Datasheet

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The high bandwidth of 10 Gigabit Ethernet poses challenges to transmissions that are met by the transceiver and
cabling options supported by the Cisco Nexus 5500 platform.
The platform supports an innovative Twinax copper cabling solution that connects to standard SFP+ connectors for
in-rack use, and optical cabling for longer cable runs (Table 3).
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For in-rack or adjacent-rack cabling, the Cisco Nexus 5500 platform supports SFP+ direct-attach
10 Gigabit Ethernet copper, an innovative solution that integrates transceivers with Twinax cables into an
energy-efficient, low-cost, and low-latency solution. SFP+ direct-attach 10 Gigabit Twinax copper cables
use only 0.1 watt (W) of power per transceiver and introduce only approximately 0.25 microsecond of
latency per link.
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For longer cable runs, the Cisco Nexus 5500 platform supports multimode, short-reach optical SFP+
transceivers. These optical transceivers use approximately 1W per transceiver and have a latency of less
than 0.1 microsecond.
Table 3. The Cisco Nexus 5500 Platform Supports SFP+ Direct-Attach 10 Gigabit Copper for In-Rack Cabling, and Optical
Solutions for Longer Connections (Ethernet Only)
Connector (Media)
Cable
Distance
Power (Each Side)
Transceiver Latency (Link)
Standard
SFP+ CU copper
Twinax
5m
Approximately 0.1W
Approximately 0 microsecond
SFF 8431
SFP+ ACU copper
Active Twinax
7m
10m
Approximately 0.5W
Approximately 0.1 microsecond
SFF 8461
SFP+ SR MMF and SR
MMF (OM2)
MMF (OM3)
82m
300m
1W
Approximately 0.1 microsecond
IEEE 802.3ae
SFP+ LR
SMF
10Km
1W
Approximately 0.1 microsecond
IEEE 802.3ae
SFP+ ER
SMF
40Km
1.5W
Approximately 0.1 microsecond
IEEE 802.3ae
Features and Benefits
The comprehensive feature sets of the Cisco Nexus 5500 platform make it well suited for top-of-rack, middle-of-
row, or end-of-row data center access-layer applications. The platform switches protect investments in data center
racks with standards-based 10 Gigabit Ethernet and FCoE features and virtual machine awareness features that
allow IT departments to consolidate networks based on their own requirements and timing. The combination of
higher port density, lossless Ethernet, wire-speed performance, and very low latency makes the switch platform
well suited for meeting the growing demand for 10 Gigabit Ethernet that can support a common Ethernet-based
fabric in enterprise and service provider data centers, protecting enterprises’ investments. The switch platform
provides sufficient port density to support single and multiple racks fully populated with blade and rack-mount
servers.
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Built for today’s data centers, the switches are designed just like the servers they support. Ports and power
connections are at the rear, close to server ports, helping keep cable lengths as short and efficient as
possible, delivering benefits traditionally offered on blade servers to rack servers as well. Hot-swappable
power and fan modules can be accessed from the front panel, where status lights offer an at-a-glance view
of switch operation. Front-to-back or back-to-front cooling is consistent with server designs, supporting
efficient data center hot- and cold-aisle designs. Serviceability is enhanced with all customer-replaceable
units accessible from the front panel. The use of SFP+ ports offers increased flexibility, enabling use of a
range of interconnect solutions, including copper Twinax cable for short runs and fiber for long runs.