N3K-C3172TQ-10GT - Cisco Nexus 3172TQ 48-Port 10GBase-T Switch

Cisco Nexus 3172TQ 1RU switch with 48x10GBase-T RJ-45 and 6x QSFP+ ports, 1.4 Tbps switching capacity for ToR data center deployments.

The Cisco N3K-C3172TQ-10GT is the Nexus 3172TQ, a dense, high-performance Layer 2/3 switch belonging to the Cisco Nexus 3100 platform. It is a 1 rack unit (RU) 10GBASE-T switch equipped with 48 fixed 10GBASE-T RJ-45 ports (each capable of 100-Mbps, 1-Gbps, or 10-Gbps operation) and 6 Quad SFP+ (QSFP+) ports, each supporting either 4x10 Gigabit Ethernet or 40 Gigabit Ethernet. Running Cisco NX-OS Software, it delivers continuous availability for mission-critical data center environments. Designed as a cost-effective, power-efficient top-of-rack (ToR) switch, it offers a 1.4 Tbps switching capacity, forwarding rate of up to 1 Bpps, jumbo frame support up to 9216 bytes, and dual redundant AC/DC power supplies with flexible airflow schemes, making it suitable for enterprise and data center network aggregation and access-layer roles.

• Manufacturer: Cisco Systems, Inc.
• Product Family: Cisco Nexus 3000 Series
• Product Series: Nexus 3100 Platform
• Model: Nexus 3172TQ
• Product Type: Fixed-configuration Layer 2/3 Top-of-Rack data center switch
• Form Factor: 1 Rack Unit (1RU), rack-mountable
• Ports: 48 x 1/10GBase-T RJ-45 ports + 6 x QSFP+ ports
• Management/Console Ports: 1 management port, 1 console port, 1 USB port
• Switching Capacity: 1.4 Tbps
• Forwarding Rate: Up to 1 Bpps (1000 Mpps)
• Max Transmission Unit (MTU): Up to 9216 bytes (jumbo frames)
• System Memory: 4 GB
• Boot Flash: 2 GB
• Buffer Size: 12 MB shared
• MAC Address Table: 288,000 entries
• VLAN Support: Up to 4096 VLANs
• EtherChannel Support: Up to 64 EtherChannels, up to 16 ports per EtherChannel
• Operating System: Cisco NX-OS Software
• Power Supplies: 2 (redundant, AC or DC)
• AC Input Voltage: 100 to 240 VAC
• DC Input Voltage: -40 VDC to -72 VDC
• Typical Operating Power: 360 W
• Maximum Power Consumption: 440 W
• Cooling/Airflow: 4 fan modules; supports port-side intake and port-side exhaust airflow
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 4.4 x 43.9 x 50.5 cm
• Weight: 10 kg
• Networking Standards: IEEE 802.1D, 802.1p, 802.1Q, 802.1s, 802.1w, 802.3z, 802.3ad, and others

• 48 fixed 10GBase-T RJ-45 ports supporting 100-Mbps, 1-Gbps, and 10-Gbps speeds
• 6 QSFP+ ports supporting 4x10GE breakout or native 40 Gigabit Ethernet
• 1.4 Tbps switching capacity for high-throughput data center workloads
• Forwarding rate of up to 1 Bpps for low-latency line-rate performance
• Runs industry-leading Cisco NX-OS Software for mission-critical reliability
• Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching capabilities in a single compact 1RU chassis
• Supports up to 4096 VLANs for flexible network segmentation
• Up to 64 EtherChannels with up to 16 ports per channel for link aggregation
• Dual redundant AC or DC power supplies for high availability
• Flexible port-side intake and port-side exhaust airflow schemes
• Jumbo frame support up to 9216 bytes for storage and virtualization traffic
• Compact, power-efficient design optimized for top-of-rack deployment

Designed for high-density, low-latency top-of-rack switching in modern data centers.

