N3K-C3048TP-1GE Cisco Nexus 48-Port Layer 3 Switch

Cisco Nexus N3K-C3048TP-1GE Managed Switch Overview

The Cisco Nexus N3K-C3048TP-1GE is engineered for scalable data center and enterprise environments, delivering consistent Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching with advanced management capabilities. Designed for high-density access and aggregation layers, this model balances performance, reliability, and flexible network control.

Manufacturer and Product Identification

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Model / SKU: N3K-C3048TP-1GE
• Series: Nexus 3000
• Category: Managed Ethernet Switch
• Port Configuration: 48 Ports

Hardware Design and Form Factor

Chassis and Installation

• Rack-ready enclosure suitable for standard cabinets
• Compact 1U profile for space-efficient deployment
• Optimized airflow design for continuous operation

Port Architecture and Connectivity

• 48 x 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet access ports
• 4 x 10 Gigabit SFP+ uplink interfaces
• High-speed connectivity for servers, storage, and uplinks

Switching Performance and Throughput

Traffic Handling Capabilities

• Switching Bandwidth: Up to 176 Gbps
• Packet Forwarding Rate: 132 million packets per second
• Designed to minimize latency under heavy workloads

Frame and Table Capacities

• MAC address table supporting up to 128,000 entries
• Jumbo frame handling up to 9,216 bytes
• Efficient packet processing for large data transfers

Advanced Network Scalability

VLAN and Spanning Tree Support

• Up to 4,096 virtual LANs for network segmentation
• Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP): 64 instances
• Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP): 512 instances
• Per-VLAN Spanning Tree Plus (PVST+) support

Routing and Multicast Features

• Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) for dynamic routing
• IGMP v2 and v3 for multicast traffic optimization
• VRF-lite for traffic isolation across virtual routing domains

Network Management and Control

Remote Administration Options

• SNMP v1, v2, and v3 for monitoring and automation
• Secure CLI access via SSH-2
• Legacy management through Telnet and RMON
• Syslog integration for centralized logging

Traffic Optimization and Security Enhancements

• Quality of Service (QoS) for prioritized traffic handling
• Broadcast, multicast, and unicast storm control
• DHCP snooping for enhanced network security
• Weighted Random Early Detection (WRED) for congestion avoidance

Standards Compliance and Interoperability

• IEEE 802.3, 802.3ab, 802.3ae, and 802.3z Ethernet standards
• IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tagging and 802.1P traffic prioritization
• Link Aggregation Control Protocol (802.3ad)
• RSTP (802.1w), MSTP (802.1s), and LLDP (802.1ab)

Power Supply and Redundancy Options

Power Configuration

• Internal hot-plug power supply design
• Support for up to two power supply units
• Optional power redundancy for high availability
• Compatible with AC 120V / 230V at 50–60 Hz

Enterprise-Grade Data Center Switching Architecture

The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE Nexus Managed Switch with 48 ports belongs to the advanced Cisco Nexus 3000 Series, a category designed to deliver high-density, low-latency, and highly reliable Ethernet switching for modern data center environments. This category focuses on fixed-form-factor switches optimized for top-of-rack and aggregation-layer deployments, supporting mission-critical workloads that demand predictable performance, scalability, and robust management capabilities. Within enterprise and service provider data centers, switches in this category serve as foundational building blocks that enable efficient east-west traffic flow, virtualization, and application-centric networking.

As part of the Nexus 3000 Series category, the Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE is engineered to provide deterministic latency and consistent throughput across all ports. This makes the category especially relevant for environments such as financial trading platforms, high-performance computing clusters, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise virtualization stacks where network performance directly impacts application responsiveness. The design philosophy behind this category emphasizes hardware-based forwarding, deep buffer architectures, and feature-rich software integration to ensure reliable operations at scale.

48-Port Gigabit Ethernet Density for High-Performance Access Layers

This category of switches is characterized by high port density in a compact form factor, enabling organizations to connect a large number of servers, storage devices, and network appliances within a single rack. The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE, featuring 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports, exemplifies this approach by offering ample connectivity for access-layer deployments in data centers. Such density minimizes the need for additional switches, reduces cabling complexity, and optimizes rack space utilization, which is a critical consideration in modern data center design.

