N3K-C3064PQ-10GX Cisco Nexus 3064-X SFP+ Layer 3 Managed Switch, 48 Ports

Cisco Nexus 3064-X Managed Switch Overview

The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX is a high-density, rack-ready Layer 3 managed switch engineered for modern data centers and high-performance network environments. Built under the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series, it delivers low latency, exceptional throughput, and advanced traffic control for scalable infrastructures.

Manufacturer and Product Identification

• Brand: Cisco
• Model: Nexus 3064-X
• Part Number: N3K-C3064PQ-10GX
• Category: Managed Network Switch
• Form Factor: 1U Rack Mountable

Port Configuration and Interface Options

High-Speed Ethernet Connectivity

This switch is designed to support dense 10 Gigabit Ethernet deployments, making it suitable for aggregation and access-layer roles.

Available Ports

• 48 × SFP+ 10GbE ports
• 4 × QSFP+ uplink ports
• 2 × 1000Base-T RJ-45 management ports
• 1 × RJ-45 console interface
• 1 × USB port for system operations

Switching Performance and Capacity

Optimized for High Throughput

The Cisco Nexus 3064-X delivers exceptional packet processing capabilities, enabling smooth operation in demanding network conditions.

Performance Metrics

• Switching capacity up to 1.28 Tbps
• MAC address table supporting 128,000 entries
• Jumbo frame compatibility up to 9216 bytes

Scalability Features

• Up to 4096 VLANs
• 64 Multiple Spanning Tree (MST) instances
• 512 Rapid Spanning Tree (RSTP) instances

Advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 Capabilities

Traffic Management and Network Stability

Equipped with enterprise-grade switching intelligence, this Nexus switch ensures efficient traffic flow and resilient network operations.

Key Switching Functions

• Layer 2 switching with VLAN segmentation
• Rapid PVST+ and MSTP support
• Broadcast, multicast, and unicast storm control
• Weighted Random Early Detection (WRED)
• Quality of Service (QoS) for traffic prioritization
• DHCP snooping for enhanced security

Management, Security, and Monitoring

Comprehensive Remote Administration

The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX supports multiple management protocols, allowing administrators to monitor and control the switch efficiently.

Supported Management Protocols

• SNMP v1, v2, and v3
• RMON
• CLI-based configuration
• SSH-2 and Telnet access

Security and Authentication

• AES encryption support
• RADIUS and TACACS+ authentication
• MS-CHAP and Secure Shell v2 (SSH2)

Standards and Compliance

Industry-Recognized Protocol Support

This switch adheres to widely adopted IEEE networking standards, ensuring seamless interoperability across enterprise and data center environments.

• IEEE 802.3z, 802.3ae, and 802.3ad (LACP)
• IEEE 802.1Q VLAN tagging
• IEEE 802.1D, 802.1W, and 802.1S
• IEEE 802.1P traffic prioritization
• IEEE 802.1AB (LLDP)

Power Supply and Redundancy Options

Reliable Power Architecture

The Cisco Nexus 3064-X is designed with power flexibility to meet uptime requirements in enterprise environments.

Power Specifications

• Internal hot-plug power supply support
• Up to 2 power supply units (optional redundancy)
• Designed for continuous operation in rack deployments

Enterprise-Class Data Center Switching with Cisco Nexus 3064-X Series

The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX 48 Ports Managed Switch Layer 3 Nexus 3064-X SFP+ Rack Mountable belongs to the advanced Cisco Nexus 3000 Series, a category specifically engineered for high-performance, low-latency, and highly scalable data center environments. This category focuses on top-of-rack and end-of-row switching solutions that seamlessly integrate with modern data center architectures, supporting virtualization, cloud computing, big data analytics, and high-frequency transactional workloads. The Nexus 3064-X category is built to address the increasing demand for predictable performance, operational simplicity, and flexible network programmability in enterprise and service provider infrastructures.

