N9K-C9396TX Cisco Nexus 9396TX 48-Port 10G Ethernet Switch

Cisco N9K-C9396TX Nexus 9396TX Overview

The Cisco N9K-C9396TX Nexus 9396TX is a high-performance, 48-port managed Layer 3 switch designed for modern data centers. Built for scalability and reliability, this switch ensures seamless connectivity and robust network management for enterprise environments.

Key Manufacturer Details

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Part Number / SKU: N9K-C9396TX
• Product Type: Network Switch
• Subtype: 48 Ports Managed L3 Switch

Technical Specifications

Device Features

• Type: Rack-mountable 2U switch
• Ports: 48 × 10GBASE-T + 12 × 40 Gigabit QSFP+
• Performance: Bandwidth of 1.92 Tbps
• Supports Longest Prefix Match (LPM) entries (IPv4): 16,000
• Host Table Entries (IPv4): 88,000
• MAC Addresses: 160,000
• IPv4 Multicast Routes: 32,000
• Virtual Interfaces (VLANs): 4,096

Advanced Network Management

• Remote Management: SNMP v1, v2, v3, RMON, Telnet, SSH-2
• Flow Control and Load Balancing
• VLAN Support and Weighted Round Robin (WRR) Queuing
• Broadcast, Multicast, and Unicast Storm Control
• Weighted Random Early Detection (WRED) for congestion management
• Support for Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), Rapid STP (RSTP), and Multiple STP (MSTP)
• Access Control List (ACL) and Quality of Service (QoS)
• Radius Authentication, RDMA, LLDP, LACP, and DSCP support

Compliance & Standards

• IEEE 802.3z, IEEE 802.1d, IEEE 802.1q
• IEEE 802.3x, IEEE 802.3ad (LACP)
• IEEE 802.1w, IEEE 802.3ae, IEEE 802.1s
• IEEE 802.1p, IEEE 802.3ba

Physical Dimensions

• Width × Depth × Height: 17.5 in × 22.5 in × 3.5 in

Power and Redundancy

• Internal Power Supply (hot-pluggable, not installed)
• Supports up to 2 power units
• Power redundancy ensures continuous operation

Cisco N9K-C9396TX Nexus 9396TX 48 Port Managed Switch

The Cisco N9K-C9396TX Nexus 9396TX is a high-performance 48-port managed switch designed for enterprise-level data centers, campus networks, and large-scale IT infrastructures. As a Layer 3 switch, it provides advanced routing capabilities alongside robust Layer 2 switching, ensuring seamless integration and scalability for modern network architectures. This switch is engineered to deliver exceptional throughput, low latency, and comprehensive network management, making it an ideal choice for organizations aiming to enhance network efficiency and performance.

High-Density 48-Port Configuration

The Nexus 9396TX switch features 48 high-speed 10/25 Gigabit Ethernet ports, offering high-density connectivity for servers, storage devices, and other network endpoints. Its compact design allows for maximum port utilization within a 1U form factor, optimizing rack space in data centers and network closets. The switch supports various uplink options, enabling flexible connectivity to aggregation or core layers while maintaining consistent network performance.

Advanced Layer 3 Routing Capabilities

With fully featured Layer 3 routing support, the Cisco N9K-C9396TX enables dynamic routing protocols such as OSPF, BGP, and EIGRP. This ensures that large networks can operate efficiently with reduced congestion and optimal traffic management. Inter-VLAN routing is fully supported, allowing seamless communication between different network segments. The device also provides advanced routing features such as Equal-Cost Multipath (ECMP) routing, route summarization, and policy-based routing, which significantly enhance network performance and scalability.

Enhanced Network Automation and Management

The Nexus 9396TX is equipped with Cisco’s NX-OS operating system, providing extensive automation capabilities for network administrators. With support for programmability through Python, REST APIs, and model-driven telemetry, IT teams can automate routine network tasks, monitor performance metrics, and deploy configurations consistently across multiple switches. This reduces manual errors and allows for faster deployment of network services in large-scale environments.

Powerful Security Features

Security is a critical aspect of enterprise networks, and the Cisco N9K-C9396TX provides robust security mechanisms to protect sensitive data. Features such as Access Control Lists (ACLs), role-based access control, and secure management interfaces ensure that only authorized devices and users can access the network. In addition, the switch supports advanced security protocols like MACsec encryption, which safeguards data in transit and prevents potential network breaches.

High Availability and Resiliency

The Cisco Nexus 9396TX is built to deliver uninterrupted network availability through redundant power supplies, hot-swappable fans, and field-replaceable modules. The switch supports Virtual PortChannel (vPC) technology, enabling active-active connections to core or aggregation layers and eliminating single points of failure. In addition, features such as Graceful Restart, Nonstop Forwarding (NSF), and Stateful Switchover (SSO) ensure that network services remain operational even during maintenance or unexpected hardware events.

Optimized Performance for Data Centers

The Nexus 9396TX excels in high-performance data center environments due to its low-latency architecture and high throughput capabilities. The switch leverages cut-through and store-and-forward switching methods, optimizing packet delivery for critical applications such as virtualization, cloud computing, and high-frequency trading. With support for large Layer 2 and Layer 3 tables, the switch can accommodate massive workloads, making it suitable for enterprises that require fast, reliable, and scalable network infrastructure.

Flexible Network Design Options

This managed switch supports multiple deployment models, including spine-leaf architectures, traditional three-tier designs, and hybrid network topologies. Its comprehensive feature set allows administrators to implement sophisticated traffic engineering strategies, prioritize mission-critical applications, and ensure optimal bandwidth utilization across the network. The switch also supports Quality of Service (QoS) policies to manage congestion, reduce packet loss, and maintain consistent application performance.

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

Cisco designed the Nexus 9396TX with energy efficiency in mind, incorporating advanced power management features to reduce operational costs. The switch utilizes energy-efficient fans, low-power ASICs, and intelligent power allocation, resulting in a lower total cost of ownership for data center operations. By optimizing energy consumption, organizations can maintain high network performance while contributing to sustainability goals.

Comprehensive Monitoring and Analytics

Effective network management requires visibility into traffic patterns and device health. The Cisco N9K-C9396TX includes extensive monitoring and analytics capabilities, offering real-time telemetry, SPAN and ERSPAN sessions, and advanced flow analysis. These features allow IT teams to identify bottlenecks, troubleshoot issues proactively, and maintain optimal network performance. The integration with Cisco DNA Center further enhances analytics, providing centralized control, insights, and automation across the entire network fabric.

Support for Virtualization and Cloud Environments

Modern data centers often operate in highly virtualized and cloud-enabled environments. The Nexus 9396TX supports features such as VXLAN, LISP, and Overlay Transport Virtualization (OTV), enabling seamless connectivity between physical and virtual workloads. These technologies allow enterprises to extend Layer 2 networks across data centers, support multi-tenant environments, and enhance flexibility for hybrid cloud deployments.

Scalable Infrastructure for Growing Enterprises

The Cisco N9K-C9396TX is designed to grow alongside the enterprise. Its modular design and comprehensive feature set make it ideal for organizations that require scalable, high-performance network solutions. As business demands increase, IT teams can expand capacity, add new uplinks, and implement advanced routing and automation features without compromising network stability or performance. This scalability ensures long-term value and adaptability in dynamic IT landscapes.