Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches

Build the Next-Generation Automated Data Center

The Cisco Nexus 9000 Series delivers proven high performance and density, low latency, and exceptional power efficiency in a broad range of compact form factors. Operating in Cisco NX-OS Software mode or in Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) mode, these switches are ideal for traditional or fully automated data center deployments.

Features and Capabilities

The 9000 Series offers modular 9500 switches and fixed 9300 and 9200 switches with 1/10/25/50/40/100 Gigabit Ethernet switch configurations. 9200 switches are optimized for high performance and density in NX-OS mode operations. The 9500 and 9300 are optimized to deliver increased operation flexibility in:

• NX-OS mode for traditional architectures and consistency across Nexus switches, or
• ACI mode to take advantage of ACI's policy-driven services and infrastructure automation features

Architectural Flexibility

• Can be deployed in an energy-efficient three-tier or leaf-spine architecture
• Provides flexible and scalable virtual extensible LAN (VXLAN) multi-tenancy
• Provides a foundation for ACI, automating application deployment and delivering simplicity, agility, and flexibility
• Supports Nexus Fabric Manager to automate fabric configuration and management

Programmability

• Offers an open-object API-programmable model for provisioning Layer 2 and 3 features
• Provides extensibility through a Route Processor Module application package, Linux containers, and Broadcom and Linux shell access
• Uses the Cisco NX-OS API for easy-to-use, web-based programmatic access
• Simplifies infrastructure management through integration with DevOps automation tools

Real-Time Visibility and Telemetry

• Cisco Tetration Analytics support with built-in hardware sensors for rich traffic flow telemetry and line-rate data collection
• Cisco Nexus Data Broker support for network traffic monitoring and analysis
• Real-time buffer utilization per port and per queue, for monitoring traffic micro-bursts and application traffic patterns

Scalability

• Provides up to 60 Tbps of nonblocking performance with less than 5-microsecond latency
• Features line rate, high density 10/25/40/50/100 Gbps Layer 2 and Layer 3 Ethernet ports
• Offers wire-speed gateway, bridging, routing, and Cisco Border Gateway Protocol Control Plane for VXLAN (BGP EVPN VXLAN)
• Includes segment routing for increased network scalability and virtualization

High Availability

• In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) and patching without operation interruption (Nexus 9500 and 9300)
• Fully redundant and hot-swappable components
• Improves reliability and performance with a mix of third-party and Cisco ASICs performance

Investment Protection

• Allows for reuse of an existing 10-GE cabling plant for 40 GE with a 40-Gbps bidirectional transceiver
• Supports Cisco Nexus 2000 Series Fabric Extenders in both NX-OS and ACI modes (9300 and 9500 Series)
• Facilitates migration from NX-OS mode to ACI mode
• FCoE support provides fabric convergence for LAN and SAN, lowering overall data center TCO

Innovations

• Cisco Tetration Analytics: Get pervasive real-time application visibility, analytics, and actionable insights into your data center infrastructure.
• New Nexus 9300 switches: The Nexus 93180YC-EX and 93108TC-EX deliver high-density 10/25/40/50/100 GE with hybrid-configurable ports for flexible access deployment and migration.
• New Nexus 9200 switches: Four new switches are optimized for NX-OS mode and high-density 10/25/40/50/100 Gbps deployments.
• New Nexus 9500 100-Gb module: Gain high-density 100-Gbps connectivity as well as flexible NX-OS mode or ACI deployments.
• Cisco Nexus Fabric Manager: Get comprehensive fabric lifecycle management through a simple point-and-click web interface.

Additional Resources