This category emphasizes line-rate Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching, ultra-low latency forwarding, and dense 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. The Cisco Nexus 3064-X series is widely adopted in data centers where east-west traffic patterns dominate and where consistent throughput and minimal packet loss are critical. With its rack-mountable form factor and high port density, this category supports scalable network designs while optimizing space, power efficiency, and cable management.

High-Density 10 Gigabit Ethernet Switching Architecture

The Cisco Nexus 3064-X category is centered around high-density 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ ports, providing the switching capacity required for modern server and storage deployments. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX model delivers 48 SFP+ ports designed for high-speed connectivity across servers, storage arrays, and aggregation layers. This category enables organizations to build non-blocking, wire-speed switching fabrics that support simultaneous traffic flows without congestion or performance degradation.

The switching architecture within this category is optimized for predictable latency and consistent throughput, making it ideal for latency-sensitive workloads such as financial trading platforms, real-time analytics, and distributed databases. The internal fabric and forwarding mechanisms are designed to handle microbursts efficiently, ensuring traffic spikes are managed without packet drops. This makes the Nexus 3064-X category particularly suitable for data center networks requiring deterministic performance.

Layer 3 Capabilities for Scalable Network Designs

The Cisco Nexus 3064-X category supports full Layer 3 functionality, enabling advanced routing features that simplify network design and improve scalability. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX model supports static routing, dynamic routing protocols, and policy-based routing, allowing it to operate as both an access and aggregation layer switch. This Layer 3 capability enables the creation of routed data center fabrics that reduce broadcast domains, enhance fault isolation, and improve overall network resilience.

By incorporating Layer 3 switching into the top-of-rack layer, this category helps organizations move away from traditional spanning tree–dependent architectures. Instead, it supports modern leaf-spine designs that offer higher bandwidth utilization and faster convergence. This approach aligns with contemporary data center best practices, ensuring the network can scale horizontally without introducing complexity or instability.

Ultra-Low Latency Performance for Mission-Critical Applications

The Nexus 3064-X category is known for its ultra-low latency characteristics, which are essential for applications that require near real-time data processing. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX is engineered to deliver sub-microsecond latency, ensuring minimal delay in packet forwarding. This performance advantage is critical in environments such as high-performance computing clusters, financial services networks, and large-scale virtualization platforms.

The low-latency design is achieved through a combination of cut-through switching, optimized ASICs, and streamlined forwarding paths. This category prioritizes speed without compromising reliability, ensuring consistent performance even under heavy load conditions. Organizations deploying latency-sensitive workloads benefit from predictable network behavior that supports application-level performance guarantees.

Operational Simplicity with Cisco NX-OS Software

The Cisco Nexus 3064-X category is powered by Cisco NX-OS, a modular, resilient operating system designed specifically for data center networking. NX-OS provides a consistent feature set, command-line interface, and operational model across the Nexus portfolio, simplifying network management and reducing operational overhead. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX leverages this software foundation to deliver high availability, process isolation, and in-service software upgrades.

This category emphasizes operational continuity, allowing network administrators to perform maintenance tasks without disrupting traffic. Features such as graceful restart, stateful switchover, and non-disruptive upgrades help ensure maximum uptime. The robust architecture of NX-OS enhances fault containment, enabling individual processes to restart independently without impacting the entire system.

Advanced Automation and Programmability

The Nexus 3064-X category supports advanced automation and programmability features that align with modern DevOps and NetOps practices. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX integrates with APIs, scripting tools, and automation frameworks to enable rapid configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting. This programmability allows organizations to implement infrastructure as code, reducing manual errors and accelerating deployment cycles.

Support for standards-based interfaces and automation protocols ensures that this category can integrate seamlessly with orchestration platforms and software-defined networking solutions. This capability is particularly valuable in large-scale environments where consistent configuration and rapid scalability are essential. By enabling automation, the Nexus 3064-X category helps organizations improve operational efficiency and reduce time to value.