Within this category, the emphasis on Gigabit Ethernet connectivity ensures compatibility with a wide range of legacy and modern devices while maintaining reliable throughput for everyday enterprise workloads. The 48-port configuration supports scalable growth, allowing IT teams to expand server farms or storage networks without rearchitecting the network core. This category is particularly suited for organizations transitioning from traditional network architectures to more virtualized and software-defined environments while retaining stable and proven Ethernet standards.

Optimized for Top-of-Rack Deployments

The Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category is widely recognized for its suitability in top-of-rack deployments, where switches are installed directly within server racks to minimize cable lengths and reduce latency. The N3K-C3048TP-1GE fits seamlessly into this category by delivering consistent port-to-port performance and efficient airflow design that aligns with data center cooling strategies. By placing switching intelligence closer to compute resources, this category helps reduce network bottlenecks and improves overall application performance.

Top-of-rack deployment models supported by this category also enhance network manageability. Shorter cable runs lead to improved signal integrity and simplified troubleshooting, while centralized management tools allow administrators to monitor and configure multiple switches efficiently. This design approach is a defining characteristic of the Nexus 3000 Series category, making it a preferred choice for data centers prioritizing operational efficiency and predictable performance.

Advanced Cisco NX-OS Software Capabilities

A defining feature of the Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE category is its integration with Cisco NX-OS, a powerful network operating system purpose-built for data center switching. This software platform provides a rich set of Layer 2 and Layer 3 features, automation support, and high availability mechanisms that elevate the capabilities of managed switches within this category. NX-OS enables consistent behavior across Cisco Nexus devices, simplifying training, deployment, and long-term maintenance.

Within this category, NX-OS delivers modular architecture and process isolation, ensuring that individual software components can fail or be upgraded without impacting overall switch operation. This contributes significantly to the reliability and uptime expected from enterprise-grade data center switches. The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE benefits from these software characteristics, positioning this category as a robust solution for organizations that cannot afford network downtime.

Layer 2 and Layer 3 Feature Integration

The managed switch category represented by the Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE supports comprehensive Layer 2 switching and Layer 3 routing capabilities. This allows organizations to deploy these switches flexibly, whether as pure access-layer devices or as part of a routed spine-and-leaf architecture. VLAN support, advanced trunking, and loop prevention mechanisms are integral to this category, ensuring stable and secure Ethernet segmentation.

Layer 3 features such as static routing and dynamic routing protocol support enable efficient traffic management and redundancy. This dual-layer capability is a hallmark of the Nexus 3000 Series category, enabling simplified network designs and reducing the need for additional routing hardware. The result is a more streamlined and cost-effective data center network infrastructure.

Automation and Programmability

Automation is a core principle of the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category, and the N3K-C3048TP-1GE exemplifies this focus through extensive programmability options. Cisco NX-OS supports automation frameworks, scripting interfaces, and API-driven management, allowing IT teams to integrate network operations into broader DevOps workflows. This category aligns with modern infrastructure-as-code practices, enabling rapid provisioning and consistent configuration across multiple switches.

By reducing manual configuration tasks, switches in this category help minimize human error and accelerate deployment cycles. Automation capabilities also enhance scalability, making it easier to manage growing data center environments without proportionally increasing operational complexity. This positions the Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE category as an ideal choice for organizations embracing digital transformation and cloud-native architectures.

Low-Latency and Predictable Performance Characteristics

Performance predictability is a defining attribute of the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category. The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE is engineered to deliver consistent low-latency forwarding, which is critical for applications that are sensitive to network delays. This category leverages hardware-based switching and optimized packet processing pipelines to ensure minimal jitter and deterministic performance under load.

Such characteristics make this category highly suitable for environments where microseconds matter, including financial services, real-time analytics, and high-performance computing. Even in general enterprise deployments, predictable performance contributes to better application responsiveness and user experience. The emphasis on low latency differentiates this category from traditional campus switches and underscores its data center focus.

High Throughput and Efficient Traffic Handling

The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE category is designed to handle high volumes of east-west traffic commonly found in virtualized and containerized environments. Efficient buffering and intelligent congestion management ensure that traffic bursts are absorbed without packet loss, maintaining stable network performance. This capability is particularly valuable in environments running multiple virtual machines per host, where network utilization patterns can be highly dynamic.

