Cisco N3K-M408X Full Official Product Description
1. Part Number & Naming Definition
Market Reference Name
Cisco Nexus 3000 Series 8-Port 40 Gigabit Ethernet Expansion Module
SKU:N3K-M408X
Naming Breakdown
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N3K: Cisco Nexus 3000 Series data center switch platform
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M: Expansion Module
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408X: Eight 40GE QSFP+ interfaces
Core Product Positioning
The Cisco N3K-M408X is a high-density hot-swappable expansion module designed for compatible Cisco Nexus 3000 Series switches. It provides eight QSFP+ slots supporting wire-speed 40 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. Optimized for low-latency data center leaf-spine fabric, cloud computing clusters, high-frequency trading networks and storage interconnection scenarios. Operating on the NX-OS operating system, this module supports comprehensive L2/L3 forwarding, advanced traffic management, precision timing protocols and data center class high availability functions.
2. Hardware Compatibility
Supported Host Switches
Compatible modular Nexus 3000 Series chassis that support pluggable expansion modules
Supported Operating System
Cisco NX-OS (minimum required release following hardware compatibility matrix)
Unsupported Platforms
Nexus 2000 fabric extenders, Nexus 9000 fixed switches, Catalyst campus switches, ISR/ASR routers
3. Physical & Interface Specifications
Form Factor
Hot-swappable expansion module supporting OIR (Online Insertion and Removal) without traffic interruption
Port Configuration
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8 × QSFP+ transceiver slots
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Native speed: 40 Gbps (40GE)
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Support breakout: 4×10GE per QSFP+ with compatible breakout cables
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Supported transceivers: QSFP+ 40G-SR4, LR4, CR4, ER4 optical modules and passive/active copper cables
Aggregate Throughput
320 Gbps full-duplex non-blocking wire-speed forwarding capacity
Front Panel Indicators
Per-port Link/Activity LED, module global status LED, hardware fault alarm indicator
Typical Power Consumption
Environmental Operating Parameters
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Operating Temperature: 0°C ~ 40°C (32°F ~ 104°F)
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Storage Temperature: -40°C ~ 70°C (-40°F ~ 158°F)
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Relative Humidity: 5% – 90%, non-condensing
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Maximum operating altitude: 3,000 meters (9,842 ft)
4. Supported Functional Capabilities
Layer 2 & Layer 3 Forwarding
IPv4, IPv6, static routing, BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, 802.1Q VLAN, QinQ stacking, MAC address learning
Data Center Ethernet Features
LACP, vPC, LLDP, IEEE 802.3ah Ethernet OAM, ERSPAN, SPAN/RSPAN
Traffic Management & Low Latency
Ingress/egress policing, traffic shaping, multiple priority queues, WRED, DSCP marking, cut-through forwarding support
Precision Timing
IEEE 1588 PTPv2 synchronization for financial and telecom low-latency environments
High Availability Mechanisms
OIR support, interface failover, vPC peer-link redundancy
Operations & Management
Real-time port statistics and error counters, SNMP v2c/v3, Syslog, NTP, DCNM management, electronic serial number asset tracking
5. Typical Deployment Scenarios
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Leaf-spine data center fabric 40GE uplink interconnections
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High-performance computing (HPC) and low-latency financial trading network aggregation
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Cloud server cluster and distributed storage backend interconnection
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Migration and capacity expansion of existing Nexus 3000 switching infrastructure
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Spare inventory for data center hardware maintenance and emergency replacement
6. Regulatory & Compliance Certifications
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Safety Standards: UL 60950-1, IEC/EN 60950-1, CSA C22.2 No.60950-1
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EMC Compliance: CE Mark, FCC Part 15 Class A, ICES-003 Class A, VCCI Class A
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Environmental: RoHS 2.0 compliant, WEEE directive compliant
7. Standard Factory Package Contents
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Cisco N3K-M408X 8-Port 40GE Expansion Module
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Hardware installation instruction sheet
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Safety and regulatory documentation
Note: QSFP+ transceivers and breakout cables are sold separately.
End-of-Life Status
The N3K-M408X has reached Cisco End-of-Sale. Spare modules remain available via authorized spare distributors and secondary markets. Recommended migration: New-generation switches with 100GE QSFP28 interfaces.
UNSPSC Classification Code
43222619 – Cisco N3K-M408X 8-port QSFP+ 40GE expansion module for Nexus 3000 data center switches, delivering high-density low-latency 40 Gigabit connectivity for leaf-spine fabrics, cloud and high-performance computing networks.
Hardware Warranty
Original Cisco factory hardware carries limited manufacturer warranty; refurbished equipment follows reseller commercial warranty terms.
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