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Cisco Nexus 3000 Series Hardware Installation Guide
OL-25338-04
Chapter 1 Overview of the Cisco Nexus 3000 Series Switches
Cisco Nexus 3172PQ Switch
Cisco Nexus 3172PQ Switch
The Cisco Nexus 3172PQ Switch is a high-performance switch that is a member of the Cisco Nexus 3100
switches. The Nexus 3100 switches are second-generation Cisco Nexus 3000 series switches and offer
improved port density, scalability, and features compared to the first-generation switches.
The Cisco Nexus 3172PQ is a 1 rack unit (RU), 10-Gbps Enhanced Small Form-Factor Pluggable
(SFP+)-based ToR switch with 48 SFP+ ports and 6 Quad SFP+ (QSFP+) ports. Each SFP+ port can
operate in 100-Mbps, 1-Gbps, or 10-Gbps mode, and each QSFP+ port can operate in native 40-Gbps or
4 x 10-Gbps mode. This switch is a true phy-less switch that is optimized for low latency and low power
consumption. It supports both forward and reverse (port side exhaust and port side intake) airflow
schemes. The Cisco Nexus 3172PQ is well suited for data centers that require a cost-effective,
power-efficient line-rate Layer 2 and 3 access or leaf switch.
This section includes the following topics:
• Chassis for the Cisco Nexus 3172PQ Switch, page 1-21
• Ports for the Cisco Nexus 3172PQ Switch, page 1-23
• Power Supply for the Cisco Nexus 3172PQ Switch, page 1-23
• Fan Tray for the Cisco Nexus 3172PQ Switch, page 1-24
• Transceiver and Cabling Options for the Cisco Nexus 3172PQ Switch, page 1-24

Chassis for the Cisco Nexus 3172PQ Switch

The 1-RU Cisco Nexus 3172PQ chassis (part number N3K-N3172PQ-10GE) is 1.72 inches (4.4 cm)
high, 17.3 inches (43.9 cm) wide, and 19.7 inches (50.5 cm) deep. This switch is designed for 19-inch
(48.3 cm) racks. Its switch ports are at the rear of the chassis in close proximity to server ports, and the
power supplies and fan tray modules are accessible from the front for easy replacement. You can order
this switch with forward or reverse airflow. Forward airflow (Port-side exhaust where air enters through
fan tray and power supplies and exits through ports) is supported with AC and DC power supplies.
Reversed airflow (Port-side intake, where air enters through ports and exits through fan tray and power
supplies) is supported with AC power supply only.
The switch weighs 20.0 lb (9.3 kg) and can be easily installed by one or two people.
Figure 1-9 shows the front of the chassis and identifies the components that you use to install and
connect the chassis. Figure 1-10 shows the rear of the chassis and identifies the components that you use
to install and connect the chassis.
QSFP-40G-SR4 40GBASE-SR4 QSFP transceiver module with MPO connector
QSFP-40G-CSR4 40GBASE-CSR4 QSFP+ transceiver module for MMF, 4-lanes, 850-nm
wavelength, 12-fiber MPO/MTP connector, 300 m reach with OM3
fiber
QSFP-40GE-LR4 40GBASE-LR4 QSFP+ transceiver module for SMF, 4 CWDM lanes in
1310 nm window Muxed inside module, duplex LC connector, 10 km
reach
CVR-QSFP-SFP10G Cisco QSA Module
Table 1-14 Supported Transceivers for the Cisco Nexus C3132Q Switch (continued)
Part Number Description