Cisco Nexus 9300: 24p 40/50G QSFP+ and 6p 40G/100G QSFP28

The Cisco Nexus 9300 series represents a cornerstone for modern data centers, delivering a dense, high-performance leaf-switch platform designed to power application-centric infrastructure (ACI) and scalable, policy-driven networks. This specific model blends 24 ports of 40/50 Gigabit QSFP+ connectivity with an additional 6 ports of 40/100 Gigabit QSFP28, providing a flexible path to scale East-West traffic, support multi-tenant environments, and accelerate secure, automated service delivery. Built for Cisco’s Application Centric Infrastructure, the Nexus 9300 converts network plumbing into an intelligent, automated underlay that supports dynamic workloads, microservices, and cloud-native applications with predictable performance and consistent policies. It is purpose-built for stepwise growth in modern data centers, delivering the reliability, telemetry, and programmability your IT and network teams demand while simplifying operations in complex, multi-tenant environments.

• High-density, flexible port mix: 24x 40/50G QSFP+ ports paired with 6x 40/100G QSFP28 ports provide robust uplink/downlink density and enable a staged upgrade path from 10G to 40/100G without re-cabling or re-architecting the fabric. This design is optimized for spine-leaf deployments and next-gen workloads that require high bandwidth with minimal latency.
• ACI-ready for policy-based automation: The Nexus 9300 is designed to integrate tightly with Cisco’s Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI). It supports centralized policy, application profiles, and automated provisioning through the APIC, enabling consistent security, QoS, and network segmentation across large, dynamic environments.
• High performance, low latency fabric: Built to handle East-West traffic patterns typical of modern data centers, the switch offers a scalable, low-latency fabric with intelligent buffering and optimized forwarding. It helps ensure predictable performance for virtualized workloads, containers, and microservices while maintaining strong traffic isolation and rapid failure recovery.
• Advanced security and segmentation: The platform enables robust micro-segmentation, access control, and policy-driven security across the fabric. Combined with EVPN-VXLAN capabilities, tenants and workloads can be isolated with precise policy, improving security posture without sacrificing agility or scale.
• Operational efficiency and programmability: NX-OS on the Nexus 9300 supports modern management interfaces, including RESTCONF/NETCONF and Python-based automation, along with telemetry and health monitoring. This translates into faster deployment, simpler day-to-day operations, and improved visibility into network performance and failures.

Technical Details of Cisco Nexus 9300

• Product family: Cisco Nexus 9300 Series Fixed-Platform Switch
• Port configuration: 24 ports of 40/50G QSFP+ and 6 ports of 40/100G QSFP28 for flexible connectivity options across leaf spine fabrics
• Operating system: Cisco NX-OS with policy-driven capabilities for integration with Cisco ACI
• Fabric and performance: High-density, scalable leaf capability designed to support data center fabric with low latency for large-scale workloads
• Management and APIs: Supports programmatic interfaces (REST/NETCONF) for automation, monitoring, and integration with orchestration platforms
• Automation and analytics: Built-in telemetry and health data to assist with proactive management and policy compliance across the fabric
• Security and segmentation: Supports advanced security policies and scalable segmentation aligned with ACI and EVPN-VXLAN use cases
• Redundancy and availability: Designed for robust operation within data center environments, with options for redundant power and cooling planning to minimize downtime

How to Install Cisco Nexus 9300

• Prepare the data center rack: verify clearance for airflow, secure mounting rails, and ensure power sources meet the switch’s requirements. Confirm that the surrounding environment maintains proper temperature and humidity levels for optimal hardware reliability.
• Rack and connect the device: mount the Nexus 9300 in the designated rack location, attach the appropriate mounting rails, and connect the 24x 40/50G QSFP+ links as planned for the leaf role, along with the 6x 40/100G QSFP28 uplinks. Route cables neatly to preserve airflow and minimize interference.
• Power up and initial hardware checks: apply power and verify startup indicators on the device. Listen for fan activity and check for any hardware faults reported by the console or management interface. Ensure LEDs indicate normal operation.
• Access the switch and perform initial configuration: connect via console or management IP, access the NX-OS CLI, and complete the initial setup to establish basic network parameters, management addresses, and super-user credentials. Ensure time synchronization and basic security posture are in place from the start.
• Integrate with ACI or your fabric: configure the Nexus 9300 to operate within your chosen fabric architecture. If using Cisco ACI, register the switch with the APIC, apply the appropriate policies and application profiles, and validate that the fabric can enforce intended security, QoS, and segmentation across workloads.
• Verify connectivity and performance: test end-to-end paths, ensure L2/L3 connectivity across the leaf-spine fabric, and run throughput and latency checks to confirm that the hardware meets your workload requirements. Use built-in telemetry and monitoring features to observe health metrics and adjust policies as needed.
• Document and standardize: capture configuration templates, policy references, and integration steps for consistent provisioning across environments. Establish change-control procedures to minimize disruption during updates or scaling operations.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the primary purpose of the Cisco Nexus 9300 with this port mix? It is designed to serve as a high-density leaf switch in a spine-leaf data center, providing flexible 40/50G and 40/100G connectivity to support modern workloads and scalable, policy-driven networking through Cisco ACI.
• Is this switch compatible with Cisco ACI? Yes. The Nexus 9300 is built to integrate with Cisco ACI, enabling centralized automation, application-centric policies, and simplified fabric-wide management.
• What workloads is it best suited for? It excels in data centers running virtualized environments, cloud-native apps, containerized services, and multi-tenant deployments that require scalable, low-latency, high-bandwidth interconnects.
• What kind of uplink/downlink density does it offer? The configuration provides 24x 40/50G QSFP+ ports and 6x 40/100G QSFP28 ports, offering ample flexibility for leaf-to-spine and leaf-to-aggregator connections.
• What management options are available? The device supports Cisco NX-OS with programmable interfaces (REST/NETCONF) for automation and telemetry, and it can be integrated into Cisco ACI for policy-driven management.