UCS-EP-MDS9148S-1 Cisco MDS 9148S Switch

Product Overview: Cisco UCS-EP-MDS9148S-1 Managed Switch

The Cisco UCS-EP-MDS9148S-1 MDS 9148S is a high-performance managed switch engineered for enterprise-class storage networking. Designed by Cisco Systems, Inc., this Fibre Channel switch delivers reliability, scalability, and secure remote management for modern data center environments.

General Product Information

• Manufacturer: Cisco Systems, Inc.
• Brand: Cisco
• Model / Part Number: UCS-EP-MDS9148S-1
• Device Category: Managed Network Switch
• Port Configuration: 48 Ports

Design and Form Factor

Built with a compact and efficient chassis, this switch is ideal for space-optimized data centers and enterprise racks.

• Form Factor: Rack-mountable
• Rack Height: 1U enclosure
• Network Subtype: Fibre Channel
• Airflow: Back-to-front cooling design

Remote Management and Security Capabilities

The Cisco MDS 9148S switch offers extensive remote administration and advanced security mechanisms to ensure safe and efficient operations.

Supported Management Protocols

• RMON
• SNMP v3
• HTTP
• SMI-S
• SSH-2
• Command Line Interface (CLI)

Security and Authentication Features

• Advanced AES encryption
• RADIUS and TACACS+ authentication
• Secure SSH2 access
• LDAP and Microsoft Active Directory integration
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Advanced Switching Features

Designed for mission-critical storage networks, this managed Fibre Channel switch includes intelligent features to enhance performance, reliability, and traffic control.

Performance and Network Optimization

• Automatic device sensing
• Inter-Switch Link (ISL) support
• Quality of Service (QoS) traffic prioritization
• Virtual Route Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) compatibility

Monitoring and Access Control

• Access Control Lists (ACL) support
• Remote Switch Port Analyzer (RSPAN)
• Registered State Change Notification (RSCN)
• Secure SFTP client functionality

Power Supply and Electrical Specifications

The Cisco UCS-EP-MDS9148S-1 is engineered with redundant power capabilities to ensure continuous uptime and operational stability.

• Power Supply Type: Internal, hot-swappable
• Maximum Power Units: 2
• Redundancy Configuration: 1+1 power scheme
• Power Output: 300 Watts
• Input Voltage: AC 120/230 V
• Frequency: 50/60 Hz

Regulatory Compliance and Certifications

This Cisco managed switch complies with a wide range of international safety, electromagnetic, and security standards, ensuring global deployment readiness.

• CISPR 22 Class A
• EN 60950 / IEC 60950 / UL 60950
• EN 55022 & EN 55024 Class A
• EN 61000-3-2 / EN 61000-3-3
• EN 61000-6-1 / EN50082-1
• FCC CFR21 Part 1040
• ICES-003 Class A
• FIPS 140-2 certified
• IEC 60825 / EN 60825
• CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 60950
• ACA TS001 & AS/NZS 3260

Core Architectural Advantages of the MDS 9148S Platform

The foundational strength of the UCS-EP-MDS9148S-1 lies in its purpose-built architecture, designed from the ground up for storage networking. Unlike generic switches, it provides deterministic performance, ultra-low latency, and lossless operation essential for block-level storage traffic.

Unparalleled Performance and Scalability

With 48 universal ports, each capable of automatic negotiation from 4Gbps to 32Gbps, the switch provides a seamless upgrade path, protecting investments in existing 8G and 16G infrastructure while readying the SAN for next-generation NVMe over Fibre Channel (FC-NVMe) workloads. The non-blocking architecture ensures full line-rate throughput on all ports simultaneously, eliminating bottlenecks for data-intensive applications.

Hardware-Based Intelligence

Cisco's custom ASICs power advanced features like hardware-based zoning, VSANs (Virtual SANs), and access control lists (ACLs) without impacting switching performance. This hardware-enforced isolation and policy management are critical for multi-tenant environments and regulatory compliance.

Comprehensive Virtualization and Multitenancy

The MDS 9148S excels in segmented environments through its robust implementation of VSAN technology. This allows for the creation of multiple, logically isolated SAN fabrics on a single physical switch, optimizing hardware utilization, enhancing security, and simplifying management.

Advanced Traffic Management

Features like Quality of Service (QoS), Fibre Channel Congestion Control (FCC), and Buffer-to-Buffer Credits (BB_Credits) are meticulously implemented to ensure predictable performance and prevent frame loss, even in oversubscribed scenarios or over long-distance ISLs (Inter-Switch Links).

