N7K-M148GT-11 Cisco Nexus 7000 Gigabit Ethernet 48 Ports Switch Module

Cisco N7K-M148GT-11 Nexus 7000 Network Switch Overview

The Cisco N7K-M148GT-11 is a high-performance 48-port Gigabit Ethernet network switch module designed for scalable enterprise and data center environments. This plug-in module provides robust connectivity, advanced routing, and comprehensive network management features, making it ideal for mission-critical networks.

Key Specifications

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Model / SKU: N7K-M148GT-11
• Device Type: Switch - 48 Ports
• Port Type: Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps)
• Enclosure: Plug-in Module
• Supported Jumbo Frames: Up to 9216 Bytes

Performance & Capacity

• IPv4 Routing Capacity: Up to 1,000,000 routes
• IPv6 Routing Capacity: Up to 350,000 routes
• NetFlow Entries: 512,000
• Access Control List (ACL) Entries: 128,000
• MAC Address Table: 128k entries

Connectivity & Expansion

• Interfaces: 48 x 1000Base-T RJ-45
• High-Density Port Layout: Optimized for seamless integration with Nexus 7000 chassis

Advanced Features

• Supports scalable enterprise network deployments
• Optimized for data center aggregation and core layers
• High availability and redundancy with Cisco NX-OS support
• Comprehensive network analytics through NetFlow monitoring

Ideal Applications

• Data center core and aggregation switching
• High-density Gigabit Ethernet connectivity
• IPv4 and IPv6 network routing at scale
• Enterprise campus networks requiring reliable performance

Cisco Nexus 7000 Series Ethernet Switching Modules

The Cisco N7K-M148GT-11 Nexus 7000 Gigabit Ethernet 48 Ports Network Switch Module belongs to the broader category of high-performance Ethernet switching modules designed specifically for the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series chassis. These modules are engineered to deliver reliable, scalable, and high-density Gigabit Ethernet connectivity within enterprise core, aggregation, and data center network environments. As part of the modular architecture of the Nexus 7000 platform, this category of switch modules enables organizations to adapt network capacity and performance according to evolving business requirements without replacing the entire switching system.

This category focuses on Ethernet line cards that integrate seamlessly with Nexus 7000 chassis systems, providing consistent throughput, advanced traffic management, and robust Layer 2 and Layer 3 capabilities. The Cisco N7K-M148GT-11, with its forty-eight Gigabit Ethernet ports, is designed to support mission-critical applications, converged data traffic, and high-demand workloads that require predictable latency and high availability.

Role of Gigabit Ethernet Modules in Nexus 7000 Architecture

Within the Cisco Nexus 7000 ecosystem, Gigabit Ethernet switch modules serve as essential building blocks for network scalability and segmentation. The N7K-M148GT-11 category supports copper-based Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, making it suitable for enterprise access, aggregation, and data center edge deployments where cost-effective high-speed connectivity is required. These modules are optimized to integrate with the Nexus 7000 fabric modules and supervisors, ensuring consistent performance across the switching backplane.

By leveraging the distributed forwarding architecture of the Nexus 7000 Series, Gigabit Ethernet modules in this category provide line-rate performance with minimal latency. This architecture allows traffic forwarding decisions to be handled locally on the module while still benefiting from centralized control and policy enforcement, which is critical for large-scale enterprise and service provider networks.

Integration with Nexus 7000 Chassis Systems

The Cisco N7K-M148GT-11 module category is designed to operate within compatible Nexus 7000 Series chassis, taking full advantage of the platform’s redundant power supplies, cooling systems, and supervisor engines. This tight integration ensures continuous operation, even during maintenance or hardware replacement, which is a key requirement for networks that must remain operational around the clock.

Because these modules are hot-swappable, network administrators can add, remove, or replace modules without disrupting active traffic flows. This capability supports non-disruptive upgrades and simplifies capacity planning in dynamic enterprise environments.

Scalable Port Density for Enterprise Networks

High port density is a defining characteristic of this category. With forty-eight Gigabit Ethernet ports on a single module, organizations can achieve dense connectivity while conserving valuable chassis slots. This density is particularly advantageous in data centers and large campus networks where numerous endpoints, servers, and network devices must be connected efficiently.

The ability to deploy multiple modules within a single chassis allows enterprises to scale port counts incrementally, aligning network expansion with business growth and budget considerations.

Layer 2 Switching Capabilities and Use Cases

The Cisco Nexus 7000 Gigabit Ethernet module category delivers comprehensive Layer 2 switching features that are essential for modern enterprise networks. These features support VLAN segmentation, loop prevention, and traffic optimization, enabling administrators to design flexible and resilient network topologies. The N7K-M148GT-11 module supports extensive VLAN configurations, making it suitable for multi-tenant data centers and large enterprise environments with diverse departmental requirements.

Layer 2 features in this category are designed to interoperate seamlessly with other Nexus 7000 modules and Cisco networking solutions. This interoperability ensures consistent policy enforcement and simplified network management across the entire infrastructure.

VLAN Segmentation and Traffic Isolation

VLAN support within this category enables logical separation of network traffic, improving security and performance. By assigning ports to specific VLANs, administrators can isolate sensitive data, manage broadcast domains, and optimize traffic flows. This is particularly important in environments where multiple applications or departments share the same physical network infrastructure.

The Cisco N7K-M148GT-11 module category supports a large number of VLANs, making it suitable for complex network designs that require fine-grained segmentation.

Spanning Tree and Loop Prevention

Ethernet switching modules in this category support industry-standard spanning tree protocols to prevent network loops and ensure stable Layer 2 topologies. These mechanisms are essential for maintaining network reliability, especially in environments with redundant links and interconnected switches.

