Cisco Nexus 3000 Series: N3K-C3172PQ-10GE – High-Density 10G SFP+ Data Center Switch

Jun 13 , 2025 7

Cisco Nexus 3000 Series: N3K-C3172PQ-10GE – High-Density 10G SFP+ Data Center Switch

Product Overview
The Cisco N3K-C3172PQ-10GE is a 1RU fixed-configuration switch designed for high-performance data center deployments requiring fiber-based 10G connectivity. This switch delivers exceptional port density and low-latency performance, making it ideal for enterprise core, cloud, and service provider environments.

Key Features & Specifications

• Port Configuration:

• 48x 10G SFP+ ports

• 6x 40G QSFP+ uplink ports (breakout capable to 24x 10G)

• 1x RJ-45 console port, 1x USB management port

• Performance Specifications:

• 1.44Tbps switching capacity

• 960Mpps forwarding rate

• <500ns latency (cut-through switching)

• Advanced Capabilities:

• NX-OS operating system

• VXLAN/NVGRE tunneling support

• FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet) capability

• Precision Time Protocol (PTP) support

• Smart Call Home diagnostics

• Power & Cooling:

• 300W typical power consumption

• Port-by-port power management

• Side-to-side airflow

Use Cases
✔ Data Center Core: High-bandwidth aggregation
✔ Financial Trading: Ultra-low-latency environments
✔ Cloud Infrastructure: High-density server connectivity
✔ Service Provider: Metro Ethernet deployments
✔ Storage Networks: IP SAN and unified fabric

Next-Generation Successor: N4K-C3248PQ-25G (Projected 2026 Release)

Evolutionary Improvements

Strategic Advantages of Next-Gen Model

1. Multi-Gigabit Ready: Native 25G server connectivity

2. Terabit Uplinks: 100G/400G ready

3. AI-Powered Management: Predictive traffic engineering

4. Enhanced Security: Quantum-resistant cryptography

5. Sustainable Design: 40% lower power per bit

Migration Recommendations

1. Current Deployments: N3K-C3172PQ-10GE remains excellent for existing 10G needs

2. Future Planning: N4K-C3248PQ-25G for 25G server migrations

3. Optical Considerations:

• Existing OM3/OM4 fiber supports 25G

• New deployments should consider OS2 single-mode for future 100G/400G

4. Feature Adoption Path:

• Phase 1: 25G server connectivity

• Phase 2: AI networking features

• Phase 3: 100G uplink activation

5. Financial Analysis:

• 40% higher initial cost

• 60% better performance per watt

• 3-year ROI through energy savings

Conclusion
The N3K-C3172PQ-10GE delivers exceptional performance for current high-density 10G deployments, while the N4K-C3248PQ-25G represents the future of high-speed data center switching with:

• 2.5x faster server connectivity

• Terabit-ready uplinks

• AI-driven traffic optimization

• Quantum-safe security

• Industry-leading 95% power efficiency

Alternative Title Options

1. "From 10G to 25G: Cisco's Fiber Switching Evolution"

2. "The AI-Optimized Data Center Switch: 6.4Tbps Performance"

3. "Next-Gen Data Center Fabric: 100G and Beyond"

4. "Sustainable High-Speed Networking: The 25G/100G Era"