N3K-C3172-BD-L3 Cisco Nexus 3172PQ Systems Rev Airflow (FD)

Cisco N3K-C3172-BD-L3 Systems Nexus 3172PQ Overview

The Cisco N3K-C3172-BD-L3 is a high-performance network switch designed for enterprise-grade environments. Engineered for scalability and efficiency, this device supports advanced networking features while ensuring optimal airflow management for data centers and high-density setups.

Key Specifications of Cisco N3K-C3172-BD-L3

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Part Number / SKU: N3K-C3172-BD-L3
• Device Type: L3 Switch
• Airflow Design: Revision Airflow optimized for cooling efficiency
• Network Capability: High-density 10/40GbE ports for enterprise networks

Advanced Networking Features

Designed to enhance network reliability and performance, the Nexus 3172PQ provides:

• Layer 3 routing for streamlined traffic management
• Comprehensive QoS support to prioritize mission-critical applications
• Robust security features including ACLs and MACsec encryption
• Low-latency architecture ideal for data center environments

Scalability and Efficiency

This Cisco switch ensures smooth network growth while minimizing downtime:

• Supports high-density port configurations to accommodate growing network demands
• Energy-efficient design to reduce power consumption without compromising performance
• Hot-swappable modules for seamless maintenance and upgrades

Reliable Airflow and Thermal Management

Maintaining optimal operating temperature is critical for network stability:

• Revision Airflow design ensures efficient heat dissipation
• Minimizes risk of overheating even in high-traffic environments
• Designed for both front-to-back and back-to-front airflow configurations

Ideal Use Cases

• Data center core and aggregation layers
• High-performance computing environments
• Enterprise campus networks requiring low-latency, high-throughput switching
• Cloud infrastructure and virtualized environments

Cisco N3K-C3172-BD-L3 Systems Nexus 3172PQ

The Cisco N3K-C3172-BD-L3 Systems Nexus 3172PQ is a high-performance Layer 3 switch designed to deliver unparalleled data center networking capabilities. Engineered for modern cloud-scale environments, this Nexus series switch offers flexible deployment options, exceptional scalability, and consistent low-latency performance. The switch supports advanced data center network architectures, providing seamless integration with existing Cisco Nexus infrastructures. Its cutting-edge hardware design ensures high availability, making it ideal for mission-critical applications and enterprise-grade workloads.

High-Performance Hardware Architecture

The Nexus 3172PQ switch features a robust hardware architecture that incorporates powerful switching engines capable of processing massive amounts of data efficiently. The system is equipped with 48 high-density 40-Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ ports, enabling extensive connectivity for servers, storage, and other network devices. With support for a combination of high-density ports and low-latency fabric, the switch ensures optimal traffic flow across the data center. The integrated forwarding and routing engines enhance packet processing, allowing complex network services to operate at line-rate speeds without introducing bottlenecks.

Advanced ASIC Design for Data Center Efficiency

At the core of the Cisco N3K-C3172-BD-L3 lies the advanced Cisco-designed ASICs, which deliver deterministic low-latency forwarding while maintaining high throughput. The Application-Specific Integrated Circuits are optimized for modern data center workloads, supporting features like VXLAN routing, multicast optimization, and advanced QoS policies. This ASIC design ensures that traffic is efficiently managed, reducing congestion and maintaining high availability for critical applications. The hardware acceleration for Layer 3 services provides a seamless experience for both east-west and north-south traffic patterns, a vital requirement for cloud-scale deployments.

Flexible Deployment and Airflow Management

One of the distinctive aspects of the N3K-C3172-BD-L3 is its airflow design, which supports reversed airflow deployments. This flexibility allows data centers to configure cooling according to their infrastructure requirements, optimizing thermal efficiency and minimizing energy consumption. The ability to deploy the switch in either front-to-back or back-to-front airflow scenarios makes it compatible with diverse data center architectures. Additionally, the switch is built with redundant, hot-swappable power supplies and fans, ensuring uninterrupted operation and simplified maintenance.

Comprehensive Layer 3 Features

The Cisco Nexus 3172PQ switch offers an extensive range of Layer 3 routing capabilities, supporting both IPv4 and IPv6 protocols. With advanced routing features such as OSPF, BGP, and EIGRP, the switch enables seamless inter-VLAN routing and optimized network convergence. The support for dynamic routing ensures that the switch can adapt to network changes quickly, maintaining minimal downtime and high reliability. In addition, the Nexus 3172PQ supports policy-based routing and VRF-Lite, providing enhanced traffic segmentation and network security. These capabilities make it a perfect choice for enterprises seeking scalable and resilient data center solutions.

Scalability for Large Data Center Environments

Scalability is a key attribute of the Cisco N3K-C3172-BD-L3, allowing enterprises to expand their network without compromising performance. The switch supports high-density port configurations, enabling organizations to connect a large number of servers and storage devices within a single chassis. The non-blocking architecture ensures consistent throughput even under peak load conditions, making it suitable for high-performance computing, virtualization, and cloud applications. With support for both hardware-based VXLAN routing and software overlay technologies, the Nexus 3172PQ enables seamless network expansion across multiple racks and data center pods.

