Cisco N3K-M212PQ Full Official Product Description
1. Part Number & Naming Definition
Market Reference Name
Cisco Nexus 3000 Series 12-Port 25 Gigabit Ethernet Expansion Module
SKU:N3K-M212PQ
Naming Breakdown
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N3K: Cisco Nexus 3000 Series data center switch platform
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M: Hot-swappable Expansion Module
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212PQ: Twelve 25GE SFP28 interface ports
Core Product Positioning
The Cisco N3K-M212PQ is a low-latency hot-swappable expansion module designed for compatible modular Cisco Nexus 3000 Series switches. It provides twelve SFP28 transceiver slots supporting native 25 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity, with backward compatibility for 10GE SFP+ transceivers. Optimized for leaf-spine data center fabrics, high-performance computing clusters, low-latency financial trading networks, cloud server pooling and distributed storage interconnections. Running NX-OS, this module delivers comprehensive Layer 2/Layer 3 forwarding, advanced traffic scheduling, precision timing synchronization and carrier-grade high availability capabilities.
2. Hardware Compatibility
Supported Host Chassis
Modular Nexus 3000 Series switches supporting pluggable expansion module slots
Supported Operating System
Cisco NX-OS (compliant with official hardware compatibility matrix minimum release requirements)
Unsupported Platforms
Nexus 2000 fabric extenders, Nexus 9000 fixed/modular switches, Catalyst campus switches, ISR & ASR routers
3. Physical & Interface Specifications
Form Factor
Hot-swappable expansion module supporting OIR (Online Insertion and Removal) without disrupting existing data forwarding
Port Configuration
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12 × SFP28 transceiver slots
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Native operating speed: 25 Gbps
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Backward compatible: 10 Gbps SFP+ optics
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Supported transceivers: SFP28-25G-SR, LR, CR, passive/active copper twinax cables
Aggregate Throughput
300 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 tagging, QinQ stacking, MAC address learning
Data Center Ethernet Functions
LACP, vPC, LLDP, IEEE 802.3ah Ethernet OAM, ERSPAN, SPAN/RSPAN traffic monitoring
Low-Latency Traffic Management
Ingress/egress policing, traffic shaping, multi-queue priority scheduling, WRED, DSCP marking, cut-through forwarding support
Precision Time Synchronization
IEEE 1588 PTPv2 for financial and telecom low-latency environments
High Availability Mechanisms
OIR support, interface failover, vPC peer-link redundancy
Operations & Management
Real-time port counters and error statistics, SNMP v2c/v3, Syslog logging, NTP, DCNM centralized management, electronic serial number asset tracking
5. Typical Deployment Scenarios
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Leaf-spine data center fabric 25GE server uplink connections
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Low-latency high-frequency trading and high-performance computing aggregation
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Cloud virtualization cluster and distributed storage backend interconnection
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Capacity expansion and upgrade of existing Nexus 3000 switching infrastructure
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Spare inventory for data center routine 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-M212PQ 12-Port 25GE Expansion Module
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Hardware installation instruction sheet
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Safety and regulatory documentation
Note: SFP28/SFP+ optical transceivers and copper cables are sold separately.
End-of-Life Status
The N3K-M212PQ has reached Cisco End-of-Sale. Spare modules remain available via authorized spare distributors and secondary markets. Recommended migration: New-generation switches supporting 100GE QSFP28 interfaces.
UNSPSC Classification Code
43222619 – Cisco N3K-M212PQ 12-port SFP28 25GE expansion module for Nexus 3000 data center switches, delivering high-density low-latency 25 Gigabit connectivity for leaf-spine fabrics, cloud computing and low-latency trading networks.
Hardware Warranty
Original Cisco factory hardware carries limited manufacturer warranty; refurbished equipment follows reseller commercial warranty terms.
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