DS-C9396S-K9 Cisco 48 Ports Multilayer Fabric Switch 16GBPS

Cisco DS-C9396S-K9 Multilayer Fabric Switch Overview

The Cisco DS-C9396S-K9 is a high-capacity 48-port multilayer fabric switch engineered to boost data-center interoperability, ensure stable throughput, and provide flexible scalability for enterprise-grade SAN environments. Its robust architecture, paired with powerful 16Gbps Fibre Channel connectivity, helps organizations manage demanding workloads with efficiency and reliability.

Key Attributes and Core Details

• Brand: Cisco
• Model / SKU: DS-C9396S-K9
• Category: Enterprise-class Fabric Switch
• Port Count: 48 high-speed Fibre Channel interfaces

Performance & Functional Capabilities

This switch is designed to elevate storage performance through advanced traffic management, fabric intelligence, and streamlined administration tools. Its multilayer switching capabilities offer enhanced control, secure operations, and dependable data flow across critical infrastructure.

Advantages at a Glance

• Optimized 16Gbps FC throughput for intensive workloads
• High-density port configuration for expanding SAN environments
• Energy-efficient design with intelligent cooling
• Built-in diagnostics and management utilities
• Redundant components for improved uptime and fault tolerance

Enhanced Scalability Features

The DS-C9396S-K9 supports modular expansion options, enabling organizations to scale their storage fabric as business demands evolve. Seamless interoperability ensures smooth integration with existing Cisco solutions and third-party systems.

Ideal Use Cases

• Large-scale data centers handling mission-critical workloads
• Businesses requiring flexible storage connectivity and rapid deployment
• Enterprises upgrading SAN infrastructure for improved resilience

Technical Specifications & Included Components

This package includes essential hardware for swift setup and reliable long-term operation.

Box Contents

• 1 × Cisco DS-C9396S-K9 Fabric Switch
• 2 × AC Power Supplies (DS-CAC-1200W-E)
• 2 × Port-Side Exhaust Fans (DS-C96S-FAN-E)
• 1 × Console Cable for configuration
• 2 × Standard Power Cords

Operational Reliability

Redundant power modules and efficient exhaust fans help maintain stable thermal performance and avoid unexpected downtime, ensuring continuous operation in high-intensity network environments.

Additional Benefits

• Secure architecture for enterprise-level workloads
• Simplified management with intuitive interfaces
• High durability with Cisco-grade components

Cisco DS-C9396S-K9 48 Ports Multilayer Fabric Switch 16GBPS

The Cisco DS-C9396S-K9 48 Ports Multilayer Fabric Switch 16GBPS category represents a class of high-performance, high-density fabric switches designed for modern data center and enterprise storage networks. This category emphasizes a balance of port density, predictable low-latency switching, and robust multilayer capabilities that support both storage and converged network topologies. The product name itself, Cisco DS-C9396S-K9 48 Ports Multilayer Fabric Switch 16GBPS, functions as a primary search phrase for buyers seeking switches that deliver 16Gbps line-rate performance across dense 48-port configurations, ideal for organizations that need to support demanding SAN workloads or consolidated I/O environments.

Key Value Proposition for Buyers

Within the category, the core value proposition is the combination of multilayer intelligence and fabric-level throughput. Enterprises and data centers evaluating this category are typically focused on maximizing port utilization while keeping operational complexity manageable. The category is attractive for its capability to consolidate multiple storage or application fabrics into fewer devices, reducing rack space and simplifying cabling while maintaining advanced traffic management, storage protocol support, and resilience. Search intent often centers on keywords such as multilayer fabric switch, 48-port 16Gbps switch, enterprise SAN fabric, and high-density storage networking — all phrases that this category page content is optimized to support.

