N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3 Cisco Nexus 9396PX 48 Ports Managed Switch

Cisco N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3 Nexus 9396PX L3 Switch Overview

The Cisco Nexus 9396PX is a high-performance Layer 3 switch designed for enterprise data centers and demanding network environments. Offering advanced features, this 48-port managed switch ensures reliable connectivity, high-speed data transfer, and seamless network management.

Key Product Information

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Part Number / SKU: N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3
• Product Type: Switch
• Sub-Type: 48-Port Managed Switch
• Series: Nexus 9000
• Model: 9396PX
• Switch Type: Layer 3

Interface and Connectivity Features

Ports and Slots

• 10 Gigabit Ethernet Ports: 48
• 40 Gigabit Ethernet Uplink Ports: 12
• Management Ports: Available
• USB Ports: Available
• Token Ring Port: Not Supported
• LRE Port: Not Available
• Bypass Feature: Not Available

Expansion Capabilities

• Total Expansion Slots: 60
• Slot Types: QSFP+ and SFP+
• Number of SFP+ Slots: 48
• Shared SFP Slots: Not Available

Media and Performance Specifications

• Supported Ethernet Speeds: 10GBase-X and 40GBase-X
• Network Technology: 10 Gigabit Ethernet, 40 Gigabit Ethernet
• Layer Support: Layer 3 Routing

Management and Protocol Support

• Manageable: Yes
• Management VLAN: Supported
• Protocols: DHCP, QoS, Syslog, SNMP v1/v2/v3, MIB

Power and Reliability

• PoE (RJ-45) Ports: Not Supported
• Input Voltage: 120V AC / 230V AC
• Power Source: Standard Power Supply
• Redundant Power Supply: Supported

Enterprise-Class Data Center Switching Architecture

The Cisco N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3 Nexus 9396PX 48 Ports Managed Switch belongs to the advanced category of enterprise-grade and cloud-scale data center switches designed to deliver predictable performance, high port density, and low-latency switching for modern network infrastructures. This category focuses on fixed-form-factor switches that are optimized for spine-and-leaf architectures, supporting large-scale virtualization, private cloud deployments, and high-performance computing environments. The Nexus 9000 series, particularly the 9396PX platform, represents a balance between scalability, programmability, and operational simplicity, enabling organizations to build agile data centers capable of adapting to evolving workloads.

Within this category, switches are engineered to operate as both leaf and spine nodes, providing flexible deployment options for enterprises seeking to standardize on a single hardware platform. The Cisco N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3 emphasizes consistent performance across all ports, ensuring that east-west traffic flows efficiently between servers, storage systems, and application tiers. This makes the category especially relevant for environments where latency-sensitive applications such as real-time analytics, financial trading platforms, and large-scale virtualization clusters are deployed.

High-Density Port Configuration and Throughput Capabilities

The Nexus 9396PX category is defined by its high-density port configuration, offering forty-eight fixed 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ ports combined with additional high-speed uplink capabilities. This design supports dense server connectivity while maintaining sufficient uplink bandwidth to aggregation or core layers. In data center switching categories, such density is crucial for reducing rack footprint and minimizing the number of devices required to support large server farms.

Switches in this category are built to handle sustained high-throughput workloads without performance degradation. The Cisco N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3 is optimized to deliver line-rate performance across all ports, which is essential for maintaining predictable application behavior in environments with heavy east-west traffic patterns. The architecture ensures that packet forwarding, buffering, and congestion management are handled efficiently, contributing to overall network stability.

Low-Latency Switching for Modern Applications

Low latency is a defining characteristic of this switching category, and the Cisco Nexus 9396PX platform is specifically engineered to minimize forwarding delays. In modern data centers, applications are often distributed across multiple servers and virtual machines, making network latency a critical performance factor. The switch category addresses this requirement by utilizing advanced ASIC designs and optimized forwarding paths that reduce processing overhead.

This low-latency capability is particularly valuable in environments that support high-frequency transactions, real-time communication platforms, and latency-sensitive microservices architectures. By maintaining consistent and minimal latency, the Nexus 9396PX category enables organizations to meet stringent service-level objectives while supporting rapid application scaling.

Advanced Layer 3 Switching and Routing Capabilities

The Cisco N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3 Nexus 9396PX belongs to a category that integrates advanced Layer 3 switching and routing features directly into the data center fabric. Unlike traditional access-layer switches, this category supports full-featured IP routing, enabling the switch to participate actively in dynamic routing protocols and complex network topologies. This capability is essential for scalable spine-and-leaf designs where each switch must handle both switching and routing functions.

Layer 3 functionality within this category includes support for dynamic routing protocols, equal-cost multi-path routing, and high-performance forwarding tables. These features allow the network to scale horizontally while maintaining efficient traffic distribution. The Cisco Nexus 9396PX category ensures that routing decisions are made at line rate, eliminating bottlenecks that could otherwise impact application performance.

Support for Modern Data Center Protocols

Switches in this category are designed to support a wide range of modern data center protocols that enable automation, scalability, and resilience. The Cisco N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3 is aligned with technologies such as VXLAN for network virtualization, enabling the creation of logical networks that span multiple physical switches. This capability is fundamental in multi-tenant environments where isolation and scalability are required.

The category also emphasizes support for advanced multicast, unicast, and control-plane features that enhance network efficiency. By integrating these protocols directly into the hardware, the Nexus 9396PX category reduces reliance on external devices, simplifying network design and lowering operational complexity.

