DS-C9396T-48ETK9 – 32 Gbps – 96 Port – Fibre Channel Switch

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DS-C9396T-48ETK9

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DS-C9396T-48ETK9 Description

Cisco DS-C9396T-48ETK9 is the port-side exhaust airflow SKU of the MDS 9396T 32-Gbps Fibre Channel switch. It ships with 48 active 32G FC ports and expands in 16-port steps to the full 96, delivering up to 3 Tbps aggregate bandwidth in a compact 2RU chassis. The 9396T platform combines non-blocking throughput with extended buffer-to-buffer credit options for metro/long-distance replication, native NVMe/FC readiness, and hardware-assisted SAN Analytics with model-driven telemetry. Redundant hot-swappable power supplies and fans, plus the ability to distribute port-channels across six 16-port groups, make DS-C9396T-48ETK9 a resilient aggregation/core building block for core-edge or end-of-row topologies that require exhaust airflow alignment.

Product Highlights

Rack Units
Speed
Active Ports

Key Features

High-fan-in aggregation with room to double capacity

Start at 48 active ports and grow to 96 in 16-port steps, consolidating many edge racks while controlling CapEx and optics/cabling sprawl.

Distance-aware replication performance

Extended buffer-to-buffer credit options help maintain throughput over higher-latency metro links for synchronous/asynchronous copy, DR drills, and cross-site backup.

Deep fabric observability for faster MTTR

Hardware-assisted SAN Analytics, per-flow telemetry, and slow-drain detection surface incipient congestion and misbehaving endpoints early.

Fault-domain containment and resilient design

Six 16-port groups, hot-swappable PSUs/fans, and port-channels spread across groups minimize blast radius and support 24×7 operations.

Multi-tenant security and segmentation

VSANs, IVR (license), QoS, and centralized AAA/RBAC enable clean isolation for departments/tenants and compliance-friendly change control.

Data-center airflow alignment and operational consistency

Port-side exhaust variant fits front-to-back cooling policies; standard NX-OS/NDFC workflows keep deployments repeatable across sites.

Applications Scenarios

Enterprise data warehouse and analytics pipelines

High-throughput 32G FC for ETL/ELT windows and BI workloads; analytics verify headroom during refresh and quarter-end crunches.

Healthcare imaging (PACS/VNA) and clinical archives

Predictable latency for large imaging studies with VSAN isolation between modalities and facilities; long-distance credits assist cross-campus replication.

Campus-scale video surveillance and compliance retention

Sustained ingest and long-retention write patterns from hundreds to thousands of cameras; exhaust airflow matches common hot/cold aisle policies in shared racks.

Front View

DS-9396T-front

1

LEM slot 1

3

LEM slot 3

2

LEM slot 2

DS-9396T-front

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

DS-9396T-rear

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

Model Selection Guide – DS-C9396T-48ETK9

  • Choose when you need 48 active 32G FC ports on day one with a clear path to 96 via +16-port licenses (no hardware swap).
  • Ideal if your site mandates port-side exhaust airflow (front-to-back cooling); this SKU aligns with common hot/cold-aisle policies.
  • Good fit for aggregation/core roles in 2RU, consolidating many access racks while reducing optics and cabling overhead.
  • Suitable for metro/long-distance replication: use extended buffer-to-buffer credits on designated ports with LR/ER optics; validate end-to-end latency budget.
  • Works well for phased NVMe/FC adoption while retaining SCSI/FCP; policies and workflows remain consistent during migration.
  • Supports multi-tenant segmentation and compliance: VSANs, IVR (license), QoS, and centralized AAA/RBAC; automate with NX-API/Ansible and Cisco NDFC/DCNM.
  • Analytics-driven operations: hardware-assisted SAN Analytics and model-driven telemetry speed root-cause analysis and capacity planning.
  • Consider when you want to distribute port-channels across 16-port groups to minimize blast radius and improve fabric resiliency.
  • Not ideal if your data center requires port-side intake airflow—choose DS-C9396T-48IK9/48ITK9 instead.
  • Not ideal if you need all 96 ports active on day one—choose DS-C9396T-96ETK9 to avoid staged licensing.
  • Not ideal with a strict 1RU height limit—consider the 1RU MDS 9148T family (24/48 active).
  • For very large cores or features beyond fixed 96-port scale, move to Cisco MDS 9700 series.

