Cisco DS-X9112 Full Official Product Description
1. Part Number & Naming Definition
Official Full Name
Cisco DS-X9112 MDS 9000 Generation 2 Hot-Swappable 12-Port Auto-Sensing 1/2/4-Gbps Fibre Channel Switching Line Card
Spare Part SKU: DS-X9112=
Naming Breakdown
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DS: Director Switch, designation for Cisco MDS Fibre Channel SAN director line cards
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X9112: Generation 2 Fibre Channel switching module with 12 independent SFP port slots
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Suffix=(DS-X9112=): Standalone spare replacement unit for data center maintenance inventory
Core Product Positioning
The DS-X9112 is a second-generation low-to-medium density hot-swappable Fibre Channel line card built exclusively for Cisco MDS 9500 series multilayer Storage Area Network (SAN) directors. It supports auto-sensing 1Gbps, 2Gbps, and 4Gbps Fibre Channel speeds, delivering line-rate low-latency connectivity for database hosts, enterprise disk arrays, tape backup libraries, and inter-switch ISL trunk links. As a Gen2 module, it offers superior fabric forwarding performance, larger port buffer credits, and full compatibility with modern NX-OS storage operating systems, enabling seamless upgrades from older Gen1 DS-X90xx series line cards.
2. Hardware & Platform Compatibility
Supported MDS Chassis
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Cisco MDS 9500 Series Multilayer Directors: MDS 9506, MDS 9509, MDS 9513
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Occupies one standard full line card slot on all compatible MDS 9500 directors
Unsupported Platforms
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MDS 9700 series high-density 8G/16G Gen3 directors
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MDS 9100, MDS 9200 fixed compact fabric switches
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Gen1-only fabric backplane chassis with hardware incompatibility
Supported Firmware Releases
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Minimum SAN-OS release: SAN-OS 3.0(x)
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Fully validated for NX-OS 4.x, 5.x, 6.x mainstream production releases
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Supports non-disruptive ISSU (In-Service Software Upgrade) for zero-downtime SAN fabric firmware updates
SFP Transceiver Compatibility
All Cisco certified 1G/2G/4G Fibre Channel LC SFP transceivers (optics sold separately from base module)Cisco:
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Short-wave multimode: DS-SFP-FC4G-SW
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Long-wave single-mode: DS-SFP-FC4G-LW
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Extended long-haul single-mode transceivers for cross-building long-distance SAN ISL connections
3. Physical & Electrical Specifications
Form Factor
Single-slot hot-swappable FRU (Field Replaceable Unit), vertical front-panel insertion for MDS 9500 chassis, standard mechanical footprint for MDS Gen2 line cards
Port & Bandwidth Hardware Specs
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12 independent LC SFP port slots, auto-sensing 1.0625G / 2.125G / 4.25G Fibre Channel line-rate forwarding
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Total aggregate full-duplex switching bandwidth: 96 Gbps
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Port buffer credit allocation: Maximum 4095 buffer credits per port for high-throughput sequential storage workloads
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Supported Fibre Channel port operational modes: F_Port, FL_Port, E_Port, SD_Port, TE_Port, TL_Port
Power Consumption
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Typical idle operating power draw: 70W
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Maximum full-load power consumption: 120W with all 12 SFP transceivers active at full line-rate traffic
Environmental Operating Parameters
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Operating ambient temperature range: 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F)
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Storage / transportation temperature range: -40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F)
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Relative humidity: 5% to 95% non-condensing
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Maximum operating altitude: 3000 meters above sea level
4. Core Fibre Channel & Software Feature Set
Hot-Swap OIR (Online Insertion and Removal)
The entire DS-X9112 line card can be inserted or removed while the host MDS 9500 director remains fully powered and operational. No chassis power cycle is required for hardware replacement or SAN port capacity expansion. The supervisor module generates standardized syslog messages and SNMP trap alerts for all module insertion and removal events for centralized SAN fabric monitoring.
