Cisco NXA-FAN-30CFM-B
Nexus Fan, 30CFM, port side intake airflow
Product Highlights
Maintaining proper thermal management in dense data center racks is critical — a single overheating switch can cascade into costly downtime across your fabric. The Cisco NXA-FAN-30CFM-B is a hot-swappable, reversed-airflow (port-side intake) fan module engineered for Cisco Nexus 2000, 3000, and 9300 Series 1RU switches.
Rated at 30 cubic feet per minute (CFM), this fan module draws cool air in from the port side of the switch and exhausts warm air out the rear, aligning with cold-aisle/hot-aisle containment architectures. Its burgundy color coding makes it instantly identifiable, ensuring technicians match airflow direction across all fans and power supplies — a requirement for safe operation, since mismatched airflow directions can cause the switch to overheat and shut down.
Each NXA-FAN-30CFM-B contains dual rotors, allowing the switch to continue operating normally even if one rotor fails. The hot-swappable design means you can replace a failed fan module without powering down the switch, minimizing maintenance windows and maximizing network availability. Whether you're refreshing fans in an existing Nexus deployment or building out a new data center pod, the NXA-FAN-30CFM-B delivers the reliable, directed cooling your Nexus infrastructure demands.
Features & Benefits
Port-Side Intake Airflow
The NXA-FAN-30CFM-B provides reversed (port-side intake) airflow, drawing cool air from the port side and exhausting it from the rear of the chassis. This design is purpose-built for data centers where switch ports face the cold aisle, supporting efficient hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment cooling strategies.
Hot-Swappable Serviceability
Designed for field replacement without powering down the switch, this fan module can be swapped during live network operations. This dramatically reduces planned maintenance windows and keeps your Nexus fabric online during routine hardware refreshes.
Dual-Rotor Redundancy
Each fan module houses two independent rotors. If one rotor fails, the switch continues to operate normally, giving you time to schedule a replacement. If more than one rotor fails across the system, the switch issues a warning and initiates a protective shutdown to prevent thermal damage.
Color-Coded Airflow Identification
The burgundy housing of the NXA-FAN-30CFM-B instantly identifies it as a port-side intake module. This visual cue helps technicians avoid mixing airflow directions — a critical requirement, since all fan modules and power supplies in a Nexus switch must share the same airflow direction to prevent overheating.
Deployment Scenarios
Data Center Cold-Aisle Deployments
In data centers using cold-aisle containment, switch ports face the cold aisle. The NXA-FAN-30CFM-B draws cool air in through the port side and exhausts heat toward the hot aisle, maintaining optimal thermal conditions for high-density Nexus switch deployments.
Nexus Fabric Extender Cooling
Cisco Nexus 2000 Series Fabric Extenders (FEXs) deployed as top-of-rack access devices require reliable cooling to sustain 24/7 operations. The NXA-FAN-30CFM-B provides the directed airflow these compact 1RU extenders need to operate within safe temperature ranges.
Proactive Fan Replacement & Sparing
Keeping spare NXA-FAN-30CFM-B modules on hand enables rapid hot-swap replacement when a fan module reports a rotor failure. This proactive approach prevents thermal shutdowns and keeps your Nexus infrastructure running without emergency procurement delays.
General
Performance
Physical
Environmental
Compatibility Notes
Compatible Cisco Nexus Platforms
The NXA-FAN-30CFM-B is listed as a compatible fan module for the following Cisco Nexus switch families and models:
- Nexus 2000 Series Fabric Extenders: Nexus 2148T, 2224TF, 2224TP, 2232PP 10GE, 2232TM 10GBASE-T, 2248TP, 2248TP-E
- Nexus 3000 Series: Nexus 3016, 3048, 3132C-Z, 3232C, 3548
- Nexus 9300 Series: Nexus 93108TC-FX, 93180YC-FX, 9332PQ, 9336, 9348GC-FXP, 9372
Important: All fan modules and power supply modules installed in a switch must use the same airflow direction. Do not mix port-side intake (burgundy) and port-side exhaust (blue) components. Mismatched airflow can cause the switch to overheat and shut down.
When the switch has port-side intake airflow (burgundy fans), the ports must face the cold aisle.
Downloads & Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
| Part Number | Product | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| NXA-FAN-30CFM-F | Nexus 30 CFM Fan, Port-Side Exhaust | Same 30 CFM rating but with port-side exhaust (forward) airflow — blue color coding for hot-aisle port-facing deployments. |
| NXA-FAN-35CFM-PI | Nexus 35 CFM Fan, Port-Side Intake | Higher 35 CFM airflow capacity with port-side intake; designed for Nexus 92300 and 93240YC-FX2 platforms — not interchangeable with 30 CFM models. |
| NXA-FAN-35CFM-PE | Nexus 35 CFM Fan, Port-Side Exhaust | 35 CFM port-side exhaust variant for Nexus 92300 series; use when ports face the hot aisle and higher airflow is required. |
| N9K-C9300-FAN3 | Nexus 9300 Fan 3, Port-Side Intake | Fan tray assembly for specific Nexus 9300 models — verify platform compatibility before selecting as an alternative. |
