N3K-C3264Q Cisco Nexus 3264Q 64 Ports Rack-mountable Switch

Cisco N3K-C3264Q 64 Ports Managed Switch Overview

The Cisco N3K-C3264Q is a high-capacity, rack-mountable data center switch designed for scalable Layer 3 networking. Built for demanding enterprise and cloud environments, this model delivers ultra-low latency, massive throughput, and advanced traffic management across 64 high-speed ports.

General Product Highlights

• Brand: Cisco
• Part Number: N3K-C3264Q
• Category: Managed Network Switch
• Port Configuration: 64 High-Density Ports
• Deployment Type: Data Center & Enterprise Networks

Hardware Design and Form Factor

Rack Integration

• Rack-mountable chassis with a compact 2U enclosure
• Optimized airflow design for continuous operation
• Enterprise-grade build quality for long-term reliability

Switch Architecture

• Layer 3 managed switching capabilities
• 40 Gigabit Ethernet switching technology
• Engineered for spine-and-leaf architectures

Port Configuration and Connectivity

High-Speed Network Interfaces

• 64 x 40 Gigabit QSFP+ ports for ultra-fast data transmission
• Designed to support high-bandwidth workloads
• Ideal for virtualization, big data, and cloud computing

Management and Auxiliary Interfaces

• 1 x 1000Base-T RJ-45 Ethernet port for out-of-band management
• 1 x RJ-45 Serial (RS-232) port for console access
• 2 x USB Type-A ports for system operations

Performance and Switching Capacity

Throughput Capabilities

• Switching fabric capacity up to 5.12 Tbps
• Forwarding rate reaching 3.8 billion packets per second
• Consistent performance under heavy network loads

Scalability Metrics

• Supports up to 4,096 virtual LANs (VLANs)
• Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol instances: up to 64
• Rapid Spanning Tree instances: up to 512

Advanced Network Features

Traffic Control and Security

• Ingress ACL entries: up to 7,000
• Egress ACL entries: up to 1,000
• Hardware-based QoS entries: 8

Routing and Multicast Capacity

• Layer 3 multicast entries supporting up to 64,000 records
• IPv4 host table capacity of up to 72,000 entries
• Designed for efficient routing at scale

Power Supply and Redundancy

Power Architecture

• Internal hot-plug power supply design
• Power modules not pre-installed
• Supports up to two power supplies

Cisco Nexus 3264Q Rack-Mountable Data Center Switch

The Cisco N3K-C3264Q Rack-mountable Nexus 3264Q 64 Ports Manageable Switch category represents a high-density, low-latency switching solution purpose-built for modern data center environments that demand predictable performance, scalability, and operational simplicity. These switches are engineered to support large volumes of east-west traffic common in virtualized, cloud, and high-performance computing infrastructures. As part of the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series, the 3264Q model focuses on delivering wire-speed throughput with consistent latency across all ports, making it suitable for both enterprise and service provider data centers.

This category emphasizes reliability, performance, and advanced management features, enabling network architects to build resilient spine-leaf topologies while maintaining operational efficiency. With a rack-mountable form factor, these switches integrate seamlessly into standard 19-inch data center racks, supporting space-efficient deployment without compromising airflow or serviceability.

High-Density 40 Gigabit Ethernet Port Architecture

64-Port 40GbE Configuration

The Cisco Nexus 3264Q category is defined by its 64-port 40 Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ configuration. This high port density allows organizations to consolidate network layers, reduce cabling complexity, and achieve higher bandwidth per rack. Each port is capable of delivering full line-rate throughput, ensuring that performance remains consistent even during peak traffic conditions.

The 40GbE architecture supports breakout configurations, enabling flexibility when connecting to 10GbE or 25GbE devices. This versatility allows network teams to adapt existing infrastructures while planning for future expansion. The ability to repurpose ports based on workload requirements makes this category ideal for dynamic data center environments.

Optimized Throughput and Low Latency

Switches in this category are engineered for ultra-low latency, a critical factor for applications such as high-frequency trading, real-time analytics, distributed databases, and storage traffic. The cut-through switching architecture minimizes packet processing delays, providing predictable performance across the fabric.

Consistent latency characteristics ensure application stability and improve overall user experience. By maintaining wire-speed performance across all 64 ports, the Cisco Nexus 3264Q category supports bandwidth-intensive workloads without introducing bottlenecks.

Layer 2 and Layer 3 Manageability

Advanced Layer 2 Switching Capabilities

The Cisco N3K-C3264Q category includes comprehensive Layer 2 features designed to support scalable and resilient network designs. Capabilities such as VLAN segmentation, Spanning Tree Protocol enhancements, and link aggregation provide network engineers with the tools needed to optimize traffic flow and ensure high availability.