Product Comparison

Parameter

DS-C9396T-48ETK9

DS-C9396T-48IK9

DS-C9396T-96ETK9

Physical FC ports

96

96

96

Base licensed ports

48

48

96 (bundle)

Port expansion

+16-port steps to 96

+16-port steps to 96

N/A (max)

Port groups

6 × 16

6 × 16

6 × 16

Line-rate speed

32G (auto 4/8/16/32)

32G (auto 4/8/16/32)

32G (auto 4/8/16/32)

Aggregate bandwidth

Up to 3 Tbps

Up to 3 Tbps

Up to 3 Tbps

NVMe/FC

Ready

Ready

Ready

Telemetry/analytics

Hardware-assisted

Hardware-assisted

Hardware-assisted

Long-distance B2B credits

Supported (designated ports)

Supported (designated ports)

Supported (designated ports)

Airflow

Port-side exhaust (blue)

Port-side intake (red)

Port-side exhaust (bundle)

Fan modules

DS-C96S-FAN-E

DS-C96S-FAN-I

DS-C96S-FAN-E

PSUs

2 × DS-CAC-1200W (bidirectional airflow)

Same

Same

Form factor

2RU

2RU

2RU

Typical use

Exhaust airflow sites, staged growth

Intake airflow sites, staged growth

Full 96-port density day one

Specifications

Parameter Specification Parameter Specification
Product model DS-C9396T-48ETK9 (MDS 9396T family) Form factor 2RU fixed Fibre Channel switch
Physical ports 96 x SFP+/SFP28 Fibre Channel Base licensed ports 48 active; expand in +16-port steps to 96
Port speeds Auto-sensing 4/8/16/32-Gbps FC Aggregate bandwidth Up to 3 Tbps per switch
Port groups Six groups × 16 ports Forwarding Non-blocking, line-rate at 32G (licensed)
NVMe/FC NVMe-ready; coexistence with SCSI/FCP Long-distance credits Extended buffer-to-buffer credits on designated ports
Telemetry/analytics Hardware-assisted SAN Analytics; model-driven telemetry Diagnostics Slow-drain detection; ISL/HBA diagnostics; SPAN/RSPAN
Fabric services VSANs; IVR (license); Smart/Auto Zoning; QoS High availability Redundant hot-swappable PSUs and fans; port-channels across groups
Airflow Port-side exhaust (blue); DS-C96S-FAN-E Power supplies 2 × DS-CAC-1200W (bidirectional airflow)
Power/thermal Per datasheet/project file AC/DC input Per PSU spec (VAC and VDC supported)
Dimensions (H×W×D) Per datasheet Weight Per datasheet
Management NX-OS CLI/SSH, SNMP, REST/NX-API; NDFC/DCNM Security AAA/RBAC (TACACS+/RADIUS/LDAP/AD), FC-SP
Interoperability MDS 9000 family per Cisco matrix Accessories Rail kit; regional power cords; optics ordered separately

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Quality Certifications

Customer Reviews

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    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.

    Purchasing
    Posted on 18/01/2024
    Verified Buyer
    5.0

    Vendor is responsive. We appreciate the dedicated account manager.

Questions & Answers

  • For DS-C9396T-48ETK9, which enterprise features help most during mixed NVMe/FC and SCSI/FC migrations?

    Enhanced analytics and telemetry shorten root-cause time for credit starvation or CRC bursts. ISL trunking and IVR simplify traffic engineering as you bring new arrays online in stages.

  • What is a pragmatic optics plan for a 48-port start that must scale fast?

    Adopt 32G SW with OM4 for short runs and 32G LW for SMF risers. Keep spare kits and enforce cleaning. As you scale, maintain consistent labeling so remote hands can swap without guidance delays.

  • How should I partition VSANs initially to balance security and operational simplicity?

    Start with separate VSANs per environment or protocol, implement single-initiator zoning, and document standards. You can consolidate once performance and behavior are validated under real workloads.

  • What tests prove stability before moving mission-critical databases onto the new 48ETK9 fabric?

    Run baseline synthetic IO, observe latency percentiles, verify DOM stability, and ensure ISLs show balanced utilization. Conduct a controlled failover drill between fabrics.

  • How do I detect and remediate slow-drain hosts early in the lifecycle?

    Enable slow-drain alerts, review host HBA queue depth settings, and isolate noisy initiators into dedicated VSANs until fixed. Coordinate with OS teams for driver/firmware updates.

  • Can I mix 16G arrays on day one?

    Yes. Keep 16G endpoints on dedicated trunks or separate VSANs. Avoid mixing speeds in a single trunk, and monitor credits closely during peak backups.

  • What’s the best way to stage NX-OS upgrades without disturbing replication?

    Upgrade one fabric at a time with ISSU where supported, monitor array metrics, and keep rollback images. Validate with a small subset of hosts before proceeding.

  • Any guidance for documentation that accelerates audits and handovers?

    Maintain zoning exports, VSAN diagrams, optics inventories, DOM baselines, and patch maps. Good documentation reduces risk during compliance reviews and staff changes.

  • How do I plan port expansion waves?

    Activate ports in predictable blocks tied to cabinet rows. Mirror the A/B fabric layout, validate metrics after each wave, and only proceed once counters remain clean.

  • What spare strategy fits a 48ETK9 footprint across two sites?

    Keep SW/LW optics, OM4/SMF jumpers, cleaning kits, and at least one spare fan/PSU per site. For strict SLAs, stage a cold-spare switch for rapid swap.

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