Description
Understanding the N3K-C3132Q-40GE Nexus 3000 Series Switch
The N3K-C3132Q-40GE is a part of the Nexus 3000 Series, a lineup of high-performance switches designed for modern data center networking needs. This specific model features 32 QSFP+ ports and 4 SFP+ ports, offering versatile connectivity options for various network setups. With support for 10/40 Gigabit Ethernet speeds, Layer 3 management capabilities, and a robust design, the N3K-C3132Q-40GE is suitable for demanding LAN environments.
Overview of Features
- Port Configuration: The N3K-C3132Q-40GE comes equipped with 32 QSFP+ ports and 4 SFP+ ports. These ports support both 10 and 40 Gigabit Ethernet speeds, allowing for flexible connectivity options tailored to different network requirements.
- Forward Airflow Design: With port-side exhaust airflow, this switch is optimized for efficient cooling, ensuring reliable performance even in high-temperature environments. This design helps maintain optimal operating conditions for the switch and connected devices.
- AC Power Supply: The switch is powered by an AC power supply, providing consistent and reliable power to support uninterrupted network operations. This power supply option is suitable for most standard data center setups, offering convenience and compatibility.
- Layer 3 Management: As a Layer 3 managed switch, the N3K-C3132Q-40GE offers advanced networking features, including routing capabilities. This enables efficient traffic management and enhanced network segmentation, improving overall performance and security.
Detailed Analysis of Cisco N3K-C3132Q-40GE 32 Ports Layer 3 SwitchPort Configuration and Versatility
The N3K-C3132Q-40GE features a total of 36 ports, offering a versatile array of connectivity options. The 32 QSFP+ ports support both 10 and 40 Gigabit Ethernet speeds, making them suitable for high-bandwidth applications such as data center interconnectivity and storage networking. Additionally, the 4 SFP+ ports provide compatibility with various networking standards and equipment, offering flexibility in network design and deployment. The QSFP+ ports utilize a compact form factor, allowing for dense port configurations within the switch chassis. This is particularly advantageous in environments where space is limited or where high port density is required to accommodate numerous network connections. Furthermore, the inclusion of SFP+ ports extends the switch’s compatibility to a wider range of networking devices, including servers, storage arrays, and other switches. This enables seamless integration with existing network infrastructure and facilitates smooth migration paths for upgrading network capabilities.
Optimized Cooling with Forward Airflow
The N3K-C3132Q-40GE incorporates a forward airflow design, where cooling air is drawn in from the front of the switch and expelled through the port side. This airflow configuration is specifically engineered to optimize cooling efficiency and thermal management within data center environments. By expelling hot air directly from the port side, the switch mitigates the risk of heat buildup around the chassis, ensuring consistent operating temperatures for critical components. This helps prevent thermal throttling and maintains optimal performance levels even under heavy network loads or in confined rack spaces.
Additionally, the forward airflow design facilitates better air circulation within the rack enclosure, contributing to overall cooling effectiveness and reducing the likelihood of hot spots. This ensures that the switch operates reliably within specified temperature ranges, prolonging hardware lifespan and minimizing the risk of component failure.
Reliable Power Supply with AC Power Option
Powering the N3K-C3132Q-40GE is an AC power supply, offering a dependable source of electricity to sustain continuous network operations. AC power supplies are widely compatible with standard electrical infrastructure found in data centers and office environments, simplifying deployment and maintenance processes. The switch’s AC power supply module is designed to deliver stable voltage levels, protecting sensitive electronics from power fluctuations and ensuring consistent performance. Moreover, AC power sources typically offer robust backup options, such as uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), to safeguard against unexpected outages and minimize downtime.
In addition to reliability, AC power supplies provide scalability, allowing organizations to easily expand their network infrastructure as demand grows. With support for multiple power supply units and redundancy configurations, the N3K-C3132Q-40GE ensures high availability and fault tolerance for mission-critical networking applications.
Advanced Management Capabilities as a Layer 3 Switch
As a Layer 3 managed switch, the N3K-C3132Q-40GE offers advanced networking functionalities beyond traditional Layer 2 switching. Layer 3 switches are capable of routing IP traffic between different subnets or VLANs, enabling efficient communication between devices across diverse network segments. With its Layer 3 capabilities, the switch can perform dynamic routing protocols such as OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) and BGP (Border Gateway Protocol), facilitating automatic route selection and optimization for data delivery. This enhances network efficiency and scalability, particularly in large-scale deployments with complex topologies.
Furthermore, Layer 3 management empowers administrators to implement granular access control policies based on IP addresses, subnets, or protocols, enhancing network security and segmentation. By enforcing traffic policies at the network layer, the switch helps mitigate potential threats and unauthorized access attempts, safeguarding sensitive data and resources.
High-Density Networking of Managed Switch
The N3K-C3132Q-40GE Cisco Nexus 3132Q 32 Ports Managed Switch is part of the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series Switch portfolio. It is designed to provide high-density 40 Gigabit Ethernet (40GbE) connectivity with a compact 1RU form factor.