Advanced spanning tree features allow faster convergence and improved resilience, reducing the risk of downtime during topology changes or link failures.

Layer 3 Routing Features and Network Intelligence

Beyond Layer 2 switching, the Cisco Nexus 7000 Gigabit Ethernet module category also supports robust Layer 3 routing capabilities. These features enable the module to participate in IP routing, providing efficient inter-VLAN communication and supporting scalable network designs. The integration of Layer 3 functionality within the switching module reduces the need for additional routing hardware, simplifying network architecture.

Layer 3 capabilities in this category are designed to work in harmony with the Nexus 7000 supervisor engines, ensuring centralized control while maintaining distributed forwarding for optimal performance.

Inter-VLAN Routing and Policy Control

Inter-VLAN routing allows traffic to flow efficiently between different VLANs without leaving the switching chassis. This capability improves performance and reduces latency, which is critical for applications that rely on rapid data exchange between network segments.

Policy-based routing and access control features further enhance network security and traffic management, enabling administrators to define granular rules that govern how data moves through the network.

Support for Enterprise Routing Protocols

The category supports common enterprise routing protocols, allowing seamless integration into existing network infrastructures. This compatibility ensures that the Cisco N7K-M148GT-11 module can function as part of a larger routed network, supporting both static and dynamic routing scenarios.

These routing features contribute to improved network resilience and scalability, particularly in large, distributed enterprise environments.

Performance Characteristics and Throughput Optimization

Performance is a key focus of the Cisco Nexus 7000 Gigabit Ethernet module category. Designed to deliver line-rate Gigabit Ethernet throughput across all ports, the N7K-M148GT-11 module ensures that network performance remains consistent even under heavy traffic loads. This reliability is essential for supporting bandwidth-intensive applications such as virtualization, unified communications, and large-scale data transfers.

Advanced buffering and queue management mechanisms help prevent congestion and packet loss, maintaining application performance during peak usage periods.

Low Latency Switching Architecture

The low-latency design of this category supports real-time applications that are sensitive to delays, such as voice and video communications. By minimizing processing overhead and optimizing packet forwarding paths, the module helps ensure smooth and predictable application performance.

This low-latency capability is particularly valuable in data center environments where east-west traffic patterns are common.

Quality of Service and Traffic Prioritization

Quality of Service features within this category allow administrators to prioritize critical traffic and allocate bandwidth according to application requirements. This ensures that high-priority services receive the necessary resources even during periods of network congestion.

Traffic prioritization mechanisms support consistent user experiences and help maintain service level agreements across the network.

Reliability, Redundancy, and High Availability

High availability is a defining attribute of the Cisco Nexus 7000 Gigabit Ethernet module category. The N7K-M148GT-11 module is designed to operate within a fully redundant chassis environment, leveraging redundant supervisors, power supplies, and cooling systems to minimize the risk of downtime.

This category supports continuous operation through features such as hot-swappable components and non-disruptive upgrades, which are essential for mission-critical networks.

Fault Tolerance and Hardware Resilience

Robust hardware design ensures that individual component failures do not impact overall network operation. In the event of a module failure, traffic can be rerouted or maintained through redundant paths, preserving network availability.

This fault-tolerant approach is critical for enterprises that rely on uninterrupted network connectivity.

Support for Non-Disruptive Maintenance

Non-disruptive maintenance capabilities allow administrators to perform upgrades and replacements without impacting active traffic. This reduces maintenance windows and supports continuous business operations.

The ability to maintain and upgrade the network without downtime is a significant advantage for large-scale enterprise deployments.

Deployment Scenarios and Industry Applications

The Cisco N7K-M148GT-11 Nexus 7000 Gigabit Ethernet 48 Ports Network Switch Module category is suitable for a wide range of deployment scenarios. From enterprise core networks to data center aggregation layers, these modules provide the flexibility and performance required to support diverse workloads.

Industries such as finance, healthcare, education, and government benefit from the reliability and scalability offered by this category, particularly in environments where network uptime and performance are critical.

Enterprise Core and Aggregation Layers

In enterprise networks, this category is often deployed at the core or aggregation layer, where high port density and robust performance are essential. The ability to aggregate traffic from multiple access switches into a centralized chassis simplifies network management and improves efficiency.

These deployments benefit from the advanced routing and switching features integrated into the module category.

Data Center Edge and Server Connectivity

Within data centers, the Gigabit Ethernet module category supports connectivity for servers, storage systems, and other infrastructure components. The combination of high port density and reliable performance makes it well-suited for environments with a large number of endpoints.

This flexibility allows organizations to adapt their data center networks to changing application demands.

Compatibility and Ecosystem Integration

The Cisco Nexus 7000 Gigabit Ethernet module category is designed to integrate seamlessly with the broader Cisco networking ecosystem. Compatibility with Cisco NX-OS software ensures consistent management, monitoring, and automation capabilities across the network.

This integration simplifies operations and allows administrators to leverage existing tools and expertise.

NX-OS Software Features and Management

NX-OS provides a rich set of management and automation features that enhance the value of this category. Through a consistent command-line interface and support for modern automation tools, administrators can efficiently configure and monitor network performance.

Advanced telemetry and monitoring capabilities provide deep visibility into network operations.

Interoperability with Other Nexus Modules

The category is designed to work alongside other Nexus 7000 modules, including higher-speed Ethernet and specialized service modules. This interoperability allows organizations to build heterogeneous network environments that meet a wide range of performance and connectivity requirements.

Such flexibility ensures long-term investment protection and scalability.