An Overview

The Cisco Nexus 5600 platform Gigabit Ethernet switches are the third generation of the Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switches and the leading data center switches around the world. The Cisco Nexus 5600 platform, the successor to the widely adopted Cisco Nexus 5500 platform, maintains all the existing Cisco Nexus 5500 platform features, including LAN and SAN convergence (unified ports and Fibre Channel over Ethernet [FCoE]), fabric extenders, and Cisco^® FabricPath. In addition, the Cisco Nexus 5600 platform offers integrated line-rate Layer 2 and 3 capabilities with true 40 Gigabit Ethernet support. As always you can expect Cisco’s programmable fabric innovation, Network Virtualization using Generic Routing Encapsulation (NVGRE), Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) bridging and routing capabilities, excellent network programmability and visibility, large buffer capacity, and significantly greater scale and performance for highly virtualized, automated, and cloud environments.

Nexus 5696Q Switch 

The Cisco Nexus 5600 platform 40-Gbps switches include 1-rack-unit (1RU), 2RU, and 4RU configurations for a flexible, agile, and energy-efficient design. The Cisco Nexus 5600 platform complements existing Cisco Nexus switches and is an important component of the Cisco Unified Data Center architecture. The platform offers 10 and 40 Gigabit Ethernet and FCoE with integrated Layer 2 and 3 features at wire speed. It also offers low latency (approximately 1 microsecond for any packet size). With a choice of port-side and fan-side intake airflow to align with cold-aisle and hot-aisle placement within the data center, the Cisco Nexus 5600 platform 40-Gbps switches offer a broad range of traditional data center and large-scale virtualized cloud deployments.

Models and Configurations

The Cisco 5600 platform 40-Gbps switches come in multiple configurations:

• Cisco Nexus 5624Q Switch:The Cisco Nexus 5624Q (Figure 1) is a 1RU switch that supports 1.92 terabits per second (Tbps) of bandwidth across 12 fixed 40-Gbps Enhanced Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable (QSFP+) ports and 12 additional 40-Gbps QSFP+ ports, supported through an expansion module. The Cisco Nexus 5624Q can also support up to ninety-six 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports, with the use of breakout cables. 

Figure 1.      Cisco Nexus 5624Q Switch

The Cisco Nexus 5624Q offers a hot-swappable generic expansion module for an additional twelve 40 Gigabit Ethernet ports.

Cisco Nexus 5624Q and 5648Q Generic Expansion Module

The Cisco Nexus 5624Q offers three fan modules for 2+1 redundancy and two power supplies for 1+1 redundancy (Figure 3). It also supports both port-side and fan-side intake airflow options for flexible mounting.

Figure 3.      Cisco Nexus 5624Q Switch (Fan-Side View)

Cisco Nexus 5648Q Switch:The Cisco Nexus 5648Q is a 2RU switch that supports 3.84 Tbps of bandwidth across 24 fixed 40-Gbps QSFP+ ports and 24 additional 40-Gbps QSFP+ ports with the use of two expansion modules. The Cisco Nexus 5648Q can also support up to 192 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports with the use of breakout cables. 

The Cisco Nexus 5648Q is equipped with two expansion slots and offers support for an additional twenty-four 40 Gigabit Ethernet ports using a hot-swappable GEM, as shown in Figure 2. The Cisco Nexus 5624Q and 5648Q share the same expansion module.

The Cisco Nexus 5648Q offers three fan modules for 2+1 redundancy and four power supplies for 2+2 redundancy (Figure 5).  It also supports both port-side and fan-side intake airflow options for flexible mounting.

Power Supply

The Cisco Nexus 5624Q switch uses a front-end power supply. The chassis has slots for two redundant power supplies. Power Supply options should be configured with the base chassis. It needs a minimum of one power supply to operate. Online Insert and Removal (OIR) is supported on the power supplies and the power supplies are hot swappable. The Cisco Nexus 5624Q supports port-side exhaust and port-side intake. Table 1-7 lists the power supplies that are compatible with a Cisco Nexus 5624Q switch.

Fan Modules

The Cisco Nexus 5624Q has three hot-swappable fan modules. They operate in a 2+1 redundancy mode and should be configured with the base chassis. The Cisco Nexus 5624Q switch supports both port-side exhaust and intake. The Online Insert and Removal (OIR) is supported on the fan tray. Table 1-8 lists the fans that are compatible with a Cisco Nexus 5624Q switch.

Using Cisco Fabric Extender Technology and cost-effective optics, that allow the use of existing 10 Gigabit Ethernet fiber (a pair of multimode fiber strands), the Cisco Nexus 5624Q and 5648Q offer an optimal form factor for organizations upgrading their infrastructure from 10 Gbps to 40 Gbps. Check out the Cisco 40 Gigabit Modules QSFP data sheet for more details.

 Cisco Nexus 5696Q Switch:The Cisco Nexus 5696Q (Figure 6) is a 4RU 10 and 40 Gigabit Ethernet switch and boasts the industry’s highest port density. Its compact, energy-efficient form factor offers eight line-card expansion-module (LEM) slots to support 40 Gigabit Ethernet and FCoE, 10 Gigabit Ethernet and FCoE, and a 8/4/2-Gbps Fibre Channel, making it the most versatile switch in the Cisco Nexus 5600 platform. The Cisco Nexus 5696Q can support 7.68 Tbps of bandwidth across 96 ports of 40 Gbps when it is fully loaded.