Advanced Data Center Interconnect (DCI) Capabilities

For organizations requiring multi-site connectivity, the Cisco Nexus 3172PQ supports advanced Data Center Interconnect features. These include VXLAN EVPN for network virtualization and efficient Layer 2 and Layer 3 extension across geographically dispersed data centers. The switch enables efficient traffic load balancing, seamless failover, and optimized path selection. Combined with Cisco’s proven DCI solutions, the Nexus 3172PQ ensures business continuity and minimal service disruption, which is essential for critical enterprise applications and cloud services.

Integrated Security Features

Security is a fundamental consideration in modern data centers, and the Nexus 3172PQ incorporates a comprehensive set of integrated security features. The switch supports role-based access control (RBAC) to ensure that administrative tasks are performed only by authorized personnel. With features such as Dynamic ARP Inspection, IP Source Guard, and port security, the Nexus switch provides robust protection against common network threats. Additionally, the support for encrypted management protocols and hardware-based security modules helps maintain data confidentiality and integrity across all network layers. These security mechanisms are essential for organizations that handle sensitive data or operate in regulated industries.

Quality of Service and Traffic Management

The Nexus 3172PQ delivers advanced Quality of Service (QoS) capabilities to manage network traffic efficiently. By classifying and prioritizing traffic based on application, port, or VLAN, the switch ensures that latency-sensitive applications such as real-time voice, video, and financial transactions receive priority treatment. The hardware-accelerated QoS policies minimize packet loss and jitter, providing predictable network performance for critical workloads. Traffic shaping, policing, and congestion management features allow administrators to optimize bandwidth utilization while maintaining consistent service levels across multiple tenants or applications.

Unified Fabric and Virtualization Support

The Cisco Nexus 3172PQ is designed to support unified fabric architectures, consolidating multiple network services over a single infrastructure. With support for Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), the switch enables convergence of LAN and SAN traffic, reducing cabling complexity and operational costs. Virtualization-aware features, including VXLAN and VMware vSphere integration, provide seamless support for virtualized workloads. The Nexus 3172PQ’s ability to handle large-scale virtualized environments with ease makes it a preferred choice for enterprise data centers, private clouds, and service providers.

Comprehensive Management and Automation

Management and automation capabilities are central to the Cisco Nexus 3172PQ experience. The switch is compatible with Cisco NX-OS software, providing a feature-rich operating system with robust CLI, API, and GUI management options. Automation capabilities using tools like Cisco DNA Center, Ansible, and Python scripts allow administrators to streamline network provisioning, configuration, and monitoring. Real-time telemetry and monitoring features ensure rapid detection of network anomalies, reducing mean time to repair (MTTR) and enhancing operational efficiency. Centralized management simplifies large-scale deployments, allowing network teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine operational tasks.

Energy Efficiency and Environmental Sustainability

The Cisco N3K-C3172-BD-L3 is designed with energy efficiency in mind. Its power-optimized architecture reduces overall data center energy consumption while maintaining high-performance operation. Intelligent fan and power management systems adjust cooling dynamically based on workload and environmental conditions, lowering operational costs and improving sustainability. The ability to deploy the switch in both hot and cold aisle configurations further enhances cooling efficiency, making it suitable for high-density racks and next-generation data center designs. By reducing energy consumption without compromising performance, the Nexus 3172PQ supports green data center initiatives.

Reliability and High Availability

Reliability is a critical factor in data center operations, and the Nexus 3172PQ excels in delivering consistent uptime. Redundant power supplies, hot-swappable fans, and field-replaceable modules ensure continuous operation even in the event of hardware failures. The switch supports Virtual PortChannel (vPC) technology, enabling active-active link aggregation and eliminating single points of failure. With features such as In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) and nonstop forwarding (NSF), network administrators can perform maintenance and software updates without impacting production traffic. These capabilities guarantee continuous network availability for enterprise applications and critical workloads.

Integration with Cisco Ecosystem

The Cisco Nexus 3172PQ seamlessly integrates with the broader Cisco ecosystem, including Nexus switches, ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure), and Cisco UCS (Unified Computing System). This integration provides a cohesive network environment that simplifies operations, improves performance, and enhances visibility across the data center. The switch’s compatibility with Cisco’s automation and orchestration tools allows for simplified deployment of complex network topologies, rapid scaling, and enhanced security policies. By leveraging Cisco’s ecosystem, organizations can achieve a fully unified, programmable, and highly resilient network infrastructure.

Use Cases for Enterprise and Service Provider Deployments

The Cisco N3K-C3172-BD-L3 is suitable for a wide range of use cases, from enterprise data centers to service provider environments. In enterprise deployments, the switch supports large-scale virtualization, high-performance computing clusters, and unified fabric designs. Service providers benefit from its high port density, low latency, and advanced traffic management capabilities, allowing them to deliver cloud services, managed hosting, and high-bandwidth applications efficiently. The Nexus 3172PQ also supports multitenancy environments with network segmentation and security features, providing flexibility and control for diverse operational requirements.