N3K-C31108PC-V Cisco 48 Ports Managed Switch QSFP+ Optical Fiber

Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V Nexus 10G 48-Port L3 Switch Overview

The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V is a high-performance Layer 3 switch designed for enterprise and data center networks, delivering robust 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity across 48 SFP+ ports. Engineered for demanding environments, it ensures seamless data flow, advanced routing capabilities, and high reliability.

Key Manufacturer and Product Details

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Part Number: N3K-C31108PC-V
• Device Type: Managed Switch
• Port Count: 48 SFP+ Ports + 6 QSFP+
• Form Factor: 1U Rack-Mountable with Front-to-Back Airflow

Technical Specifications

Performance Metrics

• Switching Capacity: 2.8 Tbps
• Forwarding Performance: 1.4 Bpps
• Latency: 650 ns

Network Capacity

• Up to 4096 Virtual LANs (VLANs)
• 64 Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP) Instances
• 512 Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) Instances
• 16,000 Ingress ACL Entries & 1,000 Egress ACL Entries
• MAC Address Table: 288,000 Entries
• Supports Jumbo Frames up to 9216 Bytes

Routing & Protocol Support

• Dynamic Routing: OSPF, RIP-2, EIGRP Stub Routing, VRRP, HSRP, PIM-SM
• Multicast Protocols: IGMPv2, IGMPv3, MSDP
• Advanced Features: ECMP, CIDR, VXLAN, EVPN, Precision Time Protocol (PTP), Virtual PortChannel (vPC)

Management & Security

• Remote Management: SNMP v1/v2/v3, RMON, Telnet, SSH-2, CLI
• Authentication & Encryption: RADIUS, TACACS+, MS-CHAP, SSHv2, AES Encryption
• Additional Features: DHCP/BootP Support, VLAN & Trunking, Syslog, ACLs, DHCP Snooping, TFTP, UDLD, NTP Synchronization

Compliance & Standards

• IEEE 802.3z, 802.3ae, 802.3ba, 802.1d/q/p/w/s, 802.3ad (LACP), 802.1ab (LLDP), 802.3an
• IEEE 1588-2008 for Precision Time Protocol (PTP)

Memory & Expansion

• Flash Memory: 16 GB
• Interfaces: 48 SFP+, 6 QSFP+, 1 RJ-45 Management, 1 Serial RS-232, 1 USB

Power & Redundancy

• Power Supply: Dual Internal Hot-Plug Units (1+1 Redundancy)
• Voltage: AC 120/230 V, 50/60 Hz
• Max Supported Power Supplies: 2 Units

Cisco Nexus 3000 Series Data Center Switching Architecture

The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V Nexus 10 Gigabit 48 Ports SFP+ Layer 3 Switch belongs to the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series, a family of high-performance, low-latency data center switches designed to meet the evolving demands of modern enterprise, cloud, and service provider networks. This category represents a specialized class of data center switches optimized for dense 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, advanced Layer 3 routing capabilities, and seamless integration into spine-leaf architectures. The Nexus 3000 Series is engineered to provide predictable performance, deterministic latency, and high availability, making it suitable for mission-critical workloads where consistency and speed are essential.

Within this category, the Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V stands out due to its balance of port density, advanced software features, and energy-efficient design. The switch is designed to operate as a top-of-rack or aggregation layer device, supporting high-bandwidth server connectivity and fast east-west traffic flows within the data center. Its architecture is optimized for applications such as virtualization, private cloud infrastructure, containerized workloads, and high-frequency trading environments, where microsecond-level latency and stable throughput are critical. The category as a whole emphasizes scalability, automation readiness, and programmability, aligning with modern software-defined networking strategies.

Role of 10 Gigabit Ethernet Switching in Modern Data Centers

10 Gigabit Ethernet remains a foundational technology in enterprise and mid-scale data center environments, providing a balance between cost efficiency and high performance. The Cisco Nexus 10 Gigabit switch category addresses organizations that require reliable high-speed connectivity without immediately transitioning to 25 or 40 Gigabit infrastructures. The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V, with its 48 SFP+ ports, supports dense server connections, enabling organizations to consolidate network infrastructure while maintaining sufficient bandwidth for demanding applications.

This category is particularly relevant for data centers that host virtualization platforms, database clusters, and application servers that generate substantial east-west traffic. By leveraging 10 Gigabit Ethernet, organizations can ensure consistent application performance, reduced congestion, and efficient use of network resources. The Cisco Nexus 3000 Series also supports advanced congestion management and quality of service mechanisms, allowing traffic prioritization for latency-sensitive workloads such as voice, video, and real-time analytics.

High-Density SFP+ Port Design and Optical Flexibility

The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V is characterized by its 48 SFP+ ports, offering exceptional flexibility in terms of connectivity options. This category of switches supports a wide range of optical and copper transceivers, enabling organizations to deploy short-reach, long-reach, or direct-attach connections depending on their data center layout and distance requirements. The SFP+ form factor allows for modularity and scalability, ensuring that the network can adapt to changing infrastructure needs without requiring complete hardware replacement.

The emphasis on SFP+ connectivity within this category allows data center architects to design highly efficient cabling systems, reducing clutter and improving airflow. This design approach contributes to better thermal performance and overall energy efficiency, which is increasingly important in large-scale deployments. The Cisco Nexus 3000 Series switches are built to support hot-swappable transceivers, minimizing downtime during upgrades or maintenance activities and enhancing operational resilience.

