DS-C9396T-48IK9 – 32 Gbps – 96 Port – Fibre Channel Switch

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DS-C9396T-48IK9

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DS-C9396T-48IK9 Description

Cisco DS-C9396T-48IK9 is the port-side intake airflow variant of the MDS 9396T 32-Gbps Fibre Channel switch. Shipping with 48 active 32G FC ports and expandable to the full 96 in 16-port steps, it delivers up to 3 Tbps aggregate bandwidth in a compact 2RU form factor. 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. With redundant hot-swappable power and fans plus the ability to spread port-channels across six 16-port groups, DS-C9396T-48IK9 fits core-edge or end-of-row designs that require intake airflow alignment, predictable latency, and scalable growth.

Product Highlights

Ports
Speed
Active Ports

Key Features

Two-tier collapse for dense racks

Consolidates edge and aggregation into a 2RU platform with 48 active ports on day one and 96 max, reducing switch count, optics, cabling, and operational overhead.

Distance-aware replication headroom

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

Fabric hygiene and observability at scale

Hardware-assisted SAN Analytics, flow-level telemetry, and slow-drain detection expose incipient congestion and misbehaving endpoints before they impact SLAs.

Fault-domain containment

Six 16-port groups and port-channels distributed across groups minimize blast radius, while hot-swap PSUs/fans and consistent forwarding support continuous operations.

Tenant and workload isolation

VSANs, IVR (license), and centralized AAA/RBAC deliver clean segregation for departments, tenants, or environments with differing compliance profiles.

Intake airflow alignment

Port-side intake design fits front-cold aisle policies common in enterprise and public-sector data centers, simplifying compliance and thermal planning.

Applications Scenarios

Large virtualization and container platforms across ToR segments

High fan-in from many ESXi/KVM/K8s hosts into a stable 32G core; analytics validate headroom during cluster scale-outs and rolling upgrades.

Public sector and education data centers

Strict cold-aisle intake policies and shared infrastructure needs benefit from intake airflow, VSAN segmentation, and API-driven provisioning for repeatable operations.

Genomics/HPC research storage

Deterministic latency for scratch and reference datasets; extended credits assist inter-building or campus replication without sacrificing throughput.

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-48IK9

  • Choose when you need 48 active 32G FC ports on day one with staged growth to 96 via +16-port licenses (no hardware swap).
  • Ideal if your site mandates port-side intake airflow (front-cold aisle); this intake SKU aligns with thermal policy and simplifies fleet standardization.
  • Good fit for 2RU aggregation/core roles, 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 budgets.
  • Works well for phased NVMe/FC adoption alongside SCSI/FCP; keep policies and workflows 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 distributing ISL port-channels across the six 16-port groups to minimize blast radius and improve fabric resiliency.
  • Not ideal if your data center requires port-side exhaust airflow—pick DS-C9396T-48EK9 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-48IK9

DS-C9396T-48EK9

DS-C9396T-96ETK9

Physical FC ports

96

96

96

Base licensed ports

48

48

96 (bundle)

Port expansion

+16 to 96

+16 to 96

N/A (max)

Port groups

6 groups × 16 ports

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 on designated ports

Supported

Supported

Airflow

Port-side intake (red)

Port-side exhaust (blue)

Port-side exhaust (bundle)

