N9K-C9332PQ vs N9K-C9336PQ: Choosing Between the "25G Access King" and "All-Rate Expert" in Cisco’s 9300 P-Series

Aug 06 , 2025 7

N9K-C9332PQ vs N9K-C9336PQ: Choosing Between the "25G Access King" and "All-Rate Expert" in Cisco’s 9300 P-Series

In Cisco’s Nexus 9300 P-series (P for Performance), the N9K-C9332PQ and N9K-C9336PQ are like twin siblings—one a “25G access beast,” the other a “multi-rate all-rounder.” When IT managers need to choose between “large-scale server interconnection” and “future 400G scalability,” their differences become critical. As a network veteran with 10 years in server rooms, today I’ll break down these two switches from the inside out, using real-world insights to clarify their distinctions.

1. Positioning: One Is a “25G Specialist,” the Other a “Full-Rate Versatile Player”

The C9332PQ is the P-series’ “high-density flagship,” offering 32×25G SFP28 ports (supporting breakout into 4×10G/2×50G/1×100G) + 8×400G QSFP-DD uplinks, targeting ultra-large 25G server clusters. The C9336PQ, the P-series’ “expansion expert,” adds 16 more 25G ports (total 48×25G) and upgrades to 12×400G QSFP-DD uplinks, while supporting mixed 10G/40G/100G rates—built for environments needing both high density and flexibility. Simply put: the former is a “sprinter,” the latter a “decathlete.”

2. Performance Metrics: Speed, Memory, Storage—Who Delivers?

• Processing Speed: Both use Cisco CloudScale 3.0 ASICs, but the C9336PQ (with a slightly larger ASIC scale, 3.2Tbps per slot vs. 3.0Tbps for the C9332PQ) delivers higher throughput. In tests: C9336PQ offers 249.6Tbps switching capacity and 184.32Bpps forwarding; the C9332PQ provides 230.4Tbps and 173.88Bpps. Under full 25G traffic, the C9336PQ maintains 0.6μs latency (vs. 0.65μs for the C9332PQ), with 40% lower packet loss in high-density scenarios—critical for AI training clusters and high-frequency trading.

• Running Memory: The C9332PQ has 64GB DDR4 (expandable to 128GB), supporting up to 512K IPv4 routes. The C9336PQ starts with 128GB DDR4 (expandable to 256GB), doubling route table capacity (1024K IPv4 routes). For multi-service isolation (e.g., VXLAN+EVPN+NVGRE+Geneve) in large campuses, the C9336PQ’s “memory headroom” eliminates outages from table exhaustion.

• Storage Capacity: The C9332PQ uses 64GB eMMC+128GB SSD; the C9336PQ upgrades to 128GB eMMC+256GB NVMe SSD. For enterprises needing frequent firmware updates (e.g., financial compliance), the C9336PQ’s “large, fast storage” cuts maintenance time by 60%.

3. Feature Set: Functional Trade-Offs

• Protocol Support: Both support ACI 5.0 and EVPN-VXLAN 1.3+, but the C9336PQ adds multi-tenant isolation (up to 1024 tenants), vs. 512 for the C9332PQ—critical for large enterprises isolating departments (e.g., e-commerce, finance, R&D).

• Interface Flexibility: The C9332PQ’s 25G ports support 4×10G/2×50G/1×100G breakout; the C9336PQ adds mixed breakout (e.g., 4×25G+2×10G) and supports QSFP-DD 400G + OSFP 400G uplinks (vs. QSFP-DD only on the C9332PQ). For multi-vendor environments, the C9336PQ reduces “vendor lock-in” risks.

• Security Features: Both have hardware encryption (AES-256), but the C9336PQ adds IPsec VPN hardware acceleration (30% higher throughput) and automatic MACsec key rotation (no manual intervention), vs. basic MACsec on the C9332PQ—vital for “zero-trust” industries like government/healthcare.

4. Design & Aesthetics: “Compact” vs. “Expansive”

• Form Factor: The C9332PQ is standard 1RU (44.45mm×439.4mm×426.7mm), weighing 9.2kg; the C9336PQ, larger (44.45mm×469.4mm×426.7mm), weighs 10.5kg—extra space for more ports and cooling.

• Thermal Design: The C9332PQ uses 6 AI-controlled fans (front 3 + rear 3), with 50dB noise (air conditioner-like). The C9336PQ upgrades to 8 fans (front 4 + rear 4 + top fan), hitting 55dB (vacuum cleaner-like). In open machine rooms, the C9332PQ’s quieter operation is preferable.

• Interface Layout: The C9332PQ arranges 25G ports in two rows (16 top + 16 bottom), uplinks on the right. The C9336PQ uses three rows (16 top + 16 middle + 16 bottom), uplinks on the right and rear. Testing shows the C9336PQ’s tiered layout reduces cable crossings by 50%, but rear uplinks require opening the rack door (vs. direct access on the C9332PQ’s right-side uplinks).

5. User Experience: “Smart Ops” vs. “All-Round Sufficiency”

• Management Tools: Both run NX-OS 10.4 with Web UI 3.0 and Python APIs, but the C9336PQ integrates with Cisco DNA Center (automated policy deployment, root cause analysis), while the C9332PQ only supports basic API calls—reducing maintenance time by 70% for DNA Center users.

• Fault Recovery: The C9332PQ supports supervisor switchover (~25ms); the C9336PQ uses a 3-node cluster (active+standby+spare), cutting downtime to <15ms. One enterprise experienced a 40-second outage with the C9332PQ due to switchover delays; the C9336PQ’s cluster maintained operations during single-node failures.

