Cisco Nexus 9000 Series: N9K-X9408PC-CFP2 – High-Density 100G Ethernet Switch

Product Overview

The Cisco N9K-X9408PC-CFP2 is a high-performance, 8-slot chassis-based 100G Ethernet switch designed for enterprise data centers, service provider networks, and cloud environments. As part of the Cisco Nexus 9400 platform, it delivers ultra-high-density 100G connectivity with CFP2 optics support, providing scalability, reliability, and advanced programmability for modern networking demands.

Key Features & Specifications

Hardware & Performance

• Chassis & Slot Configuration:

• 8-slot modular chassis supporting supervisor, fabric, and line card modules

• Up to 32 x 100G ports (with full line card population)

• Total system bandwidth: 12.8 Tbps

• Port Density & Speed:

• Supports 100G CFP2 optics (100G-SR10, 100G-LR4, 100G-ER4, 100G-ZR)

• Breakout capability: Each 100G port can be split into 4 x 25G or 2 x 50G

• Forwarding Capacity:

• Up to 4.8 Bpps (billion packets per second)

• Low-latency switching (<1.5µs)

• Power & Cooling:

• Typical power consumption: 3.5kW (fully loaded)

• Front-to-back airflow (F2B) for hot/cold aisle deployments

Software & Programmability

• Cisco NX-OS (with multi-protocol support)

• VXLAN EVPN for scalable overlay networking

• Segment Routing (SRv6) for simplified traffic engineering

• Telemetry & Automation:

• gNMI/gRPC streaming telemetry

• Python/Ansible automation

• Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) for rapid deployment

Reliability & Scalability

• Hitless upgrades (ISSU) for continuous operation

• Redundant supervisor & fabric modules

• Non-stop forwarding (NSF) & stateful switchover (SSO)

• Compatible with Nexus 9400 platform line cards

Use Cases

✔ Enterprise Data Centers: High-density 100G core/aggregation
✔ Service Provider Edge: High-capacity metro/backbone transport
✔ Cloud Networking: Hyperscale virtualized workloads
✔ High-Performance Computing (HPC): Low-latency interconnects

Next-Generation Successor: N9K-X9608PQ (Projected 2026 Release)

Evolutionary Improvements

Strategic Advantages of the Next-Gen Model

1. 64 x 100G/400G Ports (25.6 Tbps system capacity) – Doubles spine/leaf capacity

2. 400G Native Support – Ready for QSFP-DD 400G optics

3. AI-Optimized Fabric – Adaptive load balancing for AI/ML traffic

4. Silicon Photonics Integration – Lower power, higher density

5. Cloud-Native Telemetry – Enhanced streaming analytics

Migration Recommendations

• Current Deployments: N9K-X9408PC-CFP2 remains ideal for 100G CFP2 networks

• Future-Proofing: N9K-X9608PQ for 400G-ready data centers

• Optical Considerations:

• QSFP-DD optics for 400G deployments

• MPO-24 fiber for high-density cabling

• Financial Planning:

• 30% higher CAPEX but 40% lower power per bit

• 3-year ROI via operational efficiency

Conclusion

The N9K-X9408PC-CFP2 is a high-density 100G chassis switch for enterprise and service provider networks, while the N9K-X9608PQ represents the next leap in hyperscale networking, offering:

• 2x port density (64 x 100G/400G)

• 400G native support

• AI-optimized fabric

• Silicon photonics integration

• Sub-800ns latency

Alternative Title Concepts

1. "From 32x100G to 64x400G: Cisco's Next-Gen Chassis Switch"

2. "400G-Ready Hyperscale: The Future of Data Center Networking"

3. "AI-Optimized Fabric: Doubling Density While Cutting Latency"

4. "The Economics of 400G: Why Hyperscale Needs N9K-X9608PQ"