Cisco Nexus 2000 N2K-C2248TP-E-1GE Cisco Nexus datacenter switch / module

Brand: Cisco | Category: Network Switches

SKU: CSC-N2K-C2248TP-E-1GE | Part #: N2K-C2248TP-E-1GE | MPN: N2K-C2248TP-E-1GE

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The Cisco Nexus 2000 N2K-C2248TP-E-1GE operates as a Layer 2 fabric extender (FEX) with no independent control plane—it functions as a remote line card of a parent Nexus switch running NX-OS. This architectural model means the N2K-C2248TP-E-1GE handles switching and forwarding only, with all management, VLAN configuration, and policy enforcement delegated to the upstream parent switch. If your data centre requires Layer 3 routing, BGP, OSPF, or overlay fabrics like VXLAN and EVPN, those capabilities live on the parent Nexus 5000, 5500, 5600, 6000, or 7000 Series—the FEX simply extends port density and connectivity to the fabric. This design is deliberate: centralised control reduces operational overhead and ensures consistency across distributed access points.

Network engineers and data-centre architects choose the Cisco Nexus 2000 series when they need to scale host connectivity without buying additional modular chassis. The N2K-C2248TP-E-1GE brings 48 downlink ports of 1000BASE-T (RJ-45) Ethernet to server racks or storage arrays, backed by four 10-gigabit SFP+ uplink ports that connect via direct fibre to the parent switch fabric. Each downlink port auto-negotiates between 10, 100, and 1000 Mbps, so older equipment integrates seamlessly alongside modern gigabit infrastructure. The 1U form factor fits standard 19-inch racks, and the device supports jumbo frames for throughput-sensitive workloads. Dual power supply slots allow redundancy—you can deploy two AC supplies or one AC and one DC module—ensuring that port loss due to power failure affects only the FEX, never your core fabric.

In practice, the Cisco Nexus 2000 N2K-C2248TP-E-1GE is deployed in two patterns. First, hyperscaler and cloud-adjacent data centres use FEX arrays to consolidate TOR switching: rather than standing up dozens of independent access switches, one parent Nexus acts as the fabric spine, with multiple FEX units fanning out to server rows. The centralised NX-OS management plane simplifies monitoring and policy rollout across hundreds of ports. Second, enterprise and AI lab operators use FEX to extend a core Nexus fabric into secondary equipment rooms or modular pod architectures without provisioning a separate switching hierarchy. Because the FEX is stateless—it carries no routing table, no spanning-tree instance, no BGP state—failover and recovery are transparent to hosts; they simply see a brief MAC flap when the FEX reconnects to the parent.

The part number N2K-C2248TP-E-1GE encodes its identity: 48 copper downlink ports, 4 uplink SFP+ modules, and support for 1 Gigabit host access. Cisco designed this model for organisations running large-scale East-West traffic (data-centre-internal, not North-South egress), where oversubscription ratios matter less than port count and reliability. The fabric uplinks deliver 40 Gbps aggregate capacity (4 × 10 Gbps), which suits many access designs—if you anticipate sustained 100 Gbps+ flows from a single rack, you would instead opt for a parent switch with higher-bandwidth modules or a Nexus 9000 architecture. Management overhead is minimal: once the FEX is discovered and joined to the parent, NX-OS treats it as additional line-card capacity. VLAN configuration, ACLs, port-channel bonding, and traffic policy all flow from the parent switch to the FEX via in-band or out-of-band management channels.

If you are evaluating the Cisco Nexus 2000 N2K-C2248TP-E-1GE for your data-centre footprint, consider the total cost of ownership: a single large modular Nexus 5000 or 7000 is expensive, but adding FEX modules is incremental and cost-effective. The parent switch requires its own AC or DC power and uplink connectivity, but beyond that, each FEX is a lightweight, passive extension. Organisations upgrading from legacy access-layer switches often find that Cisco Nexus 2000 series deployment reduces both capital expense and operational staffing compared to managing distributed L2/L3 switches across multiple locations. Network teams appreciate the single pane of glass that NX-OS provides, and storage and AI infrastructure teams benefit from simplified VLAN and multicast configuration.

Interface and Connectivity Specifications

• 48 × 1GbE downlink ports (RJ-45, auto-negotiating 10/100/1000 Mbps) for host and edge device connections
• 4 × 10-gigabit SFP+ uplink ports for fabric connectivity to parent Cisco Nexus 5000, 5500, 5600, 6000, or 7000 series switches
• Total of 52 ports (48 downlink + 4 uplink) in a 1U rack-mounted form factor
• Dual power supply slots supporting AC power supplies; optional DC or redundant AC configurations for high availability
• IEEE 802.1Q VLAN support, IEEE 802.3/802.3ab/802.3ae standards compliance, and jumbo frame capability
• Front-to-rear airflow design with port-side intake, suitable for standard data-centre rack thermals
• Centralised NX-OS management through parent switch fabric with no independent control plane or management interface

Omnixon Global is your trusted distributor of Cisco Nexus switching infrastructure across the UAE, GCC, and Asia-Pacific regions. We maintain inventory of the Cisco Nexus 2000 N2K-C2248TP-E-1GE and can support deployment planning, configuration guidance, and spare-part logistics for your data-centre or AI lab buildout. Contact our team to discuss your fabric architecture and request a quotation.