Cisco N9K-C93108TC-EX
Nexus 9300 with 48p 10G BASE-T and 6p 100G QSFP28
Product Highlights
What's Included
(2) NXA-PAC-500W-PE (Port Side Exhaust) or NXA-PAC-500W-PI (Port Side Intake)
(2) AC Power Cords
(4) NXA-FAN-30CFM-F (Port Side Exhaust) or NXA-FAN-30CFM-B (Port Side Intake)
(1) Rackmount/Rail Kit (NXK-ACC-KIT-1RU)
Modern data centers demand switches that deliver high-density 10G server connectivity without compromising on uplink speed, programmability, or reliability. The Cisco N9K-C93108TC-EX is a fixed-configuration Nexus 9300-EX Series switch purpose-built for exactly this challenge.
With 48 x 10GBASE-T downlink ports supporting 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, and 10 Gbps speeds, plus 6 x 40/100G QSFP28 uplink ports, the N9K-C93108TC-EX delivers 2.16 Tbps of switching capacity in a compact 1RU form factor. Built on Cisco's Cloud Scale ASIC technology, it provides wire-rate Layer 2 and Layer 3 forwarding with low latency — ideal for leaf-spine architectures, server access, storage networking, and data center aggregation.
The platform supports both Cisco NX-OS and ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure) operating modes, giving network teams the flexibility to deploy in traditional or software-defined environments. Advanced capabilities including VXLAN, EVPN, Virtual PortChannel (vPC), and In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU) make this switch a future-proof investment for enterprises scaling from 10G to 100G. With redundant hot-swappable power supplies and fan modules, plus a choice of port-side exhaust or intake airflow, the N9K-C93108TC-EX is engineered for 24/7 uptime in any hot-aisle or cold-aisle data center configuration.
Features & Benefits
High-Density 10GBASE-T Connectivity
Deliver 10 Gigabit Ethernet to 48 servers or endpoints using standard RJ-45 copper cabling — no costly fiber or transceivers required at the access layer. Each port supports 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, and 10 Gbps speeds, enabling transparent migration from legacy infrastructure without forklift upgrades.
100G QSFP28 Uplinks
Six QSFP28 uplink ports support 40 Gbps and 100 Gbps connectivity, with additional flexibility for 10G, 25G, and 50G speeds via breakout options. This ensures high-bandwidth spine connections today and a clear upgrade path as your data center grows.
Cisco Cloud Scale Architecture
Purpose-built Cloud Scale ASICs deliver wire-rate forwarding, 40 MB of deep system buffering, and hardware-level support for VXLAN, telemetry, and security features. The result is consistent low-latency performance even under heavy east-west traffic loads, with a 256,000-entry MAC address table for large-scale virtualized environments.
Dual Operating Modes: NX-OS & ACI
Deploy in NX-OS standalone mode for traditional CLI-driven management, or in ACI mode for intent-based, policy-driven automation via Cisco APIC. Programmability through Python, RESTful APIs, and Ansible modules streamlines Day 2 operations and accelerates change management.
Redundant Power & Cooling
Dual hot-swappable power supplies and four fan modules provide N+1 redundancy for uninterrupted operation. Choose between port-side exhaust or port-side intake airflow configurations to match your data center's hot-aisle/cold-aisle layout.
Advanced Data Center Features
Built-in support for VXLAN, EVPN, vPC, ISSU, and Source-Specific Multicast (SSM) enables overlay networking, seamless workload mobility, and non-disruptive software upgrades. These capabilities reduce planned downtime and simplify multi-tenant and multi-site deployments.
Deployment Scenarios
Data Center Leaf / Server Access Layer
Deploy the N9K-C93108TC-EX as a top-of-rack leaf switch connecting 48 servers at 10G over copper, with 100G uplinks to spine switches. The deep 40 MB buffer and wire-rate forwarding handle bursty east-west traffic between virtualized workloads without packet loss.
Enterprise Campus Aggregation
Aggregate traffic from multiple access-layer switches using the 10GBASE-T downlinks, then forward north-south traffic over 100G QSFP28 uplinks to the core. Multi-speed port support (100M/1G/10G) simplifies mixed-speed environments during phased upgrades.
ACI Software-Defined Data Center
Run in ACI mode under Cisco APIC management for policy-driven automation, micro-segmentation, and centralized visibility. VXLAN and EVPN support enable scalable multi-tenant overlays, making this switch ideal for private cloud and managed service provider environments.
Storage Networking & Converged Infrastructure
The high-bandwidth 10GBASE-T ports and deep buffering make the N9K-C93108TC-EX well-suited for iSCSI and NAS storage traffic alongside standard Ethernet workloads, reducing the need for separate storage networks.
General
Ports & Interfaces
Performance
System Resources
Power
Physical
Environmental
Compliance
Compatibility Notes
Uplink Transceivers: The 6x QSFP28 uplink ports support Cisco QSFP-100G-SR4-S, QSFP-100G-LR4-S, QSFP-100G-CWDM4-S, QSFP-40G-SR4-S, and compatible QSFP+ DAC/AOC cables. 40G QSFP+ modules support 4x10G breakout mode.
Power Supplies: Ships with your choice of NXA-PAC-500W-PE (port-side exhaust) or NXA-PAC-500W-PI (port-side intake). The platform also supports 650W AC, 930W DC, and 1200W HVAC/HVDC power supply options.
Fan Modules: Ships with NXA-FAN-30CFM-F (port-side exhaust) or NXA-FAN-30CFM-B (port-side intake). All fans and PSUs must match the same airflow direction.
Operating System: Runs Cisco NX-OS (standalone mode) or ACI mode. Verify minimum NX-OS or ACI firmware version for your required feature set on Cisco's support site.
Rack Kit: Includes NXK-ACC-KIT-1RU for standard 19-inch rack mounting.
Downloads & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
| Part Number | Product | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| N9K-C93108TC-FX | Nexus 93108TC-FX | Next-gen FX model adds MACsec hardware encryption and enhanced Cloud Scale ASIC; same 48x 10GBASE-T + 6x QSFP28 port layout. |
| N9K-C93180YC-EX | Nexus 93180YC-EX | Same 9300-EX generation but uses 48x SFP+ (1/10/25G fiber) downlinks instead of 10GBASE-T copper — ideal when fiber connectivity is preferred. |
| N9K-C9348GC-FXP | Nexus 9348GC-FXP | 48x 1G copper + 4x 10/25G SFP28 + 2x 40/100G QSFP28 — lower-cost option for 1G-dominant environments with 100G uplink capability. |
| N9K-C93180LC-EX | Nexus 93180LC-EX | Same EX-generation platform with 24x 40/50G QSFP+ and 6x 100G QSFP28 ports — designed for aggregation-layer or high-bandwidth leaf roles. |