The switch supports 32 40GbE ports, each providing 40GbE connectivity to other Nexus switches or servers, with support for FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet). The N3K-C3132Q-40GE supports a rich feature set for data center deployments, including Virtual Port Channel (vPC), FabricPath, and DCB (Data Center Bridging) capabilities.
The switch also supports the following features:
- Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) for reducing power consumption
- Virtual Device Context (VDC) for logical partitioning of the switch
- Hardware-based routing for high-performance Layer 3 services
- Quality of Service (QoS) for prioritizing network traffic
- Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) for centralized management and monitoring of the network
The N3K-C3132Q-40GE is ideal for data centers, cloud computing, and high-performance computing environments that require high-density 40GbE connectivity and advanced data center features.
Reliable and Efficient Nexus Switch
The N3K-C3132Q-40GE Cisco Nexus 3132Q 32 Ports Managed Switch is a reliable and efficient network switch designed for data center applications. It provides high-performance connectivity and robust security features to meet the demands of today’s data center environments.
Reliability: The switch is equipped with dual power supplies and a redundant fan design, ensuring continuous operation even in the event of a failure. It also supports features such as hitless failover, automatic failover, and stateful switchover, which ensure high availability and uptime.
Efficiency: The switch supports advanced features such as Virtual Port Channels (vPCs), Quality of Service (QoS), and Network Address Translation (NAT), which allow for improved network utilization and management. It also supports data center bridging (DCB) technologies such as Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) and iSCSI, which enhance the efficiency and performance of the data center network.
In addition, the switch supports Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) and can support network programmability, which enables administrators to automate network operations, improve network security, and reduce operational costs.
High Availability and Redundancy Options
The Cisco Nexus 3132Q 32 Ports Managed Switch (N3K-C3132Q-40GE) offers several high availability and redundancy options to ensure network uptime and minimize downtime.
- Redundant Power Supply: The switch comes with two power supply units that can be configured in a redundant mode. This means that if one power supply unit fails, the other power supply unit can take over and keep the switch operational.
- Fabric Redundancy: The switch supports fabric redundancy, which is a feature that enables multiple switches to work together in a cluster. If one switch fails, the other switch can take over and keep the network operational.
- Virtual Port Channel (vPC): The switch supports vPC, which allows multiple switches to be connected as a single logical switch. This provides redundancy and increases network resiliency.
- Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP): The switch supports LACP, which is a protocol that allows multiple physical links between switches to be combined into a single logical link. This provides redundancy and increases network resiliency.
- Hot Swappable SFPs: The switch supports hot-swappable SFPs, which allows for the replacement of SFP modules without disrupting the network.
- Non-Stop Forwarding (NSF): The switch supports NSF, which is a feature that ensures the switch continues forwarding packets even if one of the switch’s components fails.
General Information of Cisco 32 Ports Managed Switch
- Manufacturer: Cisco
- Part Number or SKU# N3K-C3132Q-40GE
- Brand Name: Cisco
- Product Line: Nexus
- Product Series: 3000
- Product Name: Nexus 3132Q, Fwd Airflow (Port Side Exhaust), AC P/S, LAN En
- Product Type: Layer 3 Switch
Interfaces/Ports for Nexus 3000 Series Layer 3 Switch
- Management Port: Yes
- USB: Yes
- Port/Expansion Slot Details:
- 32 x 40 Gigabit Ethernet Expansion Slot
- 4 x 10 Gigabit Ethernet Expansion Slot
Media & Performance
- Ethernet Technology:
- 40 Gigabit Ethernet
- 10 Gigabit Ethernet
- Network Technology:
- 40GBase-X
- 10GBase-X
I/O Expansions
- Number of Total Expansion Slots: 36
- Expansion Slot Type:
- QSFP+
- SFP+
- Number of SFP+ Slots: 4
Network & Communication
- Layer Supported: 3
Management & Protocols
- Manageable: Yes
- Management:
- CiscoWorks LAN Management Solution
- SNMP v1, v2c, v3
- Syslog
- QoS
- CLI
- DHCP
- RMON
- Telnet
Memory
- Flash Memory: 2 GB
Power Description
- PoE (RJ-45) Port: No
- Input Voltage:
- 220 V AC
- 110 V AC
- Power Source: Power Supply
In summary, the N3K-C3132Q-40GE Nexus 3000 Series switch offers a comprehensive solution for modern LAN environments, combining high-performance connectivity, efficient cooling, reliable power delivery, and advanced management capabilities. With its versatile port configuration, optimized airflow design, AC power supply option, and Layer 3 routing capabilities, the switch addresses the diverse needs of data center networking with simplicity and effectiveness. Whether deployed in enterprise networks, cloud environments, or high-density server racks, the N3K-C3132Q-40GE excels in delivering robust performance, scalability, and reliability for mission-critical applications.
