Cisco switch comparison
N9K-C9336C-FX2 vs N9K-C9332C
N9K-C9336C-FX2 has 36 high-speed ports with breakout support and larger host and route tables. N9K-C9332C has 32 native 40/100G ports and a larger listed ACL capacity. Their forwarding, port-channel and power ratings also differ.
2models compared
58specs published for every model
27confirmed differences
Change comparison
Select different models
At a glance
Key differences
Compare the specifications that shape your deployment.
| Specification | N9K-C9336C-FX2 | N9K-C9332C |
|---|---|---|
Switch Role |
Data-center leaf or spine switch | Data-center spine switch |
Downlink Port Count |
36 | 32 |
Access / Downlink Ports |
36 x 1/10/25/40/50/100G QSFP28 with breakout | 32 x 40/100G QSFP28 |
Switching Capacity (Standalone) |
7,200 Gbps | 6,400 Gbps |
Forwarding Rate (Standalone) |
2,400 Mpps | 4,400 Mpps |
Downlink Type |
40/100G QSFP28 with 1/10/25/50G breakout | 40/100G QSFP28 |
Detailed comparison
Full specification comparison
| Comparison parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product ID | N9K-C9336C-FX2 | N9K-C9332C |
| Product and ordering | ||
| Product Type | Cisco Nexus 9300 Series fixed data-center switch | Cisco Nexus 9300 Series fixed data-center switch |
| Form Factor | 1RU | 1RU |
| Switch Role | Data-center leaf or spine switch | Data-center spine switch |
| Network License | Cisco Data Center Networking Essentials, Advantage or Premier tier | Cisco Data Center Networking Essentials, Advantage or Premier tier |
| Configuration, licensing and management | ||
| Management Model | Cisco Nexus Dashboard; Cisco NX-OS CLI and APIs; Cisco APIC in ACI mode | Cisco Nexus Dashboard; Cisco NX-OS CLI and APIs; Cisco APIC in ACI mode |
| Ports and interfaces | ||
| Downlink Port Count | 36 | 32 |
| Access / Downlink Ports | 36 x 1/10/25/40/50/100G QSFP28 with breakout | 32 x 40/100G QSFP28 |
| Downlink Type | 40/100G QSFP28 with 1/10/25/50G breakout | 40/100G QSFP28 |
| Uplink Interfaces | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Maximum Uplink Speed | 100 Gbps | 100 Gbps |
| Supported Network Modules | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Management Ports | 2 management ports: 1 x RJ-45 and 1 x SFP+ | 1 x 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-45 and 1 x 1G SFP management ports |
| Console Ports | 1 x RS-232 serial console | 1 x RS-232 serial console |
| USB Ports | 1 x USB port | 1 x USB port |
| PoE-capable Ports | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Connector Types | Model-specific RJ-45, SFP28, QSFP28 and/or QSFP-DD interfaces | Model-specific RJ-45, SFP28, QSFP28 and/or QSFP-DD interfaces |
| Total System Ports | 36 | 34 |
| Performance and scale | ||
| Switching Capacity (Standalone) | 7,200 Gbps | 6,400 Gbps |
| Forwarding Rate (Standalone) | 2,400 Mpps | 4,400 Mpps |
| MAC Address Scale | 256,000 | 92,000 |
| IPv4 Route Scale | 896,000 | 262,000 |
| IPv6 Route Scale | 498,000 | 131,000 |
| Multicast Route Scale | 128,000 | 32,768 |
| VLAN Scale | 4,096 | 4,096 |
| ACL Scale | 5,000 | Up to 16,000 |
| Packet Buffer | 40 MB | 40 MB |
| IGMP Multicast Groups | 32,000 | 8,000 |
| Port Channel Support | 512 port channels; up to 32 links per channel | 64 port channels; up to 32 links per channel |
| PoE and power | ||
| PoE Support | Not supported | Not supported |
| PoE Standard | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Default PoE Budget | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Maximum PoE Budget | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Default Power Supply | Power supply selected separately from the compatible options | Power supply selected separately from the compatible options |
| Power Supply Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Power Supply Options | 750W or 1100W AC; 1100W DC or HVAC/HVDC; up to 2 supplies | 750W or 1100W AC; 1100W DC; 1100W HVAC/HVDC; up to 2 supplies |
| Maximum System Power | 719 W | 700 W |
| AC Input Voltage | 100 to 240 V | 100 to 240 V |
| DC Input Voltage | -40 to -72 V | -40 to -72 V |
| AC Input Frequency | 50 to 60 Hz | 50 to 60 Hz |
| Power Input Type | Hot-swappable AC and model-dependent DC/HVAC/HVDC supplies | Hot-swappable AC and model-dependent DC/HVAC/HVDC supplies |
| Typical Power Consumption | 337 W | 296 W |
| Power Redundancy | N+1 power-supply redundancy with supported dual-supply configurations | N+1 power-supply redundancy with supported dual-supply configurations |
| Stacking and resiliency | ||
| Stacking Technology | No physical switch stacking; vPC provides multichassis link resiliency | No physical switch stacking; vPC provides multichassis link resiliency |
| Stack Bandwidth | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Maximum Stack Members | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| StackPower | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Fan Modules | 3 dual fan trays | 5 hot-swappable fans with redundancy |
| Memory and software | ||
| Operating System | Cisco NX-OS; Cisco ACI mode on supported models | Cisco NX-OS; Cisco ACI mode on supported models |
| Minimum Software Release | Cisco NX-OS 7.0(3)I7(3) | Cisco NX-OS 9.3(3) |
| DRAM | 24 GB | 16 GB |
| Flash Memory | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| CPU | 4 cores | 4-core Broadwell-DE |
| Physical and environmental | ||
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 44 × 439 × 623 mm | 44 × 439 × 581 mm |
| Weight | 8.5 kg | 8.6 kg |
| Operating Temperature | 0 to 40 °C | 0 to 40 °C |
| Storage Temperature | -40 to 70 °C | -40 to 70 °C |
| Storage Humidity | 5% to 95% | 5% to 95% |
| Operating Humidity | 5% to 95% | 5% to 90% |
| Operating Altitude | 0–4,000 m | 0–4,000 m |
| MTBF | 335,900 hours | 363,500 hours |
| Warranty | 1-year limited hardware warranty | 1-year limited hardware warranty |
| Acoustic Rating | 76.2 dBA at 50% fan speed; 85.3 dBA at 70%; 92.3 dBA at 100% | 76.4 dBA at 50% fan speed; 83.3 dBA at 70%; 92.1 dBA at 100% |
| Environmental Compliance | RoHS compliant | RoHS compliant |
| Safety Certifications | UL 60950-1; CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60950-1; EN/IEC 60950-1 | UL 60950-1; CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60950-1; EN/IEC 60950-1 |
| EMC Certifications | FCC Part 15 Class A; CISPR 22/32 Class A; EN 55022/55032 Class A | FCC Part 15 Class A; CISPR 22/32 Class A; EN 55022/55032 Class A |
| Mounting | 19-inch rack mount | 19-inch rack mount |
| Airflow | Orderable port-side intake or port-side exhaust airflow | Orderable port-side intake or port-side exhaust airflow |
Specifications from Cisco N9300-FX2 Series Switches Data Sheet and Cisco N9332C and N9364C Fixed Spine Switches Data Sheet (checked 2026-10-11).
“Not published by Cisco” and “Not listed” indicate that a confirmed direct comparison is unavailable. These rows are not counted as confirmed differences.
Continue to the product pages
Product details
Specifications, documentation and purchasing information for each model.
Related comparisons