Cisco Nexus 5500 N5K-C5596UP 48-Port 2RU Managed L3 Switch N5KC5596UP

Description:

The Cisco Nexus 5500 N5K-C5596UP Managed Layer 3 Switch is used in data center and enterprise network infrastructures to provide high-performance switching with unified port connectivity for Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks. This switch features 48 high-speed unified ports that support multiple interface types, enabling flexible deployment for server access, storage networking, and data center aggregation. Designed as part of the Cisco Nexus 5500 Series, it delivers low-latency switching, scalable bandwidth, and advanced network virtualization capabilities for modern data center environments. Network administrators and system integrators commonly deploy this switch for repair, retrofit, expansion, or replacement in enterprise data centers, storage networks, and high-performance computing infrastructures.

Applications:

The Cisco Nexus N5K-C5596UP switch is commonly deployed in enterprise data centers, cloud infrastructure environments, and high-performance computing networks where high-density switching and low-latency connectivity are required. It is typically installed in data center racks to connect servers, storage systems, and aggregation switches while supporting unified networking technologies such as Ethernet and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) for efficient data and storage communication.

Technical Specifications:

• Manufacturer: Cisco Systems
• Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): N5K-C5596UP
• Product Type: Managed Data Center Switch
• Series: Cisco Nexus 5500 Series
• Total Ports: 48 × Unified ports supporting Ethernet or Fibre Channel
• Port Speed: 1/10 Gigabit Ethernet or 8 Gb Fibre Channel support
• Switching Capacity: Up to 960 Gbps
• Forwarding Rate: Up to 714 Mpps
• Layer Support: Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching (with license)
• Unified Fabric Support: Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and FCoE
• Expansion Slots: 3 × expansion module slots
• Network Management: CLI, SNMP, Cisco NX-OS management tools
• Virtualization Support: Virtual Port Channel (vPC) and network virtualization features
• Mounting Type: Rack mountable (2RU form factor)
• Operating Temperature Range: 0°C to 40°C

Common Replacements:

• Cisco Nexus N5K-C5672UP 48-Port Unified Switch
• Cisco Nexus N9K-C93180YC-EX Data Center Switch
• Cisco Nexus N7K-C7009 Modular Data Center Switch