the broader Cisco ecosystem, including Nexus switches, UCS servers, and ACI-enabled devices. This compatibility allows organizations to build highly automated, software-defined data center networks with end-to-end visibility and control.

Integration with Cisco ACI simplifies policy management, accelerates application deployment, and enhances operational efficiency. By leveraging the Cisco Nexus platform, IT teams can create agile, resilient networks capable of meeting the demands of modern business environments.

Deployment Flexibility and Use Cases

The Cisco N5K-C5596T-FA is designed for versatile deployment in various scenarios, including data centers, enterprise campus networks, and service provider environments. Its high-performance Layer 3 capabilities make it suitable for core, aggregation, and top-of-rack roles, supporting diverse network architectures.

Key use cases include:

• Data center consolidation and virtualization, providing high-speed connectivity and optimized traffic routing.
• Enterprise campus networks, enabling seamless communication between multiple buildings and floors.
• Service provider networks, offering reliable and scalable Layer 3 routing for multi-tenant and high-traffic environments.
• Cloud infrastructure deployments, supporting automated provisioning, orchestration, and integration with ACI-enabled cloud environments.