The Cisco Nexus 9348GC-FXP is a 1RU fixed-configuration switch with 48 BASE-T access ports running at 100 Megabit or 1 Gigabit, 4 SFP28 uplink ports at 1, 10 or 25 Gbps and 2 QSFP28 ports at 40 or 100 Gbps. Switching capacity is 696 Gbps with a forwarding rate of 517 million packets per second, which makes it the copper-access member of the Nexus 9300-FX family.
Ports: copper access with a 100 Gigabit uplink path
Access on this switch is copper twisted pair, not fibre, and that is the design decision it exists to serve. The 48 BASE-T ports negotiate at 100 Megabit or 1 Gigabit, which suits management networks, out-of-band access, campus aggregation and racks full of appliances that never present a 10 Gigabit interface. The uplink block is where the capability sits: 4 SFP28 ports at up to 25 Gbps and 2 QSFP28 ports at up to 100 Gbps.
That combination is unusual and it is the reason to specify this model rather than a generic Gigabit switch. A rack of 1 Gigabit devices can be aggregated into a 100 Gigabit spine without an intermediate layer, which removes a hop and a device from the design.
| Specification | Nexus 9348GC-FXP |
|---|---|
| Rack height | 1RU |
| Access ports | 48 x BASE-T, 100M/1G |
| Uplink ports | 4 x SFP28 at 1/10/25G, 2 x QSFP28 at 40/100G |
| Switching capacity | 696 Gbps |
| Forwarding rate | 517 mpps |
| Weight | 14.2 lb |
Where this switch fits in a data centre design
Management and out-of-band networks are the classic application, because almost every piece of data centre equipment presents a 1 Gigabit copper management port and almost nothing presents a 25 Gigabit one. Building that network on a switch with 100 Gigabit uplinks means the out-of-band fabric can share the same spine as production rather than needing its own separate path.
The second application is a rack of appliances, storage controllers or older servers whose data interfaces are still Gigabit copper. Aggregating them on this switch keeps the uplink capacity available for the day those hosts are refreshed onto faster interfaces, without the access switch itself becoming the reason for another project.
Copper access and the cabling it saves
Twisted-pair access removes optics from the per-port cost of a rack, and on a 48-port switch that is 48 transceivers a design does not have to buy, stock or replace. It also means the access layer runs on cabling that is already installed in most buildings and most cabinets, so a switch refresh does not turn into a cabling project. The trade is distance and power: copper runs are limited to the structured cabling standard rather than to the reach of an optic, and copper physical layers draw more power than fibre ones.
For a management or out-of-band fabric that trade is almost always worth taking, because the devices being connected are already fitted with copper management interfaces and the runs are short. For a production data path at 25 Gigabit it is not, and a fibre-access leaf switch is the right answer instead.
Compared with the fibre-access Nexus leaf switches
Access media is the axis that separates this model from the rest of the range, and it changes what the switch is for rather than how fast it is.
| Model | Access ports | Uplinks | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nexus 9348GC-FXP | 48 x 100M/1G BASE-T | 4 x 25G SFP28, 2 x 100G QSFP28 | 696 Gbps |
| Nexus 9372TX | 48 x 100M/1/10G BASE-T | 6 x 40G QSFP+ | 1.44 Tbps |
| Nexus 93180YC-EX | 48 x 1/10/25G SFP28 | 6 x 40/100G QSFP28 | 3.6 Tbps |
Where the servers need 10 Gigabit over copper, the Nexus 9372TX is the correct switch rather than this one. Where they need 25 Gigabit over fibre, the Nexus 93180YC-EX is. This model is specified when the access side is genuinely Gigabit copper and the uplink side genuinely needs to reach a modern spine. All three sit in the Cisco networking hardware range.
Lifecycle position
Cisco has published no end-of-sale or end-of-life notice for this model, so it remains a current-ship product rather than a platform running out its support window. That changes the refurbished argument on this page compared with the older Nexus models we carry: the case here is availability and cost against a current Cisco part number, not a support gap between end-of-sale and end-of-support.
Condition, testing and what ships
Units are refurbished enterprise hardware carrying the original Cisco part number. Each switch is tested on receipt, then disassembled, cleaned, inventoried, picked, assembled, configured and tested again on the bench before despatch. Whole systems including this switch carry the 2-year Enterasource warranty, and shipping is free FedEx Ground to the lower 48 states.
Airflow direction on the power supplies and fan trays is confirmed at order time rather than assumed, because supply and fan airflow must match inside one chassis. Optics are quoted separately, and Cisco software entitlement does not transfer with used hardware.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the access ports on a Nexus 9348GC-FXP run at 10 Gigabit?
No. The 48 BASE-T access ports negotiate at 100 Megabit or 1 Gigabit only. Ten Gigabit copper access requires a different switch in the range, and the closest equivalent we carry is the Nexus 9372TX with 48 ports that run at 100 Megabit, 1 Gigabit or 10 Gigabit. The 10 and 25 Gigabit capability on the 9348GC-FXP lives entirely in the uplink block.
What uplinks does the Nexus 9348GC-FXP have?
Four SFP28 ports capable of 1, 10 or 25 Gigabit, plus two QSFP28 ports capable of 40 or 100 Gigabit. That gives a Gigabit-access switch a direct path into a 100 Gigabit spine, which is the specific capability this model was built around and the reason it is often chosen for out-of-band and management fabrics.
Is the Nexus 9348GC-FXP end of life?
No end-of-sale or end-of-life notice has been published by Cisco for this model, so it is treated here as a current-ship product. Where a refurbished unit is bought, the argument is lead time and cost against the same Cisco part number rather than a support window that has already closed, which is the case on the older platforms in this range.
How much switching capacity does this model have?
Six hundred and ninety-six gigabits per second, with a forwarding rate of 517 million packets per second, in a 1RU chassis weighing 14.2 lb. Those figures are sized for the access role the port layout implies rather than for a spine position, so a design putting this switch in an aggregation role should check the oversubscription maths against the actual uplink count in use.
Why would a data centre buy a Gigabit access switch with 100 Gigabit uplinks?
Because the devices being connected and the fabric they connect into sit at opposite ends of the speed range. Management interfaces, out-of-band controllers, storage controllers and older appliances almost all present copper Gigabit ports, while the spine those ports have to reach is modern. This switch bridges the two directly, which removes an aggregation layer and the device, configuration and change window that come with it.
What testing does a refurbished Nexus 9300 switch receive?
Every unit is tested on arrival before it enters stock, then stripped, cleaned and inventoried. When an order is picked the switch is reassembled, powered up, configured to the requested specification and bench tested a second time immediately before packing. Physical condition is graded per chassis and any defect is published on that unit's listing before purchase.