Enhanced L2 features enable seamless integration with existing network segments, allowing organizations to expand or modernize their infrastructure without disruptive redesigns. This makes the category suitable for both greenfield deployments and incremental upgrades.

Robust Layer 3 Routing Features

Beyond traditional switching, the Nexus 3264Q category supports advanced Layer 3 routing protocols, enabling deployment at both the access and aggregation layers of the data center. Support for static routing and dynamic protocols allows for efficient traffic distribution and rapid convergence in the event of link or node failures.

Layer 3 functionality enhances scalability and simplifies network architectures by reducing reliance on external routing devices. This integrated approach helps lower total cost of ownership while improving network resiliency.

Spine-Leaf Architecture Enablement

Role in Modern Data Center Fabrics

The Cisco Nexus 3264Q Rack-mountable switch category is specifically designed to support spine-leaf architectures, which are now the standard for scalable data center networking. With uniform port speeds and predictable latency, these switches can function effectively as either spine or leaf nodes.

In leaf roles, the high port density enables direct connections to servers, storage arrays, and hyperconverged infrastructure. In spine roles, the switch provides high-capacity interconnects between leaf switches, ensuring non-blocking throughput across the entire fabric.

Scalability and Horizontal Expansion

Spine-leaf designs using the Nexus 3264Q category allow horizontal scaling by simply adding more leaf or spine switches. This modular approach avoids disruptive upgrades and supports incremental growth aligned with business needs.

The predictable performance characteristics of this category ensure that scaling does not introduce latency inconsistencies or bandwidth constraints, making it ideal for rapidly growing data centers.

Operating System and Network Intelligence

Cisco NX-OS Software Foundation

All switches in the Cisco Nexus 3264Q category operate on Cisco NX-OS, a data center-class operating system designed for high availability and operational consistency. NX-OS provides a modular architecture that supports in-service software upgrades, reducing downtime during maintenance.

The consistent command-line interface and configuration model simplify training and reduce operational errors. Network administrators benefit from advanced monitoring, logging, and diagnostic capabilities built directly into the operating system.

Automation and Programmability

NX-OS supports automation frameworks and programmable interfaces, enabling integration with orchestration tools and DevOps workflows. This allows network configurations to be deployed and managed programmatically, improving deployment speed and configuration accuracy.

Programmability features help organizations align network operations with modern application deployment models, including containerized and microservices-based architectures.

Reliability and High Availability Design

Redundant Power and Cooling Architecture

The Cisco Nexus 3264Q Rack-mountable switch category is designed with enterprise-grade reliability in mind. Redundant, hot-swappable power supplies and fan modules ensure continuous operation even during component failures.

This fault-tolerant design minimizes unplanned downtime and supports mission-critical workloads. Hot-swap capabilities allow maintenance activities to be performed without disrupting network services.

Hardware Resilience and Longevity

High-quality components and rigorous testing standards contribute to long operational lifespans. These switches are built to withstand the demanding thermal and electrical conditions of modern data centers.

The robust hardware design ensures consistent performance over time, protecting infrastructure investments and reducing replacement cycles.

Security and Traffic Segmentation Features

Integrated Network Security Controls

Security is a core consideration within the Cisco Nexus 3264Q category. Integrated features support traffic segmentation, access control, and policy enforcement at the network level. These capabilities help protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access.

By enforcing security policies directly on the switch, organizations can reduce reliance on external security appliances while maintaining strong protection against internal and external threats.

Support for Multi-Tenant Environments

The category supports multi-tenant data center designs, enabling service providers and large enterprises to isolate traffic between different business units or customers. Logical segmentation ensures compliance with security and regulatory requirements.

This flexibility makes the Nexus 3264Q category suitable for private cloud, hybrid cloud, and colocation environments.

Use Cases Across Industries

Enterprise Data Centers

In enterprise environments, the Cisco Nexus 3264Q Rack-mountable switch category supports virtualization platforms, large-scale databases, and business-critical applications. High bandwidth and low latency improve application responsiveness and user productivity.

The manageable feature set simplifies network operations, enabling IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine maintenance.

Cloud and Service Provider Deployments

For cloud providers and service operators, this category offers the scalability and performance required to support thousands of virtual machines and tenants. The ability to scale horizontally aligns with elastic service delivery models.

Operational efficiency and automation support reduce provisioning times and improve service reliability.

High-Performance Computing and Storage Networks

HPC clusters and storage-intensive workloads benefit from the predictable low latency and high throughput of the Nexus 3264Q category. Fast, lossless transport supports distributed computing tasks and high-speed storage access.

The architecture ensures that compute and storage nodes can communicate efficiently, maximizing overall system performance.