DS-C9396T-48ETK9 – 48x32G FC Ports – 48x32G SW Optics – Exhaust SAN Switch

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DS-C9396T-48ETK9 Description

The DS-C9396T-48ETK9 is a Cisco MDS 9396T 32G Fibre Channel switch with 48 shortwave optics for high-density data center SANs that cool with port-side exhaust. The 2RU chassis has 96 SFP+ ports with 48 active, 4/8/16/32 Gbps autosensing speeds, 3 Tbps of aggregate bandwidth and two 1200W power supplies in a 1+1 arrangement. The other 48 ports stay inactive until 16-port activation licenses are added, and the switch requires MDS NX-OS 8.3(1) or later.

Quick Specs

Parameter

Specification

Product ID

DS-C9396T-48ETK9

Product type

32G Fibre Channel SAN switch bundle

Order configuration

48 active ports, 48 x 32G SW optics, 2 fans, 2 PSUs, port-side exhaust

Active ports at order

48 Fibre Channel ports

Maximum Fibre Channel ports

96 SFP+ Fibre Channel ports

Port speed

4/8/16/32 Gbps autosensing

Included FC optics

48 x Cisco 32G Fibre Channel shortwave optics

Airflow

Port-side exhaust

Port expansion path

16-port activation increments to 64, 80, and 96 ports

Power supplies

2 x 1200W AC/HVAC/HVDC bidirectional PSUs

Minimum NX-OS release

Cisco MDS NX-OS 8.3(1) or later

Form factor

2RU rack-mountable switch

Product Performance

Preactivated SAN Port Base
Dedicated Fibre Channel Port Bandwidth
Platform Aggregate Bandwidth

Key Features

Port-Side Exhaust Cooling

Air leaves through the port side, so the chassis suits racks where the ports face the hot aisle.

48 Active Ports With 32G Optics

Forty-eight of the 96 ports are active, and 48 32G shortwave optics come with the bundle, enough to fill every active port.

Activation In 16-Port Steps

Licenses of 16 ports raise the active count to 64, 80 and 96. The ports sit in six groups of 16, each with up to 8,300 buffer credits.

Application Scenarios

32G Host And Array Connectivity

In a data center SAN, the switch links servers and storage arrays at 32G, with dedicated 32G bandwidth on every active port.

Inter-Switch Links Between Fabrics

Where two SAN fabrics join, PortChannels of up to 16 physical links bundle inter-switch connections between the switch and its neighbors.

Port-Side Exhaust Rack Row

In a rack row cooled for port-side exhaust, the two fan modules push air out through the port side of the 2RU chassis.

Product Comparison

Parameter

DS-C9396T-48ETK9

DS-C9396T-48ITK9

DS-C9396T-96ETK9

DS-C9396T-96ITK9

Maximum Fibre Channel ports

96 SFP+

96 SFP+

96 SFP+

96 SFP+

Port speed

4/8/16/32 Gbps autosensing

4/8/16/32 Gbps autosensing

4/8/16/32 Gbps autosensing

4/8/16/32 Gbps autosensing

Aggregate bandwidth

3 Tbps end-to-end full duplex

3 Tbps end-to-end full duplex

3 Tbps end-to-end full duplex

3 Tbps end-to-end full duplex

Included FC optics

48 x 32G SW

48 x 32G SW

96 x 32G SW

96 x 32G SW

Airflow

Port-side exhaust

Port-side intake

Port-side exhaust

Port-side intake

Port activation license

M9396T-PL16 in 16-port steps to 96

M9396T-PL16 in 16-port steps to 96

Not applicable

Not applicable

Fan modules and power supplies

2 fans, 2 x 1200W PSUs

2 fans, 2 x 1200W PSUs

2 fans, 2 x 1200W PSUs

2 fans, 2 x 1200W PSUs

Minimum NX-OS release

MDS NX-OS 8.3(1)

MDS NX-OS 8.3(1)

MDS NX-OS 8.3(1)

MDS NX-OS 8.3(1)

DS-C9396T-48ETK9 and DS-C9396T-48ITK9 are identical 48-port bundles with 48 32G SW optics, 2 fans and 2 PSUs apart from airflow: DS-C9396T-48ETK9 is port-side exhaust and DS-C9396T-48ITK9 is port-side intake, so the rack’s airflow direction picks between them. Both start at 48 active ports and grow in 16-port steps to 64, 80 and 96 with M9396T-PL16T, which adds 16 optics with each license. A SAN that needs all 96 ports active on day one orders DS-C9396T-96ETK9 for exhaust or DS-C9396T-96ITK9 for intake, with 96 optics included and no activation licenses. All four need MDS NX-OS 8.3(1) or later.

