Cisco Nexus N9K-X9788TC-FX Line Card (For Nexus 9500 Series)
The Cisco Nexus N9K-X9788TC-FX is a high-performance expansion line card for Nexus 9500 chassis. Featuring 48x 10GBASE-T copper downlinks and 4x 100G uplinks, it delivers Cloud Scale architecture, MACsec encryption, and ACI support for dense End-of-Row deployments.
Quick Specs:
· Type: Modular Line Card (Requires Chassis)
· Downlinks: 48 x 100M/1G/10GBASE-T (RJ45)
· Uplinks: 4 x 40/100G QSFP28
· Security: MACsec encryption support
· OS Support: NX-OS & Cisco ACI
· Compatibility: Cisco Nexus 9504, 9508, 9516
Comprehensive Product Overview
The Cisco Nexus N9K-X9788TC-FX is an advanced, non-blocking 10-Gigabit Ethernet and 100-Gigabit Ethernet line card designed exclusively for the Cisco Nexus 9500 Series modular switches. Powered by the next-generation Cisco Cloud Scale ASIC, this module enables enterprises to scale their data centers efficiently while maximizing port density in an End-of-Row (EoR) or Middle-of-Row (MoR) architecture.
Engineered to bridge legacy server environments with ultra-fast modern cores, this line card provides 48 cost-effective copper RJ45 ports that seamlessly connect to existing CAT6a/CAT7 infrastructure. Meanwhile, its 4 high-speed 100G QSFP28 ports ensure immense throughput to the data center spine. Whether managed via traditional NX-OS or integrated into an automated Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) fabric, this module delivers uncompromising reliability and telemetry.
Key Features & Business Benefits
Cost-Effective Copper Scaling: Utilize existing twisted-pair copper cabling. The 48 10GBASE-T ports support auto-negotiation (100M, 1G, and 10G), providing a seamless and highly affordable upgrade path for legacy server farms without purchasing expensive optical transceivers.
High-Bandwidth 100G Aggregation: The 4 dedicated 40/100-Gbps QSFP28 ports eliminate core bottlenecks, ensuring that traffic aggregated from the 48 copper downlinks is swiftly forwarded to the spine layer without oversubscription.
Hardware-Based MACsec Security: Protect your data integrity. The FX-generation ASIC introduces wire-rate IEEE 802.1AE MACsec encryption, securing inter-rack and spine-leaf communications from internal and external threats.
End-of-Row (EoR) Efficiency: By installing multiple N9K-X9788TC-FX line cards into a single Nexus 9500 chassis, network administrators can consolidate management points, radically reducing the operational complexity compared to managing dozens of individual Top-of-Rack (ToR) switches.
Deep Buffer & Telemetry Analytics: Benefit from intelligent buffering and Cisco’s streaming telemetry, providing granular, real-time insights into packet flows and microbursts for proactive network optimization.
Technical Specifications
Specification
Details for N9K-X9788TC-FX
Product Type
Ethernet Line Card (Expansion Module)
Compatible Chassis
Cisco Nexus 9504, 9508, 9516
Downlink Ports
48 x 100M/1G/10GBASE-T (RJ45 Copper)
Uplink Ports
4 x 40/100-Gbps QSFP28
Architecture
Cisco Cloud Scale ASIC (FX Series)
MAC Addresses
Up to 512,000
Forwarding Capacity
Non-blocking, wire-rate across all ports
Security Encryption
MACsec supported
Supported Operating Modes
Cisco NX-OS Mode and ACI Mode
Hot-Swappable
Yes (OIR - Online Insertion and Removal supported)
Ideal Application Scenarios
High-Density End-of-Row (EoR): Install this line card in a central Nexus 9500 chassis to aggregate hundreds of copper-based server connections across multiple adjacent racks, saving power and cooling costs compared to ToR designs.
Legacy Server Farm Upgrades: The perfect aggregation point for enterprise data centers operating vast numbers of legacy 1G and 10G copper servers that require a highly reliable path to a 100G fiber spine.
Secure Multi-Tenant Cloud Environments: Utilize the hardware-level MACsec encryption and ACI micro-segmentation to securely isolate tenant data traffic in large-scale managed service provider environments.
Required Components & Compatible Optics
Important Note: This is a line card and cannot function as a standalone switch. It requires the following ecosystem components: Cisco Nexus 9500 Chassis: Must be installed in a N9K-C9504, N9K-C9508, or N9K-C9516 chassis. Supervisor Engines: Compatible with Nexus 9500 Supervisor modules (e.g., N9K-SUP-A, N9K-SUP-B). QSFP-100G-SR4-S: 100GBASE-SR4 transceivers for fiber uplinks to the Spine. QSFP-40G-SR4-S: 40GBASE-SR4 transceivers (Backwards compatible in the 100G ports).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Can the N9K-X9788TC-FX operate as a standalone switch?
A1: No. The “X” in the part number indicates it is a modular Line Card. It must be inserted into a compatible Cisco Nexus 9500 Series modular chassis (9504, 9508, or 9516) to function. If you need a standalone 10G copper switch, look for the N9K-C93108TC-FX3P.
Q2: Do I need optical transceivers for the 48 downlink ports?
A2: No. The “TC” in the model name stands for Base-T Copper. The 48 downlink ports are standard RJ45 jacks, meaning you can directly connect standard CAT6a or CAT7 ethernet cables without purchasing any optical SFP modules.
Q3: Are the 4 uplink ports dedicated to 100G, or can they run at 40G?
A3: The 4 QSFP28 uplink ports are dual-speed. They natively support both 100G QSFP28 transceivers and backwards-compatible 40G QSFP+ transceivers, giving you flexibility when connecting to older spine switches.
Q4: Is this line card hot-swappable?
A4: Yes. The N9K-X9788TC-FX supports Online Insertion and Removal (OIR). This allows data center engineers to install, upgrade, or replace the line card while the rest of the Nexus 9500 chassis remains powered on and actively routing traffic.
Q5: Does this module support Cisco ACI?
A5: Yes. When installed in a Nexus 9500 chassis equipped with the appropriate ACI-compatible Supervisor engine and ACI spine/leaf licensing, this line card fully supports Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) policy-driven automation.
