N5K-C5548P-FA Cisco Nexus 32 Ports Managed Switch

Cisco N5K-C5548P-FA Nexus 5500 32 Ports Switch Overview

The Cisco N5K-C5548P-FA is a high-performance 32-port managed switch designed for enterprise networks, providing robust reliability, advanced management capabilities, and seamless integration into modern data centers.

Key Product Details

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Model Number / SKU: N5K-C5548P-FA
• Device Type: Managed Network Switch
• Port Count: 32 SFP+ Ports
• Form Factor: Rack-mountable, 1U

Technical Specifications

Hardware Features

• High-density 32-port SFP+ connectivity
• 32k MAC address table for extensive network support
• Supports jumbo frames up to 9216 bytes for large data payloads
• Rack-mountable 1U enclosure for optimal space utilization

Advanced Network Management

• Remote monitoring and management via SNMP v1/v2c/v3, RMON, Telnet, SSH-2, and CLI
• Layer 2 switching with VLAN segmentation for network optimization
• Broadcast, multicast, and unicast storm control to prevent traffic overload
• Weighted Round Robin (WRR) queuing for balanced traffic distribution

Security & Reliability Features

• DHCP snooping to prevent unauthorized IP assignments
• Access Control List (ACL) support for network security policies
• Rapid Per-VLAN Spanning Tree Plus (PVRST+) for loop-free topology
• Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP) support for network redundancy

Quality of Service (QoS)

• Advanced QoS prioritization ensures optimal traffic performance
• Jumbo frame support improves efficiency for high-volume data transfers

Compliance & Standards

• IEEE 802.3 Ethernet standard
• IEEE 802.1d / 802.1w / 802.1s for spanning tree protocols
• IEEE 802.1q VLAN tagging for network segmentation
• IEEE 802.3x flow control and IEEE 802.3ad link aggregation (LACP)
• IEEE 802.1p for QoS prioritization
• IEEE 802.3ae for high-speed 10G Ethernet

Power Specifications

• AC Input Voltage: 120/230V, 50/60 Hz
• Energy-efficient design suitable for data center environments

Cisco N5K-C5548P-FA Nexus 5500 Series Managed Switch

The Cisco N5K-C5548P-FA Nexus 5500 Series is a high-performance, rack-mountable 32-port managed switch designed for enterprise data centers and high-demand networking environments. Offering advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching capabilities, this 1RU switch provides unparalleled network scalability, performance, and reliability. It is engineered to meet the growing demands of modern data centers, delivering low-latency connectivity, high throughput, and robust network management features essential for mission-critical applications.

High-Performance Architecture

The Nexus 5500 series utilizes a modular and resilient architecture that ensures continuous network uptime. Equipped with cutting-edge silicon technology, the N5K-C5548P-FA supports high-density 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections across all 32 ports, making it an ideal choice for aggregation and access layer deployments. Its internal switching fabric supports multi-terabit throughput, ensuring smooth handling of large volumes of data traffic with minimal latency.

Layer 2 and Layer 3 Functionality

This switch offers comprehensive Layer 2 and Layer 3 capabilities, enabling seamless integration into complex network topologies. Layer 2 features include VLAN segmentation, Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), and support for VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP). For Layer 3, the switch supports static routing, Routing Information Protocol (RIP), Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), providing flexible routing options for dynamic network environments.

Advanced Network Services

The Cisco N5K-C5548P-FA is equipped with advanced network services that enhance operational efficiency and security. These services include Quality of Service (QoS) for traffic prioritization, policy-based routing, and access control lists (ACLs) to enforce granular security policies. In addition, support for Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) allows network administrators to deploy scalable Layer 2 and Layer 3 overlays, which are critical in modern multi-tenant and cloud networking environments.

Power and Efficiency

Designed with energy efficiency in mind, the N5K-C5548P-FA supports redundant, hot-swappable power supplies and cooling fans, ensuring uninterrupted operation and easy maintenance. The switch's hardware supports Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) standards, which reduce power consumption during periods of low network activity, helping data centers minimize operational costs while maintaining high performance.

Redundancy and Reliability

Reliability is a cornerstone of the Nexus 5500 series. The switch offers dual supervisors, stateful failover, and In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) capabilities, enabling network administrators to perform maintenance and upgrades without disrupting live traffic. Redundant power and cooling systems provide additional layers of fault tolerance, ensuring maximum uptime in enterprise environments.

Rack Mountable Design

The Cisco N5K-C5548P-FA features a compact 1RU rack-mountable form factor, making it suitable for deployment in standard server racks and network cabinets. Its small footprint allows data centers to maximize space efficiency while maintaining high port density. The switch is designed for easy installation, with front-to-back airflow to simplify integration with existing cooling infrastructure.

Scalability and Port Density

With 32 high-performance 10G Ethernet ports, the Nexus 5500 series provides the flexibility to scale network capacity according to organizational needs. Each port supports multiple speed configurations, including 1G and 10G connections, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of network devices. This flexibility allows businesses to future-proof their infrastructure while accommodating growth in traffic demands.

Virtualization Support

The N5K-C5548P-FA is optimized for virtualized environments. Features such as Virtual Device Contexts (VDCs) enable administrators to partition the physical switch into multiple logical switches, each with isolated control and data planes. This segmentation allows secure multi-tenant environments and efficient resource allocation. Additionally, the switch supports Cisco FabricPath, which simplifies the deployment of scalable Layer 2 networks and enhances failover capabilities.

Enhanced Security Features

Security is integrated into the Nexus 5500 architecture, offering features such as port-based network access control (802.1X), Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI), and IP Source Guard. These measures prevent unauthorized access and mitigate common network threats. Furthermore, the switch supports Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), enabling administrators to assign granular permissions to network users based on their roles.

Use Cases and Applications

The Cisco N5K-C5548P-FA is ideal for various data center applications, including server aggregation, high-speed uplinks, and network virtualization. It supports large-scale virtualized workloads, cloud computing environments, and high-performance computing (HPC) clusters. Its combination of low latency, high throughput, and robust security makes it a preferred choice for enterprises requiring reliable and scalable network infrastructure.

Data Center Aggregation

In data center aggregation, the Nexus 5500 acts as a high-speed switch that consolidates traffic from multiple access layer switches before forwarding it to the core network. Its high-density 10G ports enable efficient handling of east-west traffic between servers and applications, reducing bottlenecks and improving overall network performance.

Server Access Layer

As an access layer switch, the N5K-C5548P-FA provides direct connectivity to servers, ensuring high-speed access to critical applications. Its support for Virtual Port Channels (vPC) allows for redundancy and load balancing across multiple links, improving both performance and availability. The switch's programmability features also enable dynamic network configuration in response to changing workloads.