Cisco Nexus 9336C-FX2 vs Other 100G Data Center Switches

The Cisco Nexus 9336C-FX2 is a 1RU, 36-port 100G QSFP28 switch built on Cisco Cloud Scale silicon, rated at 7.2 Tbps full-duplex and 2.4 Bpps, and it runs either standalone NX-OS or Cisco ACI. Compared with the typical 32 x 100G data center switch, it gives you four more ports in the same rack unit. Compared with other brands, its real differentiator is the ACI option. If you do not run ACI and are not standardized on Cisco, an Arista, Dell or Juniper switch can do the same job on a different operating system. Here is how it compares, using the specs of the switches Nexus Compute supplies.

What is the Nexus 9336C-FX2 built for?

It is a fixed 100G switch for data center leaf and small-spine roles. The 36 QSFP28 ports run at 1, 10, 25, 40, 50 or 100G, and QSFP28 ports support breakout to 4 x 10G or 4 x 25G (check Cisco's port-breakout rules for your NX-OS release before planning a fully broken-out switch). Fabric features include VXLAN BGP-EVPN, segment routing and telemetry, with out-of-band management, console and USB ports. Airflow is ordered as port-side intake or port-side exhaust, so specify it to match your hot and cold aisles. Typical deployments are a 100G leaf for storage and GPU servers, a 100G aggregation or small spine for 10G and 25G leaves, or a collapsed core in a compact data center.

How does it compare with other 100G data center switches?

• Cisco Nexus 9336C-FX2: 36 x 100G QSFP28, 7.2 Tbps, 1RU, NX-OS or ACI.
• Arista 7050CX3-32S: 32 x 100GbE QSFP28, 6.4 Tbps, 1U, Arista EOS with CloudVision, field-selectable airflow.
• Arista 7060CX-32S: 32 x 100GbE QSFP28, 6.4 Tbps, 1U, positioned as a Layer 3 data center spine, EOS with CloudVision.
• Dell EMC PowerSwitch S5232F-ON: 32 x 100GbE QSFP28, 6.4 Tbps, 1U, SmartFabric OS10 with ONIE open networking, reversible airflow.
• Cisco Catalyst C9500-32C: 32 x 100GbE QSFP28, 6.4 Tbps, 1U, IOS XE with DNA Center, built for core and aggregation.
• Juniper QFX5120-48Y: 48 x 25GbE SFP28 plus 8 x 100GbE QSFP28, 4.0 Tbps, 1U, Junos OS and Apstra-ready.
• Arista 7280CR3-32P4: 32 x 100GbE QSFP28 plus 4 x 400GbE QSFP-DD in 1U, a deep-buffer spine and edge switch.

On pure 100G density in one rack unit, the 9336C-FX2 leads the 32-port field: 36 ports and 7.2 Tbps against 32 ports and 6.4 Tbps. Beyond that, the comparison is about operating system, fabric management, buffer depth and whether you need faster uplinks, not raw throughput.

Nexus 9336C-FX2 vs Arista 7050CX3-32S: which should you buy?

Both are 1U, 100G Layer 3 data center switches suited to leaf duty. The Cisco has four more ports. The Arista runs EOS with CloudVision, and its airflow direction is field-selectable, which helps if you are not sure yet which way a rack will face. Pick the 9336C-FX2 if you run ACI, or if your operations team already automates NX-OS. Pick the 7050CX3-32S if you are building on EOS and want one operating system from leaf to spine. Neither choice is wrong on hardware grounds; the operating model decides it.

How does it compare with Dell, Juniper and the Catalyst 9500?

The Dell S5232F-ON is the open networking option. It ships with SmartFabric OS10, and ONIE lets you install an alternative network operating system, which matters if you are moving toward disaggregated networking. The Juniper QFX5120-48Y is a different shape: 48 x 25G server ports with 8 x 100G uplinks, so compare it with Cisco's own Nexus 93180YC-FX (48 x 25GbE plus 6 x 100GbE, 3.6 Tbps) rather than with the 9336C-FX2. For 10GBASE-T copper servers, Cisco's Nexus 93108TC-FX offers 48 x 10GBASE-T plus 6 x 100G. The Catalyst C9500-32C has a similar 32 x 100G port layout, but it runs IOS XE, is managed with DNA Center and is positioned for campus core and aggregation. If the switch sits in a data center fabric with VXLAN EVPN or ACI, the Nexus is the better fit. If it sits at the core of a campus network managed with Catalyst tooling, the C9500-32C is.

Should you run the 9336C-FX2 in NX-OS or ACI mode?

• NX-OS mode: each switch is configured individually through CLI and APIs, or centrally with Cisco Nexus Dashboard. You build VXLAN BGP-EVPN yourself, and because EVPN is standards-based, the fabric can interoperate with other vendors' switches.
• ACI mode: the switches run ACI software and are managed as one fabric by an APIC controller cluster, using a policy model of tenants, endpoint groups and contracts. ACI needs Cisco spines and APICs, and non-Cisco switches cannot join the fabric.
• Changing modes means loading the other software image and re-provisioning the switch, and licensing differs between the two, so decide before you order.
• Still undecided? Our article on Cisco Nexus for AI workloads, VXLAN and ACI covers when the ACI policy model pays for its extra components.

Which optics and cables does the 9336C-FX2 use?

All 36 ports are QSFP28. Inside a rack, 100G DAC cables are the simplest and lowest-power option, with AOCs for longer runs within a row. Across a building, 100G-SR4 runs over multimode fiber with MPO connectors, and 100G-LR4 or CWDM4 over single-mode fiber with duplex LC. For 25G or 10G servers, use QSFP28-to-4 x SFP28 or QSFP-to-4 x SFP+ breakout cables. Cisco switches check transceiver coding, so order optics coded for the platform. See transceivers and cables for 100G modules, DACs and breakouts.

When is the Nexus 9336C-FX2 the right choice?

• You run Cisco ACI, or plan to, and need a 100G leaf.
• You operate an NX-OS estate with VXLAN BGP-EVPN and want the densest 1RU 100G switch in this comparison.
• You need a 100G aggregation layer for 10G and 25G leaves such as the 93180YC-FX or 93108TC-FX.
• You want Cisco hardware warranty and Smart Net support across the whole leaf-spine fabric.

When is another switch the better buy?

• Your team standardizes on Arista EOS, Dell OS10, Junos or an open NOS: buy the matching 32-port switch.
• You need 400G uplinks or deep buffers for storage incast: look at the Arista 7280CR3-32P4 or the 400G Ethernet range.
• Most of your servers connect at 25G: a 48 x 25G leaf such as the Nexus 93180YC-FX or QFX5120-48Y fits better.
• The switch is a campus core: the Catalyst C9500-32C belongs there.

The 9336C-FX2 wins on 100G ports per rack unit and on ACI. Everywhere else, the right 100G switch is the one that runs the operating system your team already operates.

Nexus Compute supplies the Nexus 9336C-FX2 and the alternatives above new, through authorized distribution with the full manufacturer warranty, and checks optics and platform compatibility before dispatch. Send your port count, server speeds and whether you run NX-OS or ACI through request a quote, and we will reply within 48 business hours.