Cisco DS-X9248-96K9 Full Official Product Description
1. Part Number & Naming Definition
Official Full Name
Cisco DS-X9248-96K9 MDS 9000 Generation 3 Hot-Swappable 48-Port Auto-Sensing 1/2/4/8-Gbps Fibre Channel Switching Line Card
Spare Part SKU: DS-X9248-96K9=
Naming Breakdown
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DS: Director Switch, designation for pluggable Fibre Channel line cards for MDS multilayer storage directors
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X92: Generation 3 MDS switching module family supporting 8G Fibre Channel
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48: 48 independent SFP port slots
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96: Total module full-duplex switching bandwidth of 96 Gbps
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K9: Security-licensed hardware platform
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Suffix=: Standalone spare replacement unit for data center maintenance inventory
Core Product Positioning
The DS-X9248-96K9 is a high-density Generation 3 hot-swappable Fibre Channel switching line card exclusively designed for Cisco MDS 9500 series multilayer Storage Area Network (SAN) directors. It supports auto-negotiated 1Gbps, 2Gbps, 4Gbps and 8Gbps Fibre Channel operation. This module delivers low-latency storage connectivity for database servers, virtualization hosts, enterprise disk arrays, all-flash storage systems, tape libraries and redundant inter-switch ISL trunks.
Compared with Gen2 DS-X9148 line cards, the Gen3 DS-X9248-96K9 provides higher port density, improved forwarding efficiency, expanded buffer credit resources, native FICON mainframe protocol support and integrated hardware security capabilities, enabling seamless SAN upgrades from legacy 2G/4G fabrics to 8G Fibre Channel infrastructure.
2. Hardware & Platform Compatibility
Supported MDS Chassis
Cisco MDS 9500 Series Multilayer Directors: MDS 9506, MDS 9509, MDS 9513. Occupies one standard full line card slot.
Note: MDS 9513 requires Fabric-2 switching fabric modules to fully operate Gen3 8G line cards.
Unsupported Platforms
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MDS 9700 next-generation 16G/32G directors
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MDS 9100 / MDS 9200 fixed compact SAN switches
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Chassis equipped only with Fabric-1 backplane modules
Supported Firmware Releases
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Minimum SAN-OS release: SAN-OS 3.2(x)
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Fully validated for NX-OS 4.x, 5.x, 6.x mainstream production firmware
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Supports non-disruptive ISSU (In-Service Software Upgrade) for zero-downtime SAN fabric upgrades
SFP Transceiver Compatibility
All Cisco certified 1G/2G/4G/8G Fibre Channel LC SFP transceivers (Optics sold separately):
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Short-wave multimode: DS-SFP-FC8G-SW
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Long-wave single-mode: DS-SFP-FC8G-LW
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Extended long-haul single-mode optics for inter-building long-distance ISL links
3. Physical & Electrical Technical Specifications
Form Factor
Single-slot hot-swappable FRU (Field Replaceable Unit), vertical front-panel insertion for MDS 9500 chassis, standard mechanical footprint for MDS Gen3 line cards.
Port & Bandwidth Performance
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48 independent LC SFP port slots, auto-sensing 1.0625G / 2.125G / 4.25G / 8.5G Fibre Channel full line-rate forwarding
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Total aggregate full-duplex switching bandwidth: 192 Gbps (96 Gbps half-duplex shared bandwidth architecture)
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Configurable shared bandwidth groups and dedicated rate port mode; maximum 4095 buffer credits per port
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Supported Fibre Channel operational port modes: F_Port, FL_Port, E_Port, SD_Port, TE_Port, TL_Port
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Native FICON and FICON CUP protocol support for IBM mainframe storage environments
Power Consumption
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Typical idle operating power draw: 120W
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Maximum full-load power consumption: 210W with all 48 SFP transceivers operating 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. Key Fibre Channel & Software Feature Set
Hot-Swap OIR (Online Insertion and Removal)
The entire DS-X9248-96K9 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, independent zoning policies per VSAN
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Comprehensive Fibre Channel zoning: Hard zoning, soft zoning, WWPN/WWNN device-based zoning
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ISL trunking with E_Port trunk groups for aggregated inter-fabric bandwidth
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IVR (Inter-VSAN Routing) support for cross-VSAN data forwarding across segmented fabrics
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Transparent FICON protocol forwarding for IBM System z mainframe integration
Enterprise-Grade SAN Security Features
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Port security: Lock port access to predefined storage device WWPN identifiers
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DH-CHAP mutual authentication for inter-switch ISL links; FC-SP fabric security protocol
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Broadcast and multicast Fibre Channel frame storm suppression, port lockdown functions
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RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) integrated with MDS supervisor management plane
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Ready for Cisco SME (Storage Media Encryption) licensed storage encryption services
Advanced SAN Diagnostics & Management
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Built-in DOM (Digital Optical Monitoring) support for optical SFP transceivers; real-time monitoring of transmit/receive optical power, laser temperature, supply voltage
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Per-port real-time performance counters, CRC error statistics, link fault logging
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SPAN port mirroring, FC ping, FC traceroute built-in diagnostic utilities
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Native integration with Cisco DCNM (Data Center Network Manager), Fabric Manager and Device Manager for unified SAN lifecycle management
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Call Home automated fault notification for data center operation monitoring
5. Typical Enterprise SAN Deployment Use Cases
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High-Density Server & Storage F_Port Attachment: Deploy F_Ports to connect large volumes of virtualization servers, database hosts to 8G all-flash arrays and enterprise disk storage systems
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Mainframe SAN Connectivity: Utilize native FICON protocol capability to build IBM mainframe storage access fabrics
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Centralized Tape Library Backup Infrastructure: FL_Port connections for enterprise shared tape libraries and virtual backup appliances
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Redundant Inter-Switch ISL Trunks: Deploy E_Port trunks to build resilient multi-path fabric links between multiple MDS directors
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Legacy SAN Infrastructure Migration: Gradual migration from 2G/4G Gen1/Gen2 line cards to 8G Gen3 hardware without complete 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-X9248-96K9 48-port auto-sensing 1/2/4/8Gbps Fibre Channel Gen3 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-X9248-96K9 has reached Cisco official End-of-Sale (EoS). Cisco TAC hardware fault support remains available for customers with active Cisco Smart Net Total Care service contracts. Recommended migration replacement hardware includes MDS 9700 series 16G Fibre Channel line cards.
UNSPSC Classification Code
43222602 – Cisco DS-X9248-96K9 hot-swappable high-density 48-port auto-sensing 1/2/4/8-Gbps Fibre Channel Gen3 switching line card for Cisco MDS 9500 series multilayer storage directors, supporting OIR hot-swap maintenance, hardware-isolated VSAN segmentation, Inter-VSAN Routing, native FICON mainframe support, full Fibre Channel zoning, DH-CHAP fabric security, DOM optical transceiver diagnostics, designed for high-density enterprise data center SAN host/storage attachment, mainframe connectivity and redundant inter-switch ISL trunk deployments.
Standard Hardware Warranty
All factory-new DS-X9248-96K9 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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