Cisco switch comparison
N9K-C9504 vs N9K-C9508-B3-E
N9K-C9504 is a four-line-card-slot chassis in 7RU with supplies selected separately. N9K-C9508-B3-E is an eight-slot, 13RU bundle with three 3000 W supplies and FM-E fabric modules. Usable interfaces and capacity depend on the complete module configuration.
2models compared
39specs published for every model
10confirmed differences
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| Specification | N9K-C9504 | N9K-C9508-B3-E |
|---|---|---|
Form Factor |
7RU | 13RU |
Network License |
Cisco NX-OS or ACI licensing depends on deployment and ordered software tier | NX-OS or ACI software licensing is ordered separately; -E identifies included FM-E fabric modules |
Line Card Slots |
4 | 8 |
Default Power Supply |
Not included; compatible 3000W or 3150W supplies are selected separately | 3 compatible 3000W power supplies included |
Product Type |
Cisco Nexus 9504 modular chassis | Cisco Nexus 9508 B3-E chassis bundle |
Power Supply Slots |
4 | 8 |
Detailed comparison
Full specification comparison
| Comparison parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product ID | N9K-C9504 | N9K-C9508-B3-E |
| Product and ordering | ||
| Product Type | Cisco Nexus 9504 modular chassis | Cisco Nexus 9508 B3-E chassis bundle |
| Form Factor | 7RU | 13RU |
| Switch Role | Modular data-center core / spine switch | Modular data-center core / spine switch |
| Network License | Cisco NX-OS or ACI licensing depends on deployment and ordered software tier | NX-OS or ACI software licensing is ordered separately; -E identifies included FM-E fabric modules |
| 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 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Access / Downlink Ports | Configuration-dependent: determined by installed line cards and optics | Configuration-dependent: determined by installed line cards and optics |
| Supported Network Modules | Nexus 9500 line cards and matching fabric modules; compatibility depends on line-card generation | Nexus 9500 line cards and matching fabric modules; compatibility depends on line-card generation |
| Line Card Slots | 4 | 8 |
| Fabric Module Slots | 6 | 6 |
| Supervisor Slots | 2 | 2 |
| System Controller Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Management Ports | Per supervisor: 1 x 10/100/1000BASE-T management port | Per supervisor: 1 x 10/100/1000BASE-T management port |
| Console Ports | Per supervisor: 1 x serial console | Per supervisor: 1 x serial console |
| USB Ports | Per supervisor: 2 x USB ports | Per supervisor: 2 x USB ports |
| Total System Ports | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Performance and scale | ||
| Switching Capacity (Standalone) | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Forwarding Rate (Standalone) | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| 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 | Not included; compatible 3000W or 3150W supplies are selected separately | 3 compatible 3000W power supplies included |
| Power Supply Slots | 4 | 8 |
| Power Supply Options | 3000W AC, 3000W DC, 3000W universal HVAC/HVDC, or 3150W dual-input universal | 3 supplies included; chassis provides 4 PSU slots on N9K-C9504 and 8 on N9K-C9508 |
| Power Input Type | Hot-swappable AC, DC and universal high-voltage AC/DC supplies | Hot-swappable AC, DC and universal high-voltage AC/DC supplies |
| Power Redundancy | Combined, N+1, N+N or input-source redundancy depending on installed power budget | Combined, N+1, N+N or input-source redundancy depending on installed power budget |
| Stacking and resiliency | ||
| Stacking Technology | No physical switch stacking; modular fabric and vPC provide resiliency | No physical switch stacking; modular fabric and vPC provide resiliency |
| Fan Modules | 3 hot-swappable fan trays | 3 fan trays included |
| Memory and software | ||
| Operating System | Cisco NX-OS or Cisco ACI mode | Cisco NX-OS or Cisco ACI mode |
| DRAM | 16–32 GB | 16–32 GB |
| Flash Memory | 64–256 GB | 64–256 GB |
| CPU | Configuration-dependent: 4-core or 6-core x86 by installed supervisor model | Configuration-dependent: 4-core or 6-core x86 by installed supervisor model |
| Physical and environmental | ||
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 311 × 445 × 842 mm | 577.8 × 445 × 806.7 mm |
| Weight | 38.2 kg | Not published by Cisco |
| 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 95% |
| Operating Altitude | 0–4,000 m | 0–4,000 m |
| MTBF | 1,038,080 hours | 928,910 hours |
| Warranty | 1-year limited hardware warranty | 1-year limited hardware warranty |
| 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 Class A; EN 55022 Class A | FCC Part 15 Class A; CISPR 22 Class A; EN 55022 Class A |
| Mounting | 19-inch rack mount | 19-inch rack mount |
| Airflow | Front-to-back (port-side intake) | Front-to-back (port-side intake) |
Specifications from Cisco N9500 Series 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.
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