Key Features and In-Depth Technical Specifications

Understanding the detailed specifications of the Cisco UCS-EP-MDS9148S-1 is crucial for planning and integration. Below is a breakdown of its core technical attributes and how they translate to real-world benefits.

Port Configuration and Connectivity Details

Port Count and Type: 48 universal (auto-sensing) SFP+ based Fibre Channel ports.
Speed Capabilities: 4Gbps, 8Gbps, 16Gbps, and 32Gbps per port, with auto-negotiation.
Form Factor: 1-Rack-Unit (1RU), optimized for space-constrained data centers.
Management Ports: Includes 1Gbps Ethernet (RJ-45) and serial console port for out-of-band management.

High Availability and Reliability Features

Designed for "five-nines" (99.999%) availability, the switch incorporates redundant, hot-swappable power supplies and fan trays (front-to-back or back-to-front airflow options). It supports stateful process restart and hitless, in-service software upgrades (ISSU), ensuring continuous operation during maintenance.

Fabric Stability and Diagnostics

Integrated diagnostics tools like Cisco SAN Analytics and Flow Vision provide deep visibility into traffic patterns, performance metrics, and potential bottlenecks. Cisco Fabric Watch offers proactive monitoring of critical components like power, temperature, and ports.

Primary Use Cases and Deployment Scenarios

The versatility of the Cisco MDS 9148S allows it to serve as the optimal solution in a variety of storage networking environments.

Consolidated Enterprise SAN Core

In mid-sized to large enterprises, one or more MDS 9148S switches can form a highly resilient, high-performance core fabric, connecting hundreds of servers to centralized storage arrays (from vendors like Dell EMC, NetApp, HPE, and IBM) and tape libraries.

IBM Z and Mainframe Connectivity

The switch is fully certified and optimized for IBM Z (mainframe) environments, supporting FICON (Fibre Connection) protocols alongside standard FCP (Fibre Channel Protocol), enabling consolidated mainframe and open systems fabrics.

Virtualized and Cloud Data Centers

It is ideal for hypervisor environments (VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V) where reliable, high-throughput storage connectivity is non-negotiable for vMotion, distributed resource scheduling, and virtual machine performance.

NVMe over Fibre Channel (FC-NVMe) Ready

The 32Gbps capability and low-latency design make the 9148S a foundational element for deploying all-flash arrays and leveraging the efficiency of the NVMe protocol over a Fibre Channel fabric, dramatically reducing latency for transactional and analytical workloads.

Disaster Recovery and SAN Extension

With support for Fibre Channel over IP (FCIP) extension modules and dense 16G/32G ports for ISLs, the switch is perfectly suited for cost-effective, high-bandwidth replication and mirroring between data centers over metropolitan or wide-area networks.

Management, Security, and Software Capabilities

Effective control and robust security are hallmarks of the Cisco MDS family. The UCS-EP-MDS9148S-1 is managed by Cisco NX-OS, a mature, secure, and feature-rich operating system.

Cisco NX-OS: The Storage-Optimized Operating System

NX-OS provides a robust CLI (similar to Cisco's Nexus switches) and a comprehensive GUI via Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) for SAN. Its modular architecture ensures that a failure in one service does not crash the entire system.

Automation and Programmability

Support for Python scripting, REST API interfaces, and integration with Ansible and other DevOps tools enables the automation of provisioning, zoning, and compliance checks, aligning SAN operations with modern CI/CD pipelines.

Comprehensive Security Framework

Security is embedded at every layer, from port-level authentication using FC-SP (Fibre Channel Security Protocol) and DH-CHAP to hardware-enforced zoning and VSANs. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), SSHv2, SNMPv3, and audit logging ensure administrative access is secure and accountable.

Integrated Encryption and Safeguards

Optional switch-based AES-256 encryption for FCIP links protects data in flight over extended networks. Features like Fabric Binding and Port Security prevent unauthorized devices from joining the fabric or accessing restricted VSANs.

Comparing the MDS 9148S in the Cisco Portfolio

It is useful to position the 9148S within the broader Cisco MDS 9000 family to make an informed selection.

MDS 9148S vs. MDS 9132T and 9250i

The MDS 9132T offers 32 ports of 16/32G FC but adds 10/25G Ethernet connectivity for FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet). The MDS 9250i is a modular, multi-protocol switch supporting FC, FCoE, and IP storage in a single platform. The 9148S is the purest, highest-density fixed-form Fibre Channel switch of the trio.

Choosing the Right Model

Select the 9148S when the requirement is for a high port-count, dedicated, all-Fibre Channel fabric with a clear path to 32G and FC-NVMe. Consider the 9132T if FCoE convergence is needed, or the 9250i for large, heterogeneous core/aggregation layers.