Product Overview
N9K-C9364C
- Port Configuration: 64x100G QSFP28 ports
- Switching Capacity: 12.8Tbps full duplex
- ASIC Architecture: Cisco Cloud Scale switching chip
- Buffer Memory: 36MB dynamic shared buffer
- Latency: Sub-microsecond latency (~700ns)
- Scalability: Supports VXLAN/EVPN overlay technologies
- Ideal Use: Large-scale data center core/aggregation layers, HPC environments
N9K-C9364C-GX
- Port Configuration: 64x100G QSFP-DD ports (backward compatible with QSFP56/28)
- Switching Capacity: 25.6Tbps full duplex
- ASIC Architecture: Enhanced Cisco Cloud Scale Plus chip
- Buffer Memory: 48MB intelligent dynamic buffer
- Latency: Optimized to ~500ns
- Scalability: Provides 400G upgrade path (via breakout cables)
- Ideal Use: Next-gen cloud data centers, AI/ML infrastructure, hyperscale networks
Technical Differentiators
Specification | N9K-C9364C | N9K-C9364C-GX |
Chip Process | 16nm | 7nm FinFET |
Port Density | 64x100G | 64x100G (400G-ready) |
Power Efficiency | 0.5W/Gbps | 0.3W/Gbps |
Routing Scale | 288K routes | 576K routes |
VXLAN Scale | 16K VNIs | 32K VNIs |
QoS Capability | 8-level queues | 16-level intelligent queues |
Use Case Comparison
1. Traditional Data Center Networks
- N9K-C9364C: Optimal for enterprise data center cores handling predictable east-west traffic
- N9K-C9364C-GX: Better suited for multi-tenant cloud environments requiring granular traffic isolation
2. AI/ML Infrastructure
- N9K-C9364C: Supports medium-scale AI training clusters (100-200 nodes)
- N9K-C9364C-GX: Optimized for large distributed training (500+ nodes) with superior RDMA support
3. Storage Networking
- N9K-C9364C: Ideal for traditional SANs supporting FC/FCoE
- N9K-C9364C-GX: Delivers 30% lower latency for NVMe-over-Fabric implementations
4. Service Provider Networks
- N9K-C9364C: Suitable for metro core and IP backbone networks
- N9K-C9364C-GX: Supports next-gen protocols like SRv6 for 5G transport networks
Selection Guidelines
Choose N9K-C9364C when:
- Current network operates primarily at 100G with no near-term 400G plans
- Budget constraints exist but high-performance core switching is required
- Network traffic patterns are relatively stable and predictable
Choose N9K-C9364C-GX when:
- Planning 400G migration within 2-3 years
- Running burst-intensive applications like AI/ML
- Operating hyperscale multi-tenant environments
- Data center power efficiency is a critical requirement
Deployment Case Studies
Financial Services Example:
A global bank deployed N9K-C9364C-GX for electronic trading:
- 40% reduction in order processing latency
- 2.5x increase in transactions per second
- Packet loss rates below 0.0001%
Cloud Provider Implementation:
Major CSP utilizes N9K-C9364C as regional core switches:
- Interconnects >5,000 physical servers
- Maintains 12,000 VXLAN tunnels
- Achieves <50ms failover times
Conclusion
The N9K-C9364C series represents Cisco's evolving data center networking solutions. While the standard model offers proven performance, the GX variant delivers future-ready capabilities. Selection should balance current requirements against 3-5 year technology roadmaps. For most organizations, the GX model's forward-looking features and performance headroom justify the investment where budget permits.