Fan modules

DS-C96S-FAN-I

DS-C96S-FAN-E

DS-C96S-FAN-E

PSUs

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

Same

Same

Form factor

2RU

2RU

2RU

Typical use

Intake airflow sites, staged growth

Exhaust airflow sites, staged growth

Full 96-port density day one

Specifications

Parameter Specification Parameter Specification
Product model DS-C9396T-48IK9 (MDS 9396T family) Form factor 2RU fixed FC 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 Line-rate forwarding Non-blocking, low-latency at 32G
NVMe/FC NVMe-ready; coexistence with SCSI/FCP Long-distance credits Extended B2B credits on designated ports
Telemetry 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 intake (red), DS-C96S-FAN-I PSUs 2 × 1200W DS-CAC-1200W, bidirectional airflow
Power (typical ref.) Approx. 497W @ 48×32G optics; 555W @ 96×32G AC/DC input 90–305 VAC; 192–400 VDC (per PSU spec)
Dimensions (H×W×D) 3.39 × 17.42 × 22.28 in (8.61 × 44.25 × 56.59 cm) Weight Approx. 41.62 lb (18.88 kg)
Management NX-OS CLI/SSH, SNMP, REST/NX-API; NDFC/DCNM Interoperability MDS 9000 family per Cisco compatibility matrix
Security AAA/RBAC (TACACS+/RADIUS/LDAP/AD), FC-SP Compliance Safety/EMC/RoHS per datasheet
Transceivers Cisco 32G/16G/8G FC optics supported Accessories Rail kit; regional power cords; optics ordered separately

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Quality Certifications

Customer Reviews

Write A Review
5.0
(3 reviews)
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    Supply Chain
    Posted on 20/09/2024
    Verified Buyer
    5.0

    Imported to UK. VAT invoice provided promptly.

    Jango Fett
    Posted on 12/06/2024
    Verified Buyer
    5.0

    I’m just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe. Good hardware helps.

    Storage Ops
    Posted on 10/02/2024
    Verified Buyer
    5.0

    Needed high density Fibre Channel. This unit delivers. Brand new condition.

Questions & Answers

  • Why would I pick DS-C9396T-48IK9 over other 48-port bundles when building a mid-size SAN that will grow aggressively?

    It provides a cost-effective entry on the same high-performance 9396T platform, letting you expand port count and features via licenses. Start small, then scale to 96 ports without replacing chassis or optics strategy.

  • How do I ensure ISL symmetry and stable performance when only half the ports are active initially?

    Plan port-channels with equal lengths and similar loss profiles, map them cleanly across fabrics, and keep spare LC positions reserved. Symmetry simplifies troubleshooting and balances traffic from day one.

  • What are good first-month validation tests after deploying DS-C9396T-48IK9?

    Run synthetic IO to test pathing, verify DOM baselines, monitor CRCs and credit counters, and confirm zoning matches naming standards. Store results for later comparison during growth phases.

  • Does 48IK9 support NVMe/FC immediately, or do I need additional licensing?

    NVMe/FC support is software-dependent. If your NX-OS release supports it, you can adopt immediately. Validate HBAs, drivers, and arrays for 32G NVMe interoperability before onboarding critical workloads.

  • How can I protect against slow-drain initiators impacting shared ISLs on this partial-port deployment?

    Enable slow-drain detection, segment noisy hosts into separate VSANs, and ensure ISLs have adequate credits. Watch array port saturation and remediate HBA settings proactively.

  • What fiber/optic mix is safest for remote sites with minimal on-site expertise?

    Standardize on OM4 for short runs with 32G SW optics and SMF with 32G LW for long distances. Keep labeled spares and a cleaning kit; publish a simple step-by-step swap guide.

  • How should I document DS-C9396T-48IK9 so future activations are predictable?

    Maintain port maps, VSAN templates, naming conventions, DOM baselines, and photos of patch fields. A repeatable checklist reduces errors during late-night expansions.

  • Any pitfalls when mixing 16G endpoints with new 32G trunks?

    Avoid mixed-speed trunks. Keep 16G on separate port-channels, watch for credit pressure, and migrate hosts in controlled batches to maintain stability.

  • What’s the recommended firmware upgrade approach during rapid growth?

    Pre-stage images, upgrade one fabric at a time, and validate critical apps with quick IO tests. Keep rollback images and zoning exports ready.

  • How do I decide when to buy port activation versus a second chassis?

    If you’re under 96 ports and bandwidth/latency targets are met, activation is efficient. Consider a second chassis when redundancy, geo-distribution, or oversubscription require more fabric separation.

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