Product Overview
The Cisco N3K-C3548P-XL is a high-performance, ultra-low latency Layer 2 and Layer 3 switch in the Nexus 3000 series. Designed for financial markets, high-frequency trading (HFT), and latency-sensitive data center applications, it provides 48 fixed 10-Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ ports and 4 uplink ports with extremely low forwarding latency of around 250 nanoseconds.
Product Description
The Cisco Nexus N3K-C3548P-XL is engineered for top-of-rack (ToR) deployment in dense 10G environments requiring deterministic performance and operational consistency. The XL version of the 3548P offers larger forwarding tables and buffer capacity, supporting scalable multicast, deep packet buffering, and complex Layer 3 forwarding scenarios. It runs the Cisco NX-OS software and supports advanced features like PTP, VXLAN, sFlow, and congestion-aware traffic management.
This switch is ideal for enterprises and service providers that need both high-throughput and extremely low latency for applications such as algorithmic trading, distributed databases, and latency-sensitive analytics workloads.
Key Features
48 x 10G SFP+ ports and 4 x 10G SFP+ uplinks
Forwarding latency as low as 250 nanoseconds
NX-OS operating system with Layer 2 and Layer 3 functionality
Advanced telemetry, buffer monitoring, and low jitter
Hot-swappable redundant power supplies and fans
VXLAN, PTP (Precision Time Protocol), and MPLS support
Ideal for HFT, algorithmic trading, and low-latency data centers
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
| Product Model | N3K-C3548P-XL |
| Switching Capacity | 960 Gbps |
| Forwarding Rate | 720 Mpps |
| Ports | 48 x 10G SFP+ + 4 x 10G uplink SFP+ |
| Buffer Size | 12 MB |
| Latency | ~250 ns |
| Layer Support | Layer 2 and Layer 3 |
| Operating System | Cisco NX-OS |
| Dimensions | 1RU |
| Power Supply | Redundant, hot-swappable |
| MTBF | > 300,000 hours |
| Application | HFT, data centers, algorithmic trading |
Similar Models Comparison
| Model | Ports | Latency | Buffer | Application |
| N3K-C3548P-XL | 48 x 10G + 4 uplinks | ~250 ns | 12 MB | HFT, algorithmic trading |
| N3K-C3524P-XL | 24 x 10G + 2 uplinks | ~250 ns | 12 MB | Compact low-latency deployment |
| N3K-C3064X | 48 x 10G + 4 x 40G | ~800 ns | 9 MB | ToR switch for data center |
| N9K-C93180YC-FX | 48 x 25G + 6 x 100G | ~550 ns | 16 MB | High-density leaf/spine architecture |
| N3K-C3172PQ | 48 x 10G + 6 x 40G | ~700 ns | 12 MB | VXLAN and high-throughput routing |
