The Cisco Nexus 93180LC-EX is a high-performance, 1RU data center switch powered by Cisco Cloud Scale technology, purpose-built for modern, high-density spine–leaf architectures. Designed to meet the demands of cloud-scale, high-frequency trading (HFT), and high-performance computing (HPC) environments, this switch delivers sub-microsecond latency, massive throughput, and flexible port speeds - all in a compact form factor.
Equipped with 24 x 40/50-Gbps QSFP+ downlink ports and 6 x 40/100-Gbps QSFP28 uplinks, the Nexus 93180LC-EX offers exceptional flexibility, supporting 10G, 25G, 40G, 50G, and 100G connectivity through native ports and breakout configurations. With a 3.6 Tbps switching capacity and 2.6 billion packets per second forwarding rate, it ensures wire-speed performance even under heavy east-west traffic loads.
The switch operates in either Cisco NX-OS mode for traditional data center deployments or Cisco ACI mode for fully automated, policy-driven fabrics. Advanced features such as real-time telemetry, VXLAN/EVPN support, and Cisco Tetration Analytics integration provide deep visibility and operational intelligence without impacting performance. Dual hot-swappable power supplies and redundant fan trays deliver enterprise-grade high availability, making the Cisco Nexus 93180LC-EX an ideal choice for scalable, resilient, and future-ready data center networks.
| Specification Category |
Details |
| Product Name |
Cisco Nexus 93180LC-EX |
| Product Series |
Cisco Nexus 9000 Series (Cloud Scale) |
| Category |
Data Center Leaf / Spine Switch |
| Manufacturer |
Cisco Systems |
| Part Number |
N9K-C93180LC-EX |
| Form Factor |
1RU rack-mountable |
| Switching Architecture |
Cisco Cloud Scale ASIC |
| Total Ports |
30 fixed QSFP ports |
| Downlink Ports |
24 × 40/50-Gbps QSFP+ |
| Uplink Ports |
6 × 40/100-Gbps QSFP28 |
| Breakout Support |
10G / 25G via breakout cables |
| Switching Capacity |
3.6 Tbps |
| Forwarding Rate |
2.6 Bpps |
| Latency |
Sub-microsecond (cut-through) |
| System Buffer |
40 MB shared buffer |
| CPU |
Quad-core processor |
| System Memory |
24 GB DRAM |
| Storage |
64 GB SSD |
| Operating Modes |
Cisco NX-OS mode, Cisco ACI mode |
| Network Virtualization |
VXLAN, EVPN |
| Telemetry & Analytics |
Cisco Tetration Analytics support |
| Programmability |
NX-API, Python, REST, YANG |
| Security Features |
Wire-rate security, ACLs, segmentation |
| Airflow Options |
Port-side intake (back-to-front) or port-side exhaust (front-to-back) |
| Power Supplies |
Dual hot-swappable PSUs |
| Power Options |
500W AC, 930W DC, 1200W HVAC/HVDC |
| Cooling |
Hot-swappable redundant fan trays |
| High Availability |
N+1 power and fan redundancy |
| Operating Temperature |
0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) |
| Typical Use Cases |
Data center leaf/spine, HPC, high-frequency trading, cloud-scale fabrics |
| Deployment Topologies |
Spine-leaf, ACI fabric, high-density aggregation |
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FAQs:
Q1. How many 100G ports can this switch actually support?
While it has 6 dedicated 100G QSFP28 uplink ports, the switch can be configured via templates to support up to 18 fixed 100-Gbps ports total if using the appropriate QSFP28 optics in compatible slots.
Q2. Does this switch support 10G and 25G connectivity?
Yes. Although the ports are natively 40/50/100G, you can use breakout cables to support up to 72 x 10-Gbps ports or 25-Gbps connections depending on your configuration.
Q3. What is the difference between the EX and FX models?
The EX series is the first generation of Cloud Scale switches. The FX series is newer and generally offers larger buffers, improved analytics capabilities, and support for MACsec encryption on all ports.
Q4. Do I need a license for basic Layer 2/3 features?
Standard Layer 2 features and basic routing (Static, RIP, OSPF) often work under "honor-based" licensing, but advanced features like BGP, VXLAN, and ACI require specific licenses (Essentials or Advantage).
Q5. Can this switch be used as a "Spine" switch?
The 93180LC-EX is typically used as a "Leaf" (aggregation) switch in a leaf-spine architecture due to its high density of downlinks, but its 100G ports allow it to connect seamlessly to Nexus 9500 or 9332C spines.