Full Native Fibre Channel Protocol Support
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Supports all standard Fibre Channel Classes of Service: Class 2, Class 3, Class F (fabric control plane traffic)
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Hardware-isolated VSAN (Virtual Storage Area Network) segmentation to logically partition multi-tenant SAN environments, with independent zoning policy configuration per VSAN
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Comprehensive Fibre Channel zoning functionality: Hard zoning, soft zoning, WWPN/WWNN device-based zoning
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ISL trunking between MDS directors with E_Port trunk groups to aggregate inter-fabric bandwidth for redundant multi-tier fabric topologies
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IVR (Inter-VSAN Routing) support for cross-VSAN data transmission across segmented storage fabrics
Enterprise-Grade SAN Security Features
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Port security: Lock individual port access to predefined storage device WWPN identifiers to prevent unauthorized fabric attachment
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Fabric mutual authentication: DH-CHAP authentication for all inter-switch ISL links
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Port lockdown, broadcast and multicast Fibre Channel frame storm suppression
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RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) fully integrated with the MDS supervisor management plane
Advanced SAN Diagnostics & Management
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Built-in DOM (Digital Optical Monitoring) support for all optical SFP transceivers, real-time monitoring of transmit/receive optical power, laser operating temperature, module supply voltage
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Real-time per-port performance counters: Frame transmit/receive statistics, CRC error tracking, link loss and signal fault logging
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Native integration with Cisco DCNM (Data Center Network Manager), Fabric Manager, Device Manager for unified end-to-end SAN fabric lifecycle management
5. Typical Enterprise SAN Deployment Use Cases
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Medium-Scale Server-to-Storage F_Port Connectivity: Deploy F_Ports to attach mid-volume application and database servers to Fibre Channel disk storage arrays, ideal for departmental or mid-tier enterprise storage pods
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Shared Tape Library Backup FL_Port Connections: FL_Port mode attachment to centralized shared tape libraries and virtual backup appliances for consolidated enterprise SAN backup workflows
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Redundant ISL Trunk Links: E_Port trunk links to build resilient inter-fabric connections between multiple MDS 9500 directors across data center rack rows
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Legacy SAN Infrastructure Upgrade: Cost-effective Gen2 line card to replace aging Gen1 DS-X9016/DS-X9032 modules, enabling higher 4Gbps Fibre Channel speeds without full chassis replacement
6. Regulatory & Compliance Certifications
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Electrical Safety Standards: UL 60950-1, CSA C22.2 No.60950-1, IEC/EN 60950-1
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EMC & EMI Compliance: CE Mark, FCC Part 15 Class A, ICES-003 Class A, VCCI Class A, CISPR 22 Class A, CISPR 24, full EN 61000 series ESD, surge, radiated and conducted immunity testing compliance
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Environmental Directives: EU RoHS 2.0 hazardous substance restriction compliant, EU WEEE waste electronics recycling directive compliant
7. Standard Factory Packaging Contents
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DS-X9112 12-port auto-sensing 1/2/4Gbps Fibre Channel Gen2 switching line card
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Integrated metal extraction lever and captive retention screws for secure chassis slot installation
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ESD anti-static protective bag and ESD wrist strap for static-safe hardware handling
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Hardware installation quick-start guide covering OIR hot-swap procedures, SFP transceiver installation, and basic Fibre Channel port configuration CLI commands
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Full global regulatory compliance and safety certification documentation packet
End-of-Life Status Note
The DS-X9112 is a Cisco Generation 2 Fibre Channel line card with official End-of-Sale (EoS) announced in later lifecycle phases. Cisco TAC hardware fault support remains available for customers holding active Cisco Smart Net Total Care service contracts. Recommended migration replacement hardware includes Gen3 high-density 8Gbps Fibre Channel line cards (DS-X9224, DS-X9248).
UNSPSC Classification Code
43222602 – Cisco DS-X9112 hot-swappable 12-port auto-sensing 1/2/4-Gbps Fibre Channel Gen2 switching line card for Cisco MDS 9500 series multilayer storage directors, supporting OIR hot-swap maintenance, hardware-isolated VSAN segmentation, Inter-VSAN Routing, full Fibre Channel zoning, DH-CHAP fabric security, DOM optical transceiver diagnostics, designed for mid-tier enterprise data center SAN host/storage attachment and redundant inter-switch ISL trunk deployments.
Standard Hardware Warranty
All factory-new DS-X9112 line cards include a 1-year limited hardware warranty covering manufacturing defects and component failures under rated standard operating environmental conditions. Cisco Smart Net Total Care extended service contracts provide 24×7 priority Cisco TAC technical support, advance genuine spare hardware replacement service, validated stable SAN-OS/NX-OS firmware upgrade releases, and comprehensive end-to-end SAN fabric fault troubleshooting support.
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