The Cisco Nexus 93180YC-EX is a 1RU leaf switch with 48 SFP28 access ports that run at 1, 10 or 25 Gbps and 6 QSFP28 uplink ports that run at 40 or 100 Gbps. It forwards 3.6 Tbps and 2.6 billion packets per second at under one microsecond of port-to-port latency, a top-of-rack design point, though it is not a drop-in equivalent for the 93180YC-FX that shares its model number. Access ports negotiate down to 1 Gbps, so a rack part-way through a 25G server refresh is not stranded on either speed.
Ports, speeds and forwarding capacity
Every one of the 48 access ports on the 93180YC-EX is an SFP28 cage that negotiates 1, 10 or 25 Gbps, so a single switch can serve a rack that is mid-migration from 10G to 25G server NICs without any port being stranded at the wrong speed. The 6 uplink ports are QSFP28 and run at 40 or 100 Gbps. Switching capacity is 3.6 Tbps and forwarding is 2.6 billion packets per second, which is the figure that separates this switch from the FX variant carrying the same model number.
| Specification | Nexus 93180YC-EX |
|---|---|
| Rack height | 1RU |
| Access ports | 48 x SFP28, 1/10/25 Gbps |
| Uplink ports | 6 x QSFP28, 40/100 Gbps |
| Switching capacity | 3.6 Tbps |
| Forwarding rate | 2.6 bpps |
| Port-to-port latency | Under one microsecond |
| Weight | 17.2 lb |
The EX and the FX are different switches with the same model number
Nexus 93180YC-EX and 93180YC-FX are separate products with separate Cisco end-of-life notices, and the difference that matters to a buyer is forwarding rate: the EX forwards 2.6 billion packets per second, the FX forwards 1.2 billion. Their support windows also diverge, which is covered in the lifecycle section below. If a quote, a bill of materials or a Cisco Discovery Protocol neighbour entry says FX, an EX is not a drop-in substitute for it, and the reverse is equally true. Check the suffix on the chassis label rather than the port count, because the port layout is identical on both.
Power supplies and airflow direction
Cisco supports two power supplies on this platform and the part number tells you the airflow direction: NXA-PAC-500W-PI is port-side intake and NXA-PAC-500W-PE is port-side exhaust. Both are documented as supported on the N93180YC-EX and N93108TC-EX only, so a supply pulled from a different Nexus 9300 model is not automatically a fit. Airflow direction has to match the cold aisle the switch faces, and it has to match across the power supplies and the fan trays in the same chassis. Do not infer direction from a single suffix letter across the wider Nexus 9300 family, because the convention is not consistent between part classes on that platform.
Where the 93180YC-EX sits in our Nexus range
Against the two other 48-port Nexus leaf switches we carry, the 93180YC-EX is the one with both the highest forwarding rate and the longest remaining Cisco support horizon. The 92160YC-X is close on capacity at 3.2 Tbps but its hardware support window has already closed, and the 9372PX is a 10G-access switch rather than a 25G one.
| Model | Access ports | Uplinks | Capacity | Forwarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nexus 93180YC-EX | 48 x 1/10/25G SFP28 | 6 x 40/100G QSFP28 | 3.6 Tbps | 2.6 bpps |
| Nexus 92160YC-X | 48 x 1/10/25G SFP28 | Up to 4 x 100G or up to 6 x 40G | 3.2 Tbps | 2.5 bpps |
| Nexus 9372PX | 48 x 10G SFP+ | 6 x 40G QSFP+ | 1.44 Tbps | 1150 mpps |
If the requirement is 25G to the server, the choice is between the 93180YC-EX and the 92160YC-X and it comes down to the support horizon. If the requirement is 10G to the server with 40G uplinks, the Nexus 9372TX and its SFP+ sibling cover it at lower cost per port. A Nexus 9348GC-FXP is the right answer only where the access requirement is copper Gigabit rather than 25G fibre.
