N9K-X9636PQ with 40Gb Breakout Cable

[AJ Cruz]

Hello, I'm trying to understand capabilities of the 9636PQ module in a 9500 chassis. I've read the Nexus 9500 switch architecture whitepaper:

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/nexus-9000-series-switches/white-paper-c11-729987.html

But when talking about the 9636 linecard it doesn't really make it clear how it supports the 40G breakout cables. Does it convert the entire linecard or just the 12 ports on a shared forwarding engine?

Thanks.

[Steve Fuller]

Hi Arthur,

I've not tried this, but from reading the Breakout Interfaces section of the configuration guide it seems you can breakout an entire module, or with the card you’re referring to, on a per port basis.

From the configuration guide:

"For dynamic breakout (per-port level breakout), the interface breakout command splits high bandwidth 40G ports into four 10G breakout ports. The breakout ports are identified as Ethernet <slot>/<front-panel-port>/<breakout-port>. For example, per-port level breakout ports can be identified as Ethernet 1/2/1, Ethernet 1/2/2, Ethernet 1/2/3, and Ethernet 1/2/4."

The information provided in the response from arnold batista in the post Nexus 9508 Using The CVR-QSFP-SFP10G may also be of use to you.

Regards

[Rajeshkumar Gatti]

Arthur,

Hope this answers your query

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/nexus9000/sw/7-x/interfaces/configuration/guide/b_Cisco_Nexus_9000_Series_NX-OS_Interfaces_Configuration_Guide_7x/b_Cisco_Nexus_9000_Series_NX-OS_Interfaces_Configuration_Guide_7x_chapter_010.html#concept_855836F7B4C24198891FC6A5FACF6DE7

Note that the dynamic breakout support which is per port came with the 7.093)I1(1) release.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/nexus9000/sw/6-x/release/notes/70311_nxos_rn.html

Cisco NX-OS Release 7.0(3)I1(1) includes the new software features described in these sections for the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series switches and the Cisco Nexus 3164Q switch:

    Interfaces Features

– 10G dynamic breakout support - A port can have 10G or 40G bandwidth. Ports that have a 40G or higher bandwidth are considered high bandwidth ports (HBP). The dynamic breakout feature enables you to split any HBP into multiple 10G ports (breakout ports).

Dynamic breakout is supported only on the following:

- X9636PQ, X9432PQ, and X9536PQ line cards on a Cisco Nexus 9500 Series switch

Hope this helps.

-Raj