• Top-of-rack (ToR) switching for enterprise and cloud data centers
• Aggregation layer connectivity in 10G/40G data center fabrics
• High-speed server access switching for virtualized environments
• Storage area network (SAN) traffic requiring low latency and jumbo frames
• Layer 2/3 network segmentation with large-scale VLAN deployments
• Link aggregation and redundancy via EtherChannel for critical uplinks
• Cost-effective 10GBASE-T migration path for existing copper cabling infrastructure

• High 1.4 Tbps switching capacity
• Line-rate Layer 2/3 performance
• Power-efficient ToR design
• Flexible AC/DC redundant power
• Reliable Cisco NX-OS platform
• Compact 1RU space-saving footprint

• Form Factor: 1 Rack Unit (1RU)
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 4.4 x 43.9 x 50.5 cm
• Weight: 10 kg
• Airflow: Port-side intake and port-side exhaust supported
• Cooling: 4 fan modules

Per available documentation, this product is validated for:

• Cisco NX-OS Software (Nexus 3000/3100 supported releases)
• Cisco QSFP-40G-LR4 40GBase-LR4 optical transceiver
• Cisco NXA-PAC-500W AC power supply units
• Cisco NXA-FAN-30CFM-F fan modules
• Cisco N2200-ACC-KIT rack mount kit
• Cisco Nexus 3172PQ-10GE (sibling SFP+ variant)
• Cisco Nexus 3172TQ-XL and 3172TQ-32T (related Nexus 3172 family models)
• Cisco Nexus 3132Q-40GE and 3064TQ-10GT (interoperable within Nexus 3000/3100 upgrade paths)

Note: Compatibility list reflects the Nexus 3100 platform family and associated accessories/transceivers documented by Cisco; verify exact NX-OS release compatibility before firmware upgrades, as some newer NX-OS releases require an intermediate BIOS upgrade for this model.

• 1 x Cisco N3K-C3172TQ-10GT Nexus 3172TQ switch
• 2 x Power Supply Units (NXA-PAC-500W)
• 4 x Fan Modules (NXA-FAN-30CFM-F)
• 1 x Rack Mount Kit (N2200-ACC-KIT)
• 2 x Power Cords
• 1 x Console Cable

Q: What is the Cisco N3K-C3172TQ-10GT?

A: It is the Cisco Nexus 3172TQ, a 1RU Layer 2/3 data center switch with 48 10GBASE-T RJ-45 ports and 6 QSFP+ ports, part of the Nexus 3100 platform.

Q: How many ports does the N3K-C3172TQ-10GT have?

A: It has 48 fixed 10GBASE-T RJ-45 ports (each supporting 100-Mbps, 1-Gbps, or 10-Gbps) plus 6 QSFP+ ports that each support 4x10GE or native 40GE.

Q: What is the switching capacity of this switch?

A: According to distributor datasheets referencing Cisco specifications, the switch provides a switching capacity of 1.4 Tbps and a forwarding rate of up to 1 Bpps.

Q: Which operating system does the N3K-C3172TQ-10GT run?

A: The switch runs Cisco NX-OS Software, the same operating system used across the Nexus data center switching portfolio.

Q: Does the switch support redundant power?

A: Yes, it ships with two power supply units and supports both AC and DC input options for power redundancy, as noted in Cisco's hardware installation guide and distributor listings.

Q: What accessories are typically included with the N3K-C3172TQ-10GT?

A: Typical package contents include the switch chassis, two NXA-PAC-500W power supplies, four NXA-FAN-30CFM-F fan modules, an N2200-ACC-KIT rack mount kit, power cords, and a console cable.

Q: Is the N3K-C3172TQ-10GT related to other Nexus 3172 models?

A: Yes, it is part of a family that includes the Nexus 3172PQ-10GE (SFP+ variant), 3172TQ-32T (licensed port variant), and 3172TQ-XL (higher-memory variant).

Q: What airflow options does this switch support?

A: The switch supports both port-side intake and port-side exhaust airflow schemes, allowing flexible installation in different data center cooling layouts.