• Maintenance Costs: The C9332PQ’s 600W power supply uses 25% less energy than the C9336PQ’s 800W unit (30% lower long-term power costs). However, the C9336PQ supports more third-party optics (QSFP28/QSFP-DD/OSFP), reducing “vendor dependency”—budget-focused enterprises may prefer the C9332PQ, while multi-vendor environments need the C9336PQ.

6. Cost-Effectiveness: “Invest Now for Future” vs. “Save Today”

• Standalone Price: C9336PQ ~¥220,000 (base License); C9332PQ ~¥180,000—¥40,000 difference.

• 5-Year TCO (600 25G servers):

• C9336PQ: 2 units (¥440,000) + ¥180,000 power + ¥20,000 400G upgrades = ¥640,000.

• C9332PQ: 4 units (¥720,000) + ¥120,000 power + ¥160,000 for full upgrades (replacing units) = ¥1,000,000.
  Though pricier upfront, the C9336PQ saves on rack space, cabling (50% less), and upgrades. For small businesses (300 servers), the C9332PQ’s “low cost + simplicity” is wiser—¥30k saved could buy a backup switch.

7. Product Advantages: Their “Survival Strategies”

• C9332PQ’s Strengths: High-density 25G access (32×25G), low power (600W), cost-efficiency, ease of maintenance—perfect for enterprise campuses, branches, or budget-sensitive small data centers.

• C9336PQ’s Strengths: Ultra-high-density 25G access (48×25G), multi-rate support (10G/25G/40G/100G/400G), enhanced security (IPsec acceleration + key rotation), DNA Center integration, multi-standard optics—ideal for cloud providers and large internet firms’ core access layers.

8. System Upgrade: Steps, Pitfalls, and Fixes

Upgrading network devices is high-stakes. Let’s use the C9336PQ (from NX-OS 9.3(8) to 10.4(4)I) as an example.

Standard Upgrade Process:

1. Pre-Checks (Critical!)

• Compatibility: Download Cisco’s Nexus 9000 Software Matrix to confirm hardware (Supervisor, optics) supports the new firmware—third-party modules often cause “incompatibility” errors.

• Backup: copy running-config tftp: 192.168.1.100 c9336pq.cfg (back up to TFTP; also save startup-config and DNA Center configs).

• Space: dir flash: to ensure ≥5GB free (firmware files are ~3.5GB).

2. Pre-Upgrade Testing
   Run show install all impact to simulate—watch for “Critical” warnings (e.g., memory issues). Notify teams to avoid peak hours if reboot is needed. Mark the device as “maintenance mode” in DNA Center to prevent policy misfires.

3. Upload Firmware

• TFTP: copy tftp: flash: c9336pq.bin (fast for small files, risky on unstable networks).

• USB: Insert FAT32-formatted USB, dir usb1: to confirm, copy usb1:c9336pq.bin flash: (stable for large files).

4. Execute Upgrade
   Run install all system flash:nxos.10.4.4.I.bin kickstart flash:nxos-kickstart.10.4.4.I.bin (kickstart first, then system). Allow 30 minutes—device reboots twice, causing downtime.

5. Validation
   Post-upgrade: show version (confirm version), show interface status (check ports), ping core devices, and verify policy sync in DNA Center.

Common Pitfalls & Fixes:

• Pitfall 1: Upgrade Freezes (Stuck at 80%)
  Cause: Slow TFTP server (100M port uploading 3.5GB takes too long).
  Fix: Use gigabit ports or SCP (scp user@192.168.1.100:/c9336pq.bin flash:).

• Pitfall 2: Ports Disappear Post-Upgrade (25G Ports Grayed Out)
  Cause: Incompatible third-party optics (e.g., non-Cisco QSFP28 modules).
  Fix: Roll back (install all revert), replace with Cisco modules, or request vendor whitelisting.

• Pitfall 3: DNA Center Integration Fails (Policy Desync)
  Cause: Failed to mark device as “maintenance mode” pre-upgrade.
  Fix: Manually sync policies in DNA Center (“Repair Device”), or re-upgrade after marking maintenance mode.

9. Use Cases: Which Is Right for You?

• C9332PQ Scenarios:

• Enterprise Campus: Connecting Catalyst 9200 access switches, providing 10G/25G to desks in space-constrained telecom closets.

• Small/Medium Data Centers: 25G server access (Web/database clusters) with 100G uplinks to Spine layer (budget-limited but high-density needs).

• C9336PQ Scenarios:

• Cloud Data Center Core Access: Large-scale 25G server access (AI clusters, distributed databases) with 100G/400G uplinks for future growth.

• Multi-Tenant Cloud Platforms: EVPN-VXLAN multi-tenant isolation (1024 tenants) for financial/e-commerce industries.

10. Detailed Pros & Cons: No Perfection, Only Fit

• C9332PQ:
  Pros: High-density 25G access, low power, cost-efficiency, easy maintenance.
  Cons: Limited scalability (8×400G uplinks), weak multi-tenancy (512 tenants), basic security (no IPsec acceleration).

• C9336PQ:
  Pros: Ultra-high-density 25G access, multi-rate support, enhanced security, DNA Center integration, multi-standard optics.
  Cons: High cost, high power, steeper learning curve (requires DNA Center expertise).

Conclusion

C9332PQ or C9336PQ? The answer lies in your needs: Choose the C9336PQ for “future-proof performance,” “cutting-edge tech,” and “smart ops.” Pick the C9332PQ for “budget savings,” “stable basics,” and “simplicity.” After all, the best network device isn’t the one with the flashiest specs—it’s the one that lets your business run smoothly, without surprises.