C1-N9K-C9332PQ Cisco ONE Nexus 9332 ACI Leaf Switch

Product Overview of Cisco C1-N9K-C9332PQ Nexus Switch

The Cisco C1-N9K-C9332PQ ONE Nexus 9332 is a high-efficiency ACI leaf switch designed for modern data center networks. It delivers scalable performance, exceptional reliability, and seamless integration within Cisco ACI environments, making it ideal for enterprise and cloud-based infrastructures.

General Information of C1-N9K-C9332PQ

Model and Compatibility Details

• Model Number: C1-N9K-C9332PQ
• Switch Category: ACI Leaf Switch
• Series Compatibility: Cisco Nexus 9000 Series

Physical Design and Build

• Form Factor: 1U rack-mount chassis
• Deployment: Suitable for space-efficient data centers

Port Configuration and Connectivity

High-Speed Ethernet Interfaces

This Cisco Nexus switch is equipped with advanced QSFP+ interfaces to support high-bandwidth workloads and fast data transfers across network fabrics.

Port Specifications

• Total Ports: 32 high-density ports
• Port Type: QSFP+ modules
• Supported Speeds: 40 Gigabit and 100 Gigabit Ethernet

Key Highlights of Cisco Nexus 9332 ACI Leaf Switch

• Optimized for Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI)
• High port density supporting 40G and 100G Ethernet
• Compact 1U rack-mountable design
• Enterprise-grade performance with ultra-low latency

Performance and Throughput

• Forwarding Capacity: Up to 2.56 Tbps
• Latency: Ultra-low latency for mission-critical applications

Power and Efficiency

• Maximum Power Usage: 420 Watts
• Energy Efficiency: Designed for optimized power consumption

Advantages of Cisco Nexus 9332 ACI Leaf Switch

• Ideal for scalable data center and cloud architectures
• Reliable switching for high-performance networking
• Seamless integration with Cisco ACI and Nexus platforms

Core Architecture and Performance Specifications

At its heart, the Nexus 9332PQ is built to handle the massive east-west traffic flows characteristic of today's data centers. Its architecture ensures predictable low latency, high throughput, and unwavering reliability.

Switch Fabric and Forwarding Capacity

The switch boasts a formidable 1.44 Tbps full-duplex switching capacity, providing non-blocking performance for all packet sizes. With a forwarding rate of up to 1.2 billion packets per second (Bpps), it effortlessly manages the most intensive data bursts and sustained loads, ensuring application performance is never compromised by network bottlenecks.

Port Density and Interface Flexibility

The 9332PQ features a dense and flexible port configuration that meets diverse connectivity needs:

32x Fixed 40 Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ Ports: These high-bandwidth ports serve as the primary connectivity for servers, storage, and upstream links.
Flexible Port Mode Capability: Each QSFP+ port can be independently configured to operate in 40G mode or can be broken out into 4x 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ ports using a splitter cable. This provides a maximum configuration of 128x 10G ports, offering exceptional deployment flexibility without requiring a hardware change.
Management and Out-of-Band Ports: Includes dedicated 1G management and console ports for secure, separate network management.

Operational Modes: ACI and NX-OS

A key strength of the Nexus 9332PQ is its dual-mode capability, allowing organizations to choose or transition between operational models based on their strategic goals.

Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Mode

In ACI mode, the switch becomes an intelligent leaf within a software-defined networking (SDN) fabric. It is managed centrally by the Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), which translates application requirements into network policies.

Key ACI Benefits on the 9332PQ:

Policy-Based Automation: Network provisioning shifts from manual CLI commands to automated enforcement of application policies (e.g., connectivity, security, quality of service).
Microsegmentation with Integrated Security: Security policies are applied directly to endpoints (EPGs - Endpoint Groups) regardless of their IP address or location, enabling zero-trust security models and containing breaches.
Centralized Visibility and Telemetry: The switch feeds rich health, statistics, and fault data to the APIC, providing an application-aware view of the entire fabric for superior troubleshooting and planning.