Support for Low-Latency and High-Throughput Applications

One of the defining characteristics of the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category is its focus on low-latency switching. The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V is engineered to deliver consistently low latency, making it suitable for applications that require rapid data processing and minimal network delay. Financial trading platforms, real-time analytics engines, and high-performance computing clusters benefit significantly from this design philosophy. The switch architecture ensures that packets are forwarded with minimal buffering, reducing jitter and maintaining predictable performance across the network.

In addition to low latency, this category supports high throughput, enabling simultaneous data transfers across multiple ports without performance degradation. This capability is essential in environments where large volumes of data are exchanged between servers, storage systems, and application layers. The combination of low latency and high throughput positions the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series as a reliable foundation for performance-driven data center networks.

Layer 3 Routing Capabilities and Advanced Networking Features

The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V is classified as a Layer 3 switch, providing robust routing capabilities that extend beyond basic switching functionality. This category supports advanced routing protocols, enabling efficient traffic management within complex network topologies. The ability to perform Layer 3 routing at the top-of-rack or aggregation layer reduces the need for additional routing devices, simplifying network design and lowering operational costs.

Layer 3 functionality within this category enables features such as dynamic routing, policy-based forwarding, and scalable segmentation. These capabilities are essential for organizations implementing multi-tenant environments, where traffic isolation and secure communication between network segments are required. The Cisco Nexus 3000 Series integrates seamlessly with enterprise routing protocols, allowing consistent policy enforcement and simplified network operations.

Optimized for Spine-Leaf Network Topologies

Modern data center designs increasingly rely on spine-leaf architectures to achieve predictable performance and horizontal scalability. The Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category is specifically optimized for this model, with the Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V functioning effectively as a leaf switch. Its high port density and Layer 3 capabilities enable direct server connectivity while providing high-speed uplinks to spine switches.

In a spine-leaf deployment, each leaf switch connects to every spine switch, ensuring uniform latency and bandwidth across the network. The Cisco Nexus 3000 Series supports this architecture by offering consistent forwarding performance and rapid convergence. This design reduces bottlenecks and allows the network to scale seamlessly as new servers or applications are added.

Support for Virtualization and Cloud Environments

Virtualization is a core component of modern IT infrastructure, and the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category is designed to support highly virtualized environments. The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V integrates features that enhance virtual machine mobility, network segmentation, and automated provisioning. These capabilities are essential for private cloud deployments and hybrid cloud integration.

The switch supports technologies that enable seamless communication between virtualized workloads, ensuring that network policies follow workloads as they move across hosts. This level of integration simplifies management and enhances security, making the category suitable for organizations adopting software-defined data center strategies. The ability to handle large numbers of virtual interfaces without performance degradation further highlights the switch’s suitability for dense virtualized environments.

Enhanced Security and Traffic Segmentation

Security is a critical consideration in data center networking, and the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category incorporates features that help protect sensitive data and maintain compliance. The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V supports advanced access control mechanisms, allowing administrators to define granular security policies at the network level. These features help prevent unauthorized access and limit the spread of potential threats within the data center.

Traffic segmentation capabilities enable organizations to isolate workloads based on application, department, or tenant requirements. This approach reduces the attack surface and enhances overall network security. By integrating security features directly into the switching infrastructure, the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series helps organizations maintain a robust security posture without sacrificing performance.

Operational Efficiency, Reliability, and Data Center Readiness

The Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category emphasizes operational efficiency and reliability, recognizing the importance of minimizing downtime and simplifying network management. The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V is designed with redundant components, efficient cooling mechanisms, and power optimization features that contribute to high availability. These characteristics are essential for data centers that operate around the clock and support critical business applications.

The switch’s design prioritizes ease of deployment and maintenance, allowing IT teams to manage network infrastructure with confidence. Features such as hot-swappable power supplies and fans reduce maintenance windows and improve overall system resilience. This category is well-suited for organizations seeking a dependable switching platform that can support long-term growth.

Energy Efficiency and Thermal Optimization

Energy consumption is a significant concern in modern data centers, and the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category addresses this challenge through energy-efficient hardware design. The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V is engineered to deliver high performance while maintaining efficient power usage, helping organizations reduce operational costs. Advanced airflow design and intelligent thermal management ensure optimal cooling, even in high-density deployments.

By optimizing power and cooling efficiency, this category supports sustainable data center operations. Reduced heat output contributes to longer hardware lifespan and improved reliability, making the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series a practical choice for organizations focused on efficiency and environmental responsibility.

Scalability and Future-Ready Networking

Scalability is a defining attribute of the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category. The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V is designed to accommodate growing network demands, allowing organizations to expand their infrastructure without major redesigns. Its compatibility with a wide range of transceivers and networking technologies ensures that the switch can adapt to evolving requirements.

Future-ready networking features within this category support automation, programmability, and integration with network management platforms. These capabilities enable organizations to streamline operations and prepare for emerging technologies such as intent-based networking and advanced analytics. The Cisco Nexus 3000 Series provides a foundation that supports both current workloads and future innovations.

Enterprise, Cloud, and Service Provider Use Cases

The Cisco Nexus 3000 Series category is versatile, addressing the needs of enterprise data centers, cloud service providers, and specialized environments. The Cisco N3K-C31108PC-V is suitable for enterprises seeking reliable high-speed connectivity, cloud providers requiring scalable and automated infrastructure, and service providers delivering performance-critical services.

Its combination of high port density, Layer 3 routing, low latency, and operational efficiency makes it adaptable to a wide range of deployment scenarios. This versatility underscores the value of the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series as a comprehensive data center switching solution that aligns with modern networking requirements.