• Cisco N3K-C3172PQ-OE silver switch with black ports and buttons
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Cisco

Cisco N3K-C3172PQ-OE | Nexus 3100 48-Port 10G SFP+ Switch, 6x 40G QSFP+, Layer 3

N3K-C3172PQ-OE

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Description

The Cisco Nexus 3172PQ is a high-performance, low-latency data center switch designed for top-of-rack deployments requiring line-rate 10G and 40G connectivity. This compact 1RU switch delivers 1.4 Tbps switching capacity with 48 SFP+ ports supporting 1/10GbE and 6 QSFP+ uplinks for native 40GbE or 4x10GbE breakout. Running programmable Cisco NX-OS, it provides comprehensive Layer 2 and Layer 3 routing capabilities with advanced automation features including Python scripting, power-on auto provisioning, and support for modern DevOps tools, making it ideal for cloud-scale and enterprise data center environments.

Features

Line-rate Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching on all ports with 1.4 Tbps throughput
- Virtual Port Channel (vPC) technology for Layer 2 multipathing without Spanning Tree Protocol
- VXLAN support for network virtualization and multi-tenant environments
- Comprehensive Layer 3 routing: BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, IS-IS, static routes, Policy-Based Routing
- Multicast routing support: PIM-SM, PIM-SSM, IGMPv2/v3, MSDP
- IEEE 802.1Q VLAN support for up to 4096 VLANs
- Spanning Tree Protocol: Rapid PVST+ (IEEE 802.1w), MSTP (IEEE 802.1s) with 64 instances
- Advanced QoS with 8 hardware queues per port, priority flow control, and scheduling
- MACsec encryption (IEEE 802.1AE) for Layer 2 security
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and AAA authentication (RADIUS, TACACS+, LDAP)
- Comprehensive ACL support for Layer 2, Layer 3, and Layer 4 filtering
- Precision Time Protocol (PTP IEEE 1588) for accurate clock synchronization
- Python scripting and Cisco Embedded Event Manager (EEM) for automation
- Power-On Auto Provisioning (POAP) for zero-touch deployment
- NX-API for programmable REST APIs and model-driven telemetry
- DevOps tool integration: Ansible, Puppet, Chef for infrastructure-as-code
- Advanced buffer monitoring for real-time traffic analysis per port and per queue
- Ethanalyzer built-in packet analyzer based on Wireshark
- DCNM (Data Center Network Manager) support for centralized management
- Redundant hot-swappable power supplies and fan modules for high availability
- Flexible airflow options for optimized cooling in different rack configurations
- Support for AC and DC power inputs
- Jumbo frame support up to 9216 bytes MTU

Warranty

All products sold by XS Network Tech include a 12-month warranty on both new and used items. Our in-house technical team thoroughly tests used hardware prior to sale to ensure enterprise-grade reliability.

All technical data should be verified on the manufacturer data sheets.

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Technical Specifications

FAQs

Technical Specifications

Form Factor: 1RU fixed configuration
- Ports: 48x 10G SFP+ ports (support 100M/1G/10G), 6x 40G QSFP+ ports (support 40G or 4x10G breakout)
- Switching Capacity: 1.4 Tbps
- Forwarding Rate: Up to 1 billion packets per second (bpps)
- Layer 2/Layer 3: Full wire-rate Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching
- Memory: 4 GB RAM, 2 GB Flash
- CPU: Intel x86 processor
- MAC Address Table: Up to 288,000 entries
- Maximum MTU: 9216 bytes (jumbo frames)
- Power Supply: Dual hot-swappable AC or DC PSU (2 redundant, 1 required for operation)
- Typical Power Consumption: 143W
- Fans: 3+1 redundant fan modules
- Airflow: Supports both port-side exhaust (front-to-back) and port-side intake (back-to-front)
- Management Interfaces: 1x GbE management port, 1x RS-232 console port, 1x USB port
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1.72 x 17.3 x 17 in (4.4 x 43.9 x 43.2 cm)
- Weight: 18.6 lb (8.4 kg)
- Operating System: Cisco NX-OS (programmable, Open Environment)
- Operating Temperature: 32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C)

FAQs

Q: What is the difference between the N3K-C3172PQ-OE and the N3K-C3172PQ-XL?
A: The OE (Open Environment) model features 4GB of RAM, while the XL variant includes 8GB of RAM and a faster 2.5GHz dual-core CPU. The additional memory in the XL model enables advanced object-model programming and supports larger routing tables. Both models run the same NX-OS operating system and support identical Layer 2 and Layer 3 features.

Q: Can the QSFP+ ports be used for 10G connectivity?
A: Yes, each of the 6 QSFP+ ports can operate in either native 40 Gigabit Ethernet mode or can be broken out into 4x 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports, providing a maximum of 72 total 10G ports (48 SFP+ plus 24 from QSFP+ breakout) for highly flexible deployment options.

Q: What Layer 3 routing protocols are supported?
A: The Nexus 3172PQ supports comprehensive Layer 3 routing including BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, static routing, RIP, IS-IS, and Policy-Based Routing (PBR). Advanced Layer 3 features require the N3K-LAN1K9 license. The switch also supports full multicast routing with PIM-SM, PIM-SSM, IGMP v2/v3, and MSDP.

Q: What programmability and automation features does this switch support?
A: The Nexus 3172PQ runs programmable NX-OS with extensive automation capabilities including Python scripting, Cisco Embedded Event Manager (EEM), Power-On Auto Provisioning (POAP), NX-API for RESTful APIs, and native support for DevOps tools like Ansible, Puppet, and Chef. It also supports model-driven programmability for modern data center orchestration.

Q: Is this switch suitable for high-frequency trading or low-latency applications?
A: Yes, the Nexus 3172PQ is optimized as a true phy-less switch architecture delivering ultra-low latency and deterministic performance, making it well-suited for high-frequency trading, high-performance computing, and other latency-sensitive applications requiring consistent wire-rate throughput on all ports.

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