Ordering Checklist

  • Port activation license: M9396T-PL16T adds 16 ports with 16 32G SW optics; M9396T-PL16 adds 16 ports with no optics. Growth from 48 ports to 64, 80 or 96 needs the license variant that matches whether optics are bought with it.
  • Optics for other links: This PID includes 32G SW optics only; add DS-SFP-FC32G-LW= for longwave links, or DS-SFP-FC16G-SW or DS-SFP-FC8G-SW= for slower ports. A longwave or slower-speed link has no optic in the box unless it is added as its own line.
  • Spare fan module: Order DS-C96S-FAN-E= for this airflow direction; the DS-CAC-1200W= power supply is bidirectional. The fan module decides airflow direction, and the opposite-direction part reverses airflow against the rack.
  • Power cords: Order two cords per switch: standard CAB-HVAC-C14-2M, or a regional cord such as CAB-9K10A-EU or CAB-9K12A-NA. The two 1200W supplies each need their own cord, and the plug must match the site outlet.

Optional Add-ons

Model

Description

M9396T-PL16T

MDS 9396T 16-port activation license with 16 x 32G SW optics

DS-C96S-FAN-E=

Cisco MDS 9396T fan module spare for port-side exhaust airflow

DS-CAC-1200W=

AC PSU bidirectional airflow spare listed for MDS 9396T

DS-SFP-FC32G-SW=

Cisco 32G Fibre Channel SW SFP+ optic spare with LC connector

DS-9396T-KIT-CSCO

MDS 9396T accessory kit for Cisco

Front View

1

LEM slot 1

3

LEM slot 3

2

LEM slot 2

1

Serial console port

5

USB port

2

System status LED

6

Ethernet management ports (2)

3

Power supply status LED

7

Base Fibre Channel ports

4

Fan status LED

8

Airflow Grill

Rear View

1

Power supply unit fan

5

Power supply units (2)

2

Power supply unit handle

6

Chassis fan modules (2)

3

Power receptacle

7

Fan module locking screw

4

Power supply unit locking latch

DS-9396T-rear

1

Power supply unit slot 1

3

Chassis fan module slot 2

2

Chassis fan module slot 1

4

Power supply unit slot 2

Specifications

Parameter Specification Parameter Specification
Product ID DS-C9396T-48ETK9 Product type 32G Fibre Channel SAN switch bundle
Order configuration 48 active ports, 48 x 32G SW optics, 2 fans, 2 PSUs, and port-side exhaust airflow Form factor 2RU rack-mountable fixed switch
Dimensions 3.39 x 17.42 x 22.28 in. (8.61 x 44.25 x 56.59 cm) Weight 18.88 kg (41.62 lb)
Fibre Channel ports 96 SFP+ hardware ports Active ports at order 48 active Fibre Channel ports
Port expansion path 16-port upgrades to 64, 80, and 96 active ports Included FC optics 48 x Cisco 32G Fibre Channel shortwave optics
32G SW optic product ID DS-SFP-FC32G-SW 32G SW connector Dual LC connector
32G SW wavelength 850 nm 32G SW fiber type Multimode fiber
32G SW 32G cable distance 65 ft (20 m) on OM2, 230 ft (70 m) on OM3, and 328 ft (100 m) on OM4 or OM5 Port speed 4/8/16/32 Gbps autosensing with 32 Gbps dedicated bandwidth per port
Aggregate bandwidth 3 Tbps end-to-end full duplex Port group architecture Six 16-port port groups
Buffer credits Up to 8300 per 16-port group and up to 8270 for a single port in the group Port channel Up to 16 load-balanced physical links in one port channel
Fibre Channel port types E, F, and B standard port types; SD, ST, NP, and TE enhanced port types Advanced functions VSAN, NPV, IVR, Port Channel with multipath load balancing, and flow-based and zone-based QoS
Fabric services Name server, RSCN, login services, Fabric Configuration Server, broadcast, and in-order delivery Management port Two out-of-band Ethernet management ports
Programming interfaces Scriptable CLI, Cisco DCNM web services API, NX-API REST interfaces, onboard Python interpreter, Embedded Event Manager, and Cisco NX-OS scheduler Minimum NX-OS release Cisco MDS NX-OS 8.3(1) or later
Minimum Cisco DCNM release Cisco DCNM 11(0) or later Fan modules 2 hot-swappable fan modules
Fan direction for this PID Port-side exhaust airflow with DS-C96S-FAN-E fan modules Power supplies 2 hot-swappable 1200W AC/HVAC/HVDC bidirectional airflow power supplies
Power redundancy 1+1 power grid redundancy AC input voltage 90V to 305V
DC input voltage 192V to 400V Nominal input frequency 50 to 60 Hz
Airflow rate Maximum 255 CFM and nominal 110 CFM at 25C Operating temperature 32 to 104F (0 to 40C)
Storage temperature -40 to 158F (-40 to 70C) Operating humidity 10 to 90 percent noncondensing
Storage humidity 10 to 95 percent noncondensing Operating altitude -197 to 6500 ft (-60 to 2000 m)