By maintaining high throughput across all 48 ports, switches in this category support dense server deployments without compromising performance. This ensures that application scaling does not introduce network constraints, allowing organizations to fully leverage their compute and storage investments.

Reliability, Redundancy, and High Availability Design

High availability is a cornerstone of the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category. The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE is built with enterprise-grade components and design principles that prioritize continuous operation. Features such as redundant power supply support, robust cooling mechanisms, and resilient software architecture contribute to the overall reliability of this category.

Within mission-critical data centers, network downtime can have significant financial and operational impacts. This category addresses those concerns by providing mechanisms for fast convergence, graceful failover, and non-disruptive maintenance. These attributes make the Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE category suitable for environments where uptime and stability are non-negotiable.

Operational Continuity in Data Center Environments

Switches in this category are designed to operate continuously under demanding conditions. Thermal management and airflow optimization ensure consistent performance even in high-density racks. The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE benefits from this design approach, supporting extended operational lifecycles and reduced risk of hardware-related failures.

Operational continuity is further enhanced by the ability to perform software upgrades and configuration changes with minimal disruption. This allows organizations to maintain security and feature updates without impacting live workloads, reinforcing the suitability of this category for enterprise data centers.

Security and Network Segmentation Capabilities

Security is an integral aspect of the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category. The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE supports advanced security features that help protect data center networks from internal and external threats. These capabilities include access control mechanisms, secure management interfaces, and support for network segmentation strategies that isolate workloads and reduce attack surfaces.

Within this category, security is designed to be both robust and manageable. Integrated security features allow organizations to enforce policies directly at the switching layer, reducing reliance on external appliances and simplifying network architecture. This approach aligns with modern zero-trust and defense-in-depth strategies commonly adopted in enterprise and cloud environments.

Support for Segmented and Virtualized Networks

Network segmentation is essential for multi-tenant and virtualized data centers, and the Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE category excels in this area. VLAN and virtual network support enable organizations to isolate traffic between applications, departments, or customers while sharing the same physical infrastructure. This segmentation enhances both security and performance by preventing unnecessary traffic mixing.

By supporting advanced segmentation techniques, this category allows organizations to scale their environments securely. As workloads grow and diversify, the ability to maintain clear boundaries within the network becomes increasingly important, and the Nexus 3000 Series category provides the necessary tools to achieve this.

Scalability and Future-Ready Network Design

The Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category is designed with scalability in mind, ensuring that network infrastructure can grow alongside business demands. The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE supports modular expansion through uplinks and integration with higher-tier switches, enabling seamless scaling from small deployments to large data center fabrics.

This scalability extends beyond hardware to include software and management capabilities. As network requirements evolve, switches in this category can be adapted through software updates and configuration changes rather than complete hardware replacements. This future-ready approach protects investments and supports long-term infrastructure planning.

Integration with Modern Data Center Architectures

The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE category integrates effectively with contemporary data center architectures such as spine-and-leaf designs. By functioning as a reliable leaf switch, it contributes to predictable latency and simplified routing between servers and applications. This architectural compatibility is a key reason why the Nexus 3000 Series category is widely adopted in modern data centers.

Integration with orchestration platforms and network management systems further enhances the value of this category. Centralized visibility and control enable administrators to manage complex environments efficiently, ensuring consistent policy enforcement and performance optimization across the entire network fabric.

Use Cases Across Enterprise and Service Provider Environments

The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE Nexus Managed Switch category supports a broad range of use cases across enterprise, cloud, and service provider environments. In enterprise data centers, these switches provide reliable access-layer connectivity for application servers, storage systems, and virtualization hosts. Their performance and reliability make them suitable for both production and development environments.

In service provider and cloud environments, this category supports multi-tenant architectures and high-density deployments. The combination of advanced software features, predictable performance, and robust security makes the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category a versatile solution for diverse networking requirements.

Supporting Virtualization and Cloud Workloads

Virtualization and cloud computing place unique demands on network infrastructure, including high east-west traffic volumes and dynamic workload mobility. The Cisco N3K-C3048TP-1GE category is well-suited to these demands, providing consistent performance and seamless integration with virtualized platforms. This ensures that network infrastructure does not become a limiting factor in cloud adoption.

By supporting the connectivity needs of virtual machines, containers, and orchestration systems, this category enables organizations to build agile and responsive IT environments. The result is a network foundation that supports innovation, scalability, and operational efficiency.