N5K-C5548UP

Key Features:

1. 48 Ports of 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) with Unified Ports:

   • The N5K-C5548UP comes with 48 10-Gigabit Ethernet ports that support Unified Ports (UP). This means that these ports can operate in multiple modes, such as Ethernet, FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet), FCoE Initialization Protocol (FIP), or Fiber Channel. This flexibility allows for consolidated networking and storage traffic over the same infrastructure, which reduces the number of cables and switches required in the data center.
   • This feature is particularly beneficial for environments using FCoE for converged networking, where both LAN and SAN (Storage Area Network) traffic are carried over the same network.

2. Scalability with Up to 384 Ports:

   • The N5K-C5548UP can scale with additional expansion modules and supports up to 384 ports when fully expanded.
   • This makes it suitable for large data center deployments or high-density virtualized environments where numerous servers or virtual machines need network access.

3. High-Performance and Low Latency:

   • It supports non-blocking, cut-through switching architecture, which ensures low-latency performance for high-throughput applications.
   • This low-latency, high-throughput design is ideal for high-frequency trading applications, data-intensive workloads, and real-time applications in data centers.

4. 10/40/100 Gigabit Ethernet Support:

   • The N5K-C5548UP supports 10GbE, 40GbE, and 100GbE speeds, offering flexibility for upgrading to higher bandwidth as network requirements increase.
   • The switch is future-proof, allowing for seamless transitions between speeds, making it adaptable to growing network demands.

5. Cisco NX-OS Operating System:

   • The Cisco Nexus 5000 Series runs on the NX-OS (Nexus Operating System), which is optimized for data center environments. NX-OS is designed for high availability, scalability, and automation, providing the robustness needed for large-scale deployments.
   • NX-OS also supports advanced features like VDCs (Virtual Device Contexts), FCoE, VxLAN, Virtual Port Channels (vPCs), FHRP (First Hop Redundancy Protocol), and more.

6. Unified Fabric:

   • With support for FCoE, the N5K-C5548UP can converge both Ethernet and Fibre Channel traffic onto a single unified fabric, eliminating the need for separate storage and network infrastructures.
   • This convergence simplifies cabling and reduces equipment costs while providing flexibility in network and storage configurations.

7. Redundancy and High Availability:

   • The N5K-C5548UP includes features like redundant power supplies and fans for high availability. This ensures minimal downtime in critical applications and provides fault tolerance in enterprise data centers.
   • The switch also supports In-Service Software Upgrades (ISSU), allowing for non-disruptive software upgrades without downtime.

8. Virtual Port Channel (vPC):

   • vPC technology allows the switch to act as if it were a single logical switch, providing link redundancy without the need for spanning tree protocols. This helps with network resiliency and avoids network loops.
   • vPC allows two switches to share the same forwarding table and provides active-active connectivity, improving network throughput and availability.

9. High Port Density:

   • With its 48 ports, the N5K-C5548UP provides high port density in a 1U form factor, making it an excellent choice for environments where space is limited but high-port-count is needed, such as in rack-based server environments.

10. Energy Efficient:

• The Nexus 5000 Series is designed to be energy-efficient, using high-efficiency power supplies and low-power components, helping reduce overall operating costs in the data center.

Specifications:

• Form Factor: 1RU (Rack Unit)
• Ports: 48 10GbE Unified Ports (with support for 40GbE and 100GbE via expansion modules)
• Expansion: Support for up to 384 ports with expansion modules
• Power Supplies: Dual hot-swappable redundant power supplies
• Fans: Redundant hot-swappable fans
• Maximum Forwarding Rate: 960 Mpps (Million packets per second)
• Switching Capacity: Up to 1.28 Tbps
• Latency: Low-latency, high-performance architecture
• OS: Cisco NX-OS
• Network Protocols: Supports advanced features like VxLAN, OSPF, EIGRP, FCoE, and vPC

Use Cases:

1. Data Center: The N5K-C5548UP is optimized for data center environments, offering high-density 10GbE and 40GbE ports, low-latency switching, and the ability to carry both LAN and SAN traffic over a unified fabric. It’s ideal for storage-heavy environments and high-performance computing clusters.

2. Virtualized Environments: The switch supports advanced features like VxLAN and vPC, which make it well-suited for modern virtualized data centers. It can integrate seamlessly with hypervisors like VMware and Hyper-V, offering high scalability and flexibility.

3. Converged Networks: The FCoE and Unified Fabric support make this switch a great option for converged infrastructures where both storage and networking traffic are unified, reducing complexity in the data center.

4. Cloud Computing: The scalability and flexibility of the N5K-C5548UP make it an excellent choice for cloud service providers that need a high-performance, low-latency fabric to support their virtual machines and storage.

Benefits Over Other Models:

• Unified Ports: The N5K-C5548UP offers Unified Ports that can handle both Ethernet and Fibre Channel traffic, making it ideal for converged networking where both data and storage traffic need to be carried over the same infrastructure.
• High Density: With 48 10GbE ports in a 1U form factor, this switch offers a high port density for environments that require numerous connections in a small space.
• Advanced Features: The Nexus 5000 series supports cutting-edge features like FCoE, vPC, VxLAN, and storage networking, setting it apart from traditional Layer 2/3 switches.