Technical Capabilities and Performance Characteristics

Performance expectations for devices in the Cisco DS-C9396S-K9 48 Ports Multilayer Fabric Switch 16GBPS category include deterministic 16Gbps per-port throughput, low frame latency across storage and Ethernet traffic, and hardware-accelerated switching for storage protocols. The multilayer designation highlights that these switches are capable of operating across OSI layers to provide advanced routing, zoning, traffic isolation, and packet-level optimizations. This makes them suitable for mixed workload environments where storage traffic and other latency-sensitive services coexist on a tightly managed fabric.

Throughput and Latency

Throughput is a central concern for purchasers in this category. Devices marketed under this family are engineered to deliver near line-rate performance at 16Gbps speeds on each port so that bursty workloads, large-scale backups, and high I/O applications achieve predictable behavior. Low latency is achieved through ASIC-level forwarding and optimized buffer management, which together reduce queuing delays. When architecting a fabric using these switches, designers can expect consistent microsecond-level switching behavior that preserves application SLAs and improves overall storage system efficiency.

Multilayer Switching and Protocol Support

Multilayer switching in this category extends beyond simple Layer 2 frame forwarding. It includes capabilities commonly required in advanced fabrics such as zoning controls, logical segmentation, and fabric-level routing for storage protocols. Support for industry-standard storage protocols and encapsulations is expected, enabling flexible integration into Fibre Channel or converged environments. The design of these switches is intended to support both legacy SAN topologies and modern, converged infrastructures that blend Ethernet-based storage with traditional Fibre Channel domains.

Scalability, Density, and Rack Efficiency

The 48-port density in the Cisco DS-C9396S-K9 48 Ports Multilayer Fabric Switch 16GBPS category addresses a critical design objective for data center architects: increase port count per RU without sacrificing performance. The high port density reduces the total number of switches required to achieve a desired port count, which in turn reduces power, cooling, and management overhead in densely populated racks. Scalability considerations include how these switches integrate into leaf-spine or dedicated SAN fabrics, how they interconnect via higher-speed uplinks, and how stacking or virtualization features can be leveraged to manage multiple physical switches as a cohesive logical fabric.

Uplinks, Interconnects, and Fabric Expansion

Effective upward scaling is achieved through the availability of higher-speed uplink modules, breakout cabling options, and fabric interconnect features. In practical deployments, architects often combine 48-port edge switches with dedicated aggregation devices or with fabric extenders that permit simplified expansion without adding significant management complexity. Considerations such as oversubscription ratios, link aggregation, and path redundancy play into the selection of uplink options when designing for predictable growth and performance retention.

Density and Cabling Management

High-density switching introduces challenges in cable management and airflow. The Cisco DS-C9396S-K9 48 Ports Multilayer Fabric Switch 16GBPS category addresses these operational realities through port layouts that optimize cabling runs, and through support for modular transceivers and QSFP/SFP form factors that allow flexible media choices. Strategic selection of active/optical cables, transceivers, and breakout assemblies will directly influence rack neatness, maintenance time, and overall operational efficiency.

Reliability, High Availability, and Redundancy

Reliability is a non-negotiable requirement for devices in this category. The architecture of these multilayer fabric switches is focused on maintaining nonstop operations through redundant power supplies, field-replaceable modules, and resilient software design patterns that include in-service software upgrades and stateful failover. Built-in protections against single points of failure and transparent hitless upgrades help minimize planned downtime and protect against unplanned outages, which is vital for mission-critical storage and application infrastructures.

Redundant Hardware and Fail-Safe Mechanisms

Redundancy is achieved at multiple levels: dual power supplies and hot-swappable fans protect against hardware failures; redundant management processors and firmware capabilities reduce the impact of software faults; and link-level redundancy ensures path continuity in the face of individual link failures. These combined mechanisms deliver an operational posture that aligns with enterprise availability targets and supports aggressive recovery time objectives.

Operational Continuity and Maintenance

Operational continuity is further enhanced by features that permit online maintenance. The ability to perform non-disruptive firmware updates, to migrate management roles without traffic interruption, and to replace faulty components without substantial reconfiguration are standard operational benefits for this category. Such capabilities reduce the operational risk of changes, and make lifecycle management more predictable and less invasive.