Lifecycle and support horizon
Cisco published the end-of-life announcement for this switch as notice EOL14472, and it sets two dates a refurbished buyer needs to hold at the same time. End-of-Sale for the hardware was 9 August 2022 and the Last Ship Date was 8 November 2022, so no new unit has left Cisco since then. Last Date of Support for the hardware is 31 August 2027. Between those two points the hardware is supportable and buyable only on the secondary market, which is the whole reason a refurbished 93180YC-EX makes sense.
The same notice also sets the End of Vulnerability and Security Support date at 8 August 2025, which has passed. Cisco will still service the hardware to 2027, but it is no longer issuing security fixes for the software running on it. Cisco names the Nexus 93180YC-FX3 as the migration product. Both halves of that picture belong in a purchasing decision, and a vendor that quotes only the 2027 date is telling you half of it.
Condition, testing and what ships
Enterasource ships this switch as refurbished enterprise hardware carrying the same Cisco part number as the original. Every unit is tested on receipt, then disassembled, cleaned, inventoried, picked, assembled, configured and tested again on the bench before it leaves the building. Whole systems including this switch carry the 2-year Enterasource warranty. Shipping is free FedEx Ground to the lower 48 states.
Power supplies and fan trays are supplied to the airflow direction you specify at the time of order rather than assumed, because a switch delivered blowing the wrong way through a rack is a switch that has to be shipped back. Cisco software licensing is not included and is not transferable with used hardware; the NX-OS feature level you need should be confirmed against your own entitlement before the order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Nexus 93180YC-EX and the 93180YC-FX?
Forwarding rate is the difference that shows up in production: the EX forwards 2.6 billion packets per second and the FX forwards 1.2 billion. Port layout is identical at 48 SFP28 access ports and 6 QSFP28 uplinks, so the two are easy to confuse on a rack elevation or a spreadsheet. Cisco treats them as separate products with separate end-of-life notices, and they carry different remaining support windows.
How many 25G servers can a Nexus 93180YC-EX connect?
Forty-eight, one per SFP28 access port, with all 48 running at 25 Gbps simultaneously and 6 QSFP28 ports left over for uplinks to the spine. The same 48 ports will also run at 10 Gbps or 1 Gbps per port, so a rack part-way through a NIC refresh can mix speeds across the front panel without the switch having to be replaced or re-cabled at the point the migration completes.
Is the Cisco Nexus 93180YC-EX still supported?
Cisco supports the hardware until 31 August 2027, the Last Date of Support in notice EOL14472. End-of-Sale was 9 August 2022 and the Last Ship Date was 8 November 2022. The End of Vulnerability and Security Support milestone in the same notice was 8 August 2025 and has passed, so the hardware remains serviceable while the software no longer receives security fixes. Cisco names the 93180YC-FX3 as the replacement platform.
Which power supplies does the Nexus 93180YC-EX take?
Cisco documents NXA-PAC-500W-PI for port-side intake and NXA-PAC-500W-PE for port-side exhaust, and lists both as supported on the N93180YC-EX and N93108TC-EX only. Airflow has to be consistent between the supplies and the fan trays fitted to the same chassis, and it has to match the direction of the cold aisle the switch faces once it is racked.
Can a Nexus 2000 fabric extender attach to a 93180YC-EX?
Yes. Cisco lists the Nexus 9300 and 9500 Series among the parent switches for the Nexus 2300 platform fabric extenders, with a minimum software release of NX-OS 7.0(3)I2(1) on that platform. Note that unified ports and native Fibre Channel on the 2348UPQ are available only behind a Nexus 5600 parent, so behind a 9300 the extender operates as an Ethernet and FCoE device.
What condition are your refurbished Nexus switches in and what testing do they get?
Units are refurbished enterprise hardware carrying the original Cisco part number, not clones or equivalents. Each one is tested on receipt, disassembled, cleaned, inventoried, picked, assembled, configured to the requested port and airflow specification, and tested again on the bench immediately before shipping. Cosmetic condition is recorded per unit and any physical defect is disclosed on the listing before purchase rather than after it. See the Cisco networking hardware range for the wider catalogue.
