Description
Scalability and Performance
The N9K-C9516-B1 Cisco Nexus 9516 Chassis Bundle is a high-performance data center switch designed for scalability and high availability. It offers several features that make it suitable for use in large-scale data centers that require high performance, low latency, and high bandwidth.
Scalability: The N9K-C9516-B1 chassis bundle is highly scalable, with the ability to support up to 576 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ports, 192 40 GbE ports, or 96 100 GbE ports, depending on the type of line cards used. This allows it to meet the increasing demand for network capacity in large-scale data centers. Additionally, the switch can support up to 60 line cards, providing further flexibility in network design and scaling.
Performance: The N9K-C9516-B1 chassis bundle is designed for high performance, with several features that ensure low latency and high throughput. It has a switching capacity of up to 36 Tbps and a forwarding rate of up to 15 billion packets per second, providing the ability to handle large amounts of traffic without performance degradation. Additionally, the switch supports advanced features such as hardware-based VXLAN routing, which enables efficient forwarding of traffic between virtualized servers.
The N9K-C9516-B1 chassis bundle also includes several features that enhance performance and availability, including:
- Redundant power supplies and fans: The switch includes multiple power supplies and fans, providing redundancy in the event of a failure.
- In-service software upgrades: The switch supports in-service software upgrades, allowing for software updates to be applied without disrupting network traffic.
- Virtual PortChannel (vPC): The vPC feature allows multiple physical links to be combined into a single logical link, providing increased bandwidth and resiliency.
Supported Network Protocols and Standards
The N9K-C9516-B1 Cisco Nexus 9516 Chassis Bundle supports a variety of network protocols and standards, including:
- Ethernet: The Nexus 9516 supports Ethernet standards, including 10G, 40G, and 100G.
- TCP/IP: The Nexus 9516 supports the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the Internet Protocol (IP) for network communication.
- Fibre Channel: The Nexus 9516 supports Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), which allows Fibre Channel traffic to be transported over Ethernet networks.
- Data Center Bridging (DCB): The Nexus 9516 supports DCB, which is a set of Ethernet enhancements that provide lossless, low-latency communication for storage and other applications.
- Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN): The Nexus 9516 supports VXLAN, which is a network virtualization technology that allows virtual networks to be created across physical networks.
- Border Gateway Protocol (BGP): The Nexus 9516 supports BGP, which is a routing protocol used to exchange routing information between different autonomous systems.
- Open Shortest Path First (OSPF): The Nexus 9516 supports OSPF, which is a routing protocol used to exchange routing information within a single autonomous system.
- Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS): The Nexus 9516 supports MPLS, which is a protocol used to create virtual private networks (VPNs) and provide quality of service (QoS) on networks.
- Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP): The Nexus 9516 supports SNMP, which is a protocol used to manage and monitor network devices.
- Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS): The Nexus 9516 supports RADIUS, which is a protocol used for remote authentication and accounting for network access.
Installation and Configuration
The N9K-C9516-B1 Cisco Nexus 9516 Chassis Bundle is a high-performance data center switch that offers advanced features for data center networking. The installation and configuration of the N9K-C9516-B1 bundle can be broken down into the following steps:
- Unpack and inspect the bundle: Before installing the switch, carefully unpack the bundle and inspect it for any damage. Make sure that all the components are included in the package.
- Install the chassis: Install the chassis in a rack or cabinet that meets the physical requirements of the switch. The chassis must be installed in a well-ventilated and dust-free environment.
- Install the power supplies: Install the power supplies in the designated slots on the chassis. The N9K-C9516-B1 bundle supports up to six hot-swappable power supplies, which provide redundancy and high availability.
- Install the fan trays: Install the fan trays in the designated slots on the chassis. The N9K-C9516-B1 bundle supports up to six hot-swappable fan trays, which provide cooling for the switch.
- Install the line cards: Install the line cards in the designated slots on the chassis. The N9K-C9516-B1 bundle supports up to 16 line cards, which provide the network ports for the switch.
- Connect the cables: Connect the power cables and network cables to the switch. The N9K-C9516-B1 bundle supports a variety of network cables, including Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and InfiniBand.
- Configure the switch: Configure the switch using the Cisco NX-OS software. The configuration process involves setting up the network interfaces, VLANs, routing protocols, and security features.
- Test the switch: Test the switch to ensure that it is functioning properly. This involves verifying the network connectivity, performance, and reliability of the switch.
General Information:
- Manufacturer: Cisco Systems, Inc
- Manufacturer Part Number: N9K-C9516-B1
- Brand Name: Cisco
- Device Type Switch – L3 – managed – with Cisco Nexus 9500 Supervisor (N9K-SUP-A), 2x Cisco Nexus 9500 System Controller (N9K-SC-A), 3x Cisco Fabric Module (N9K-C9508-FM)
- Enclosure Type Rack-mountable 20U
- Capacity Virtual interfaces (VLANs): 4096
- Routing Protocol Static IP routing
- Remote Management Protocol SNMP 1, SNMP 2, RMON, SNMP 3, SSH-2
- Authentication Method RADIUS, TACACS+
- Compliant Standards IEEE 802.3z, IEEE 802.1D, IEEE 802.1Q, IEEE 802.3x, IEEE 802.3ad (LACP), IEEE 802.1w, IEEE 802.3ae, IEEE 802.1s, IEEE 801.1p, IEEE 802.1ab (LLDP), IEEE 802.3ba
Expansions And Connectivity:
- Expansion Slots 18 (total) / 12 (free) x expansion slot
- Installed Modules Qty (Max) 6 (installed) / 18 (max)
Power:
- Power Device Internal power supply – hot-plug
- Installed Qty 3 (installed) / 3 (max)
- Power Redundancy Yes
- Power Provided 3000 Watt
- Voltage Required AC 230 V (50 – 60 Hz)
- Features Front-to-rear air?ow