Quality Certifications

Customer Reviews

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    David Ford
    Posted on 19/03/2026
    Verified Buyer
    5.0

    Even with shipping factored in, Layer23 came out cheapest.

    Andrea Holmes
    Posted on 18/03/2026
    Verified Buyer
    4.0

    Needed an updated invoice for our records. They sent it within the hour.

    Amanda Hicks
    Posted on 03/02/2026
    Verified Buyer
    5.0

    Confidence in this vendor grows with every interaction.

    Mace Windu
    Posted on 02/08/2024
    Verified Buyer
    5.0

    This party’s over… for latency. The switch performs well.

    DC Manager
    Posted on 15/04/2024
    Verified Buyer
    5.0

    Enterprise license bundle saved us hassle. Switch is running smoothly.

Questions & Answers

  • How many ports are active on DS-C9396T-48ETK9 by default?

    48 of the 96 SFP+ ports are active at order, and the 48 included 32G shortwave optics cover every one of them. The other ports stay inactive until 16-port activation licenses are applied, and M9396T-PL16T adds 16 optics with each license.
  • Which Fibre Channel speeds does DS-C9396T-48ETK9 support?

    DS-C9396T-48ETK9 supports 4, 8, 16 and 32 Gbps autosensing, with 32 Gbps of dedicated bandwidth per port. The 48 included optics are 32G shortwave, and slower ports take DS-SFP-FC16G-SW or DS-SFP-FC8G-SW= as separate lines.
  • Which bracket kit supports DS-C9396T-48ETK9 during rack installation?

    The optional EIA Shelf Bracket Kit, part number DS-SHELF=, can support DS-C9396T-48ETK9 temporarily or permanently during installation, per the MDS 9396T hardware installation guide. It is a separate order line and is not part of the DS-C9396T-48ETK9 bundle.
  • How long can a fan module of DS-C9396T-48ETK9 stay out of the chassis?

    No longer than one minute. The MDS 9396T hardware installation guide says to leave the original fan module in place if the replacement cannot be done within one minute, so the designed airflow is kept. Have DS-C96S-FAN-E= on hand before pulling a module.
  • Is there a whole-unit spare PID for DS-C9396T-48ETK9?

    No. The ordering table lists no spare with an equals sign for DS-C9396T-48ETK9. The 48-port whole-unit spare listed in the MDS 9396T data sheet is DS-C9396T-48EK9=, and it ships without optics.
  • What airflow rate do the fans of DS-C9396T-48ETK9 reach?

    The fans reach a maximum of 255 CFM and a nominal 110 CFM at 25C airflow. DS-C9396T-48ETK9 draws air from the back toward the port side. Check the cooling capacity of the rack row against the 255 CFM maximum.

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DataSheet Downloads

  • DS-C9396T-48ETK9 Datasheet