You are ready to connect the interface ports on each of the I/O modules to the network.

The switch has an uplink module with 12 or six 40-Gigabit optical ports or four 100-Gigabit optical ports. For a list of transceivers and cables by this switch for uplink connections, see http:/​/​www.cisco.com/​c/​en/​us/​support/​interfaces-modules/​transceiver-modules/​products-device-support-tables-list.html.

By default, the 40-Gigabit uplink ports operate at 40 Gbps, but you can use the speed-group 10000 command to change the administrative speed to 10 Gbps. If you change the speed, you must also use a QSFP+-to-SFP+ adapter and a supported SFP+ transceiver in each of the converted SFP+ ports. All of the ports in a group of ports must operate at the same speed or you will see an error with a "check speed-group config" message. The 12-port uplink module has two port groups (ports 1 through 6 [2/1-6], and ports 7 through 12 [2/7-12], the six-port uplink module has six active ports (ports 1 through 6), and the four-port uplink module has four active ports (ports 1 through 4).To return the administrative speed to 40 Gigabits, use the no speed-group 10000 command.

Note	The M12PQ uplink module ports connected with copper cables do not autonegotiate their speeds so you must set the speed for each port at the connected device by using the speed 40000 command.

Warning

Statement 1051—Laser Radiation Invisible laser radiation may be emitted from disconnected fibers or connectors. Do not stare into beams or view directly with optical instruments.

The Cisco Nexus 9396PX switch has 48 downlink ports that connect to servers or Fabric Extenders (FEXs). Each of these ports supports 1-Gigabit and 10-Gigabit speeds over optical cables.

For a listing of the transceivers and cables that the optical downlink ports support, see http:/​/​www.cisco.com/​c/​en/​us/​support/​interfaces-modules/​transceiver-modules/​products-device-support-tables-list.html

For the 10GBASE-T cables, you use RJ-45 connectors on cables that conform to the specifications in the following table.

You can use Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable Plus (QSFP+), Small Form-Factor Pluggable Plus (SFP+), and SFP transceivers to connect the switch ports to other network devices, which can include other switches or Fabric Extenders (FEXs).

To prevent damage to the fiber-optic cables that can separate from their cables, we recommend that you keep the transceivers disconnected from their fiber-optic cables when installing the transceiver in the I/O module. Before removing such a transceiver from the switch, remove the cable from the transceiver.

To maximize the effectiveness and life of your transceivers and optical cables, do the following:

• Wear an ESD-preventative wrist strap that is connected to an earth ground whenever handling transceivers. The switch is typically grounded during installation and provides an ESD port to which you can connect your wrist strap.

• Do not remove and insert a transceiver more often than is necessary. Repeated removals and insertions can shorten its useful life.

• Keep the transceivers and fiber-optic cables clean and dust free to maintain high signal accuracy and to prevent damage to the connectors. Attenuation (loss of light) is increased by contamination and should be kept below 0.35 dB.

  • Clean these parts before installation to prevent dust from scratching the fiber-optic cable ends.

  • Clean the connectors regularly; the required frequency of cleaning depends upon the environment. In addition, clean connectors if they are exposed to dust or accidentally touched. Both wet and dry cleaning techniques can be effective; refer to your site's fiber-optic connection cleaning procedures.

  • Do not touch the ends of connectors. Touching the ends can leave fingerprints and cause other contamination.

• Inspect routinely for dust and damage. If you suspect damage, clean and then inspect fiber ends under a microscope to determine if damage has occurred.

Warning

Statement 1051—Laser Radiation Invisible laser radiation may be emitted from disconnected fibers or connectors. Do not stare into beams or view directly with optical instruments.

Transceivers and fiber-optic cables must be kept clean and dust free to maintain high signal accuracy and prevent damage to the connectors. Attenuation (loss of light) is increased by contamination and should be below 0.35 dB.

Consider the following maintenance guidelines:

• Transceivers are static sensitive. To prevent ESD damage, wear an ESD-preventative wrist strap that is connected to the grounded chassis.

• Do not remove and insert a transceiver more often than is necessary. Repeated removals and insertions can shorten its useful life.

• Keep all optical connections covered when not in use. Clean them before using to prevent dust from scratching the fiber-optic cable ends.

• Do not touch the ends of connectors. Touching the ends can leave fingerprints and cause other contamination.

• Clean the connectors regularly; the required frequency of cleaning depends upon the environment. In addition, clean connectors if they are exposed to dust or accidentally touched. Both wet and dry cleaning techniques can be effective; refer to your site's fiber-optic connection cleaning procedures.

• Inspect routinely for dust and damage. If you suspect damage, clean and then inspect fiber ends under a microscope to determine if damage has occurred.