Cisco's New Nexus Data Center Switch

Cisco Nexus 5020 Server Access Switch

Cisco Systems launched a new data center switch as part of a strategy to foster consolidation and virtualization of centralized server, storage and network resources. The first offering in the Nexus 5000 Series data center switch line is the 5020 Server Access Switch, a two-rack unit device that includes a 56-port Layer 2 switch with 40 ports of 10-Gigabit Ethernet/Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) with Power over Ethernet as well as two expansion slots. It is based on Cisco's Nexus operating system and is scheduled for availability in May starting at $36,000.

Ethernet Module (N5K-M1600)

Cisco's Ethernet Module for the Nexus 5000 includes six 10-Gigabit Ethernet/Fibre Channel over Ethernet/Data Center Ethernet ports.

Ethernet + Fibre Channel (N5K-M1404)

Another option for the Nexus 5000's expansion slots is a module that includes four 10-Gigabit Ethernet/FCoE/Data Center Ethernet ports and four 1-Gigabit/2-Gigabit/4-Gigabit Fibre Channel ports.

Fibre Channel (N5K-M1008)

A third option offers eight 1-Gigabit/2-Gigabit/4-Gigabit Fibre Channel ports.

Cisco Nexus 7000

The launch of the Nexus 5000 line follows the January debut of Cisco's first data center switch, the Nexus 7000.