Standalone NX-OS Mode

When running in traditional NX-OS mode, the 9332PQ operates as a high-performance, feature-rich data center switch using Cisco's robust, battle-tested operating system. This mode is ideal for networks that require granular CLI control or are not yet ready to transition to a full ACI fabric.

Advanced Features for the Modern Data Center

The Cisco Nexus 9332PQ is packed with features that address the critical requirements of scalability, virtualization, and network assurance.

Virtualization and Overlay Network Support

The switch provides comprehensive support for network overlays and virtualization technologies:

VXLAN Bridging and Routing: Native hardware support for VXLAN (Virtual Extensible LAN) enables the creation of massive, scalable Layer 2 overlay networks over a Layer 3 underlay, breaking traditional VLAN scale limits.
Integration with VMware Environments: Features like Cisco vPath and enhanced support for VMware vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS) provide optimal performance and visibility for virtualized workloads.

High Availability and Resiliency

Designed for mission-critical operations, the 9332PQ incorporates multiple layers of redundancy and fast convergence technologies:

Hardware Redundancy: Features dual, hot-swappable power supplies and fan trays with port-side exhaust and reverse airflow options.
Software Resiliency: In-Service Software Upgrades (ISSU) allow for patching and upgrades with minimal to zero downtime.
Fast Convergence Protocols: Support for technologies like Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) and optimized routing protocols ensure rapid network reconvergence in case of a link or node failure.

Typical Deployment Scenarios and Use Cases

The versatility of the Nexus 9332PQ makes it suitable for a wide array of data center applications.

ACI Fabric Leaf Node

Its primary role is as a leaf switch in a Cisco ACI fabric. It connects physical servers, hypervisors, storage arrays, and external network layers (like WAN routers) to the spine switches, enforcing the application policies dictated by the APIC.

High-Density 10G/40G Server Access Layer

With its breakout capability, the switch is an excellent Top-of-Rack solution for high-density 10 Gigabit Ethernet server farms, as well as for connecting blade chassis with 40G uplinks. Its performance ensures no oversubscription for even the most demanding server workloads.

Big Data and High-Performance Computing (HPC) Clusters

The non-blocking, low-latency fabric is ideal for environments with massive parallel data processing needs, such as Hadoop clusters or scientific computing grids, where east-west traffic dominates.

Unified Fabric for Converged Storage

The switch supports Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) and Data Center Bridging (DCB) standards, allowing the convergence of LAN and SAN traffic onto a single unified network cable, simplifying cabling and reducing adapter count in servers.

Key Benefits of Cisco Nexus 9332PQ

Investing in the Cisco C1-N9K-C9332PQ Nexus 9332 ACI Leaf Switch delivers transformative advantages for your data center infrastructure.

Operational Efficiency and Reduced TCO

In ACI mode, automation drastically reduces the time and potential for error in provisioning and changes. Consistent policy application simplifies compliance audits. The flexible port design allows you to adapt to changing needs without replacing hardware.

Uncompromising Performance and Scale

With line-rate throughput on all ports, high packet-forwarding rates, and support for massive MAC and route table sizes, the 9332PQ is built to scale alongside business growth, supporting thousands of physical and virtual endpoints.

Enhanced Security Posture

Whether through ACI's granular microsegmentation or NX-OS's robust ACLs, CoPP, and security hardening features, the switch provides a strong foundation for a defense-in-depth security strategy within the data center.

Compatibility and Integration Ecosystem

The Nexus 9332PQ is designed to integrate seamlessly into broader IT ecosystems.

Cisco Data Center Portfolio: Works flawlessly with Cisco Nexus spine switches (e.g., 9500 Series), UCS servers, MDS storage switches, and Intersight cloud management.
Multi-Vendor Hypervisor Support: Offers certified integration and optimized profiles for VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, and open-source KVM environments.
Management and Orchestration Tools: Provides open interfaces for integration with third-party orchestration platforms like OpenStack, as well as monitoring and analytics tools from Cisco and its partners.