Equal-Cost Multi-Path Routing and Fabric Scalability

Equal-Cost Multi-Path routing is a core feature of this switching category, allowing traffic to be distributed evenly across multiple available paths. The Cisco Nexus 9396PX category leverages ECMP to maximize bandwidth utilization and provide resilience against link or node failures. This approach is particularly effective in spine-and-leaf architectures, where multiple parallel paths exist between endpoints.

Fabric scalability is another defining attribute of this category. The Nexus 9396PX platform is designed to scale seamlessly as the data center grows, supporting the addition of new leaf or spine switches without requiring disruptive reconfiguration. This scalability ensures that the network can evolve alongside business requirements.

Operational Efficiency and Simplified Management

The Cisco N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3 Nexus 9396PX 48 Ports Managed Switch is part of a category that prioritizes operational efficiency through simplified management and automation. Modern data centers demand rapid provisioning, consistent configuration, and reduced human error, all of which are addressed by the management capabilities inherent to this switch category. Cisco Nexus switches are designed to integrate with centralized management platforms, enabling administrators to manage large-scale deployments from a single interface.

Automation and programmability are central themes within this category. The Nexus 9396PX supports programmatic interfaces that allow network configurations to be defined and deployed using software-based workflows. This approach aligns with DevOps and NetOps practices, enabling faster deployment cycles and more consistent network behavior.

Programmability and API-Driven Networking

Programmability is a defining feature of this category, allowing network administrators to interact with the switch using standardized APIs and scripting languages. The Cisco Nexus 9396PX category supports model-driven programmability, which simplifies configuration management and enables integration with orchestration tools. This capability is particularly valuable in environments where infrastructure-as-code practices are adopted.

API-driven networking reduces manual intervention and enhances consistency across the network. By automating repetitive tasks and enforcing standardized configurations, organizations can reduce operational risk and improve overall network reliability. The Nexus 9396PX category is designed to support these modern operational models without compromising performance.

Telemetry and Real-Time Visibility

Real-time visibility into network performance is another important characteristic of this category. The Cisco Nexus 9396PX platform provides advanced telemetry capabilities that allow administrators to monitor traffic patterns, latency, and resource utilization in near real time. This level of visibility is essential for proactive troubleshooting and capacity planning.

Telemetry data can be streamed to analytics platforms, enabling deep insights into network behavior. By leveraging this data, organizations can identify potential issues before they impact applications, ensuring consistent service delivery. The Nexus 9396PX category thus supports a data-driven approach to network management.

Reliability, Redundancy, and High Availability

Reliability is a cornerstone of the Cisco N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3 Nexus 9396PX category, as data center networks are expected to operate continuously without interruption. Switches in this category are designed with redundant components and resilient architectures that minimize the impact of hardware or software failures. This focus on high availability ensures that critical applications remain accessible even in the event of component failures.

The category emphasizes non-disruptive maintenance and fast convergence times, allowing networks to recover quickly from faults. By supporting features such as graceful restart and fast failover, the Nexus 9396PX category helps maintain application uptime and meet strict availability requirements.

Power and Cooling Efficiency

Power and cooling efficiency are increasingly important considerations in modern data centers, and this switching category addresses these concerns through efficient hardware design. The Cisco Nexus 9396PX category incorporates high-efficiency power supplies and optimized airflow designs that reduce energy consumption while maintaining reliable operation.

Efficient thermal management ensures consistent performance even under heavy workloads. By minimizing power waste and heat generation, switches in this category contribute to lower operational costs and improved sustainability within the data center.

Redundant Components and Fault Tolerance

Fault tolerance is achieved through the use of redundant components such as power supplies and fans. The Cisco N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3 category ensures that critical components can be replaced or serviced without disrupting network operations. This design philosophy supports continuous operation and simplifies maintenance activities.

In addition to hardware redundancy, the category emphasizes software stability and resilience. Robust operating systems and proven firmware contribute to long-term reliability, making the Nexus 9396PX a trusted choice for mission-critical environments.

Use Cases and Deployment Scenarios

The Cisco N9K-C9396PX-FA-L3 Nexus 9396PX 48 Ports Managed Switch category is well suited for a wide range of deployment scenarios, from enterprise data centers to cloud service provider environments. Its combination of high port density, low latency, and advanced Layer 3 features makes it ideal for spine-and-leaf architectures that support large-scale virtualization and containerized workloads.

In enterprise environments, this category supports private cloud infrastructures, enabling organizations to host mission-critical applications with predictable performance. In service provider and colocation settings, the Nexus 9396PX category provides the scalability and resilience required to support multi-tenant environments with diverse traffic patterns.

Virtualization and Cloud Infrastructure Support

Virtualization is a key driver for this switching category, as modern workloads increasingly rely on virtual machines and containers. The Cisco Nexus 9396PX category supports the high east-west traffic volumes generated by virtualized environments, ensuring that workloads can communicate efficiently across the network.

Cloud infrastructure deployments benefit from the programmability and automation features inherent to this category. By integrating seamlessly with orchestration platforms, the Nexus 9396PX category enables rapid provisioning and dynamic scaling of network resources.

High-Performance Computing and Storage Networks

High-performance computing and storage networks also benefit from the capabilities of this switching category. The low-latency and high-throughput characteristics of the Cisco Nexus 9396PX category make it suitable for environments where large data sets must be transferred quickly and reliably. Storage traffic, in particular, demands consistent performance, which is addressed by the robust architecture of this category.

By supporting converged network designs, the Nexus 9396PX category enables organizations to simplify their infrastructure while maintaining the performance required for demanding workloads. This versatility makes it a valuable component of modern data center architectures.