Comprehensive Visibility and Monitoring

Visibility into network traffic is a core strength of the Cisco Nexus 3064-X category. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX provides advanced monitoring and telemetry features that allow administrators to gain deep insights into network performance and behavior. These capabilities support proactive troubleshooting, capacity planning, and performance optimization.

Real-time analytics and detailed statistics enable organizations to identify bottlenecks, detect anomalies, and ensure compliance with service-level objectives. This level of visibility is essential in complex data center environments where multiple applications and tenants share the same infrastructure. The Nexus 3064-X category empowers network teams with the information they need to maintain optimal performance.

Scalability and Flexibility for Growing Data Centers

The Cisco Nexus 3064-X category is designed to scale alongside evolving business requirements. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX supports flexible deployment models, enabling it to function as a standalone switch or as part of a larger fabric. This scalability ensures that organizations can expand their network capacity without replacing existing infrastructure.

Support for high port density and modular uplink options allows this category to adapt to changing connectivity needs. Whether supporting additional servers, storage systems, or inter-switch links, the Nexus 3064-X category provides the flexibility required to accommodate growth while maintaining performance and reliability.

Support for Virtualized and Cloud Environments

The Nexus 3064-X category is optimized for virtualized data centers and private cloud deployments. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX supports features that enhance virtual machine mobility, workload isolation, and multi-tenant networking. These capabilities are essential for environments running large-scale virtualization platforms and containerized workloads.

By providing consistent network policies and seamless integration with virtualization platforms, this category enables efficient resource utilization and simplified network management. The ability to support dynamic workloads without compromising performance makes the Nexus 3064-X category a strong foundation for cloud-ready infrastructures.

Energy Efficiency and Data Center Optimization

Energy efficiency is a key consideration in the design of the Cisco Nexus 3064-X category. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX is engineered to deliver high performance while minimizing power consumption and heat generation. This efficiency contributes to lower operational costs and supports sustainability initiatives within the data center.

The rack-mountable design and optimized airflow enable efficient cooling and space utilization. These characteristics make the Nexus 3064-X category well-suited for high-density deployments where power and cooling resources must be carefully managed. By balancing performance and efficiency, this category helps organizations achieve long-term operational savings.

Reliability and High Availability for Business-Critical Networks

The Cisco Nexus 3064-X category is built with reliability as a core design principle. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX incorporates redundant components, robust hardware design, and advanced software features to ensure continuous operation. This reliability is essential for data centers supporting mission-critical applications and services.

High availability features within this category minimize downtime and protect against hardware or software failures. The combination of resilient architecture and proven Cisco engineering ensures that the Nexus 3064-X category delivers consistent performance even in demanding environments.

Enterprise Security and Traffic Segmentation

Security is an integral aspect of the Cisco Nexus 3064-X category. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX supports advanced security features that protect data center traffic and enforce network policies. These capabilities include access control mechanisms, traffic segmentation, and secure management interfaces.

By enabling granular control over traffic flows, this category helps organizations maintain compliance with security standards and protect sensitive data. The ability to implement secure segmentation is particularly important in multi-tenant environments where isolation between workloads is required.

Consistent Policy Enforcement Across the Network

The Nexus 3064-X category enables consistent policy enforcement across the data center network. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX ensures that security and quality-of-service policies are applied uniformly, reducing the risk of misconfiguration and policy drift. This consistency enhances overall network stability and security posture.

Long-Term Value and Investment Protection

The Cisco Nexus 3064-X category represents a long-term investment in data center networking. The Cisco N3K-C3064PQ-10GX is designed to support evolving technologies and workloads, ensuring that organizations can adapt to future requirements without significant infrastructure changes. This forward-looking design provides investment protection and supports sustainable growth.

By combining high performance, scalability, automation, and reliability, the Cisco Nexus 3064-X category continues to be a trusted choice for organizations seeking robust and future-ready data center switching solutions.