Cisco DS-X9648-1536K9=

The Cisco DS-X9648-1536K9= is a high-density, 32-Gbps Fibre Channel (FC) line card designed exclusively for the Cisco MDS 9700 Series Multilayer Directors (including the MDS 9710). It delivers exceptional I/O scalability and line-rate performance for large-scale, mission-critical Storage Area Networks (SANs). Engineered for high-performance data centers, it supports NVMe over Fibre Channel (NVMe/FC) and seamlessly integrates into modern all-flash and hybrid storage infrastructures.

Key Features & Benefits

High-Density 32G FC Connectivity

48 x 32-Gbps FC SFP+ ports per module
Auto-senses 32/16/8/4 Gbps speeds for backward compatibility
Full line-rate performance on all ports simultaneously
Aggregate module bandwidth: 1.536 Tbps (1536 Gbps)

Optimized for NVMe & High-Performance Storage

Native NVMe/FC support for next-generation flash arrays
768 buffer credits per port for long-distance and high-throughput flows
Ultra-low latency for AI/ML, big data, and OLTP databases

Advanced SAN Services & Security

Supports VSANs, QoS, Zoning, and Inter-VSAN Routing (IVR)
Integrated security, analytics, and telemetry via Cisco NX-OS
FIPS 140-2 Level 2 encryption for secure data transmission
Hot-swappable for non-disruptive installation and replacement

Scalable & Future-Proof

Scales the MDS 9710 to up to 384 x 32G FC ports per chassis
Fully compatible with Supervisor-4 (SUP-4) and Fabric-3 modules
Investment protection for migration from 16G/8G to 32G fabrics

Technical Specifications

Parameter	Specification
Part Number	DS-X9648-1536K9=
Product Line	Cisco MDS 9700 Series Line Cards
Ports	48 x 32-Gbps Fibre Channel (SFP+ slots)
Port Speeds	32G/16G/8G/4G auto-negotiation (line-rate)
Bandwidth	1.536 Tbps (full-duplex)
Buffer Credits	768 per port
Protocols	FC, NVMe/FC, FICON
Compatibility	MDS 9710, 9706, 9718 Directors (with SUP-4)
Form Factor	Hot-swappable I/O module
Software	Cisco MDS NX-OS (requires appropriate licenses)
Typical Use	SAN core expansion, high-density flash storage connectivity