Cisco N9K-M12PQ Nexus 9000 12-Port 40GB Uplink Expansion Module

Overview
The Cisco Nexus 9000 12-Port 40GB Uplink Expansion Module (part number N9K-M12PQ) delivers high-density, low-latency connectivity for modern data center fabrics. Designed to slot directly into a Nexus 9000 chassis, this module extends the switching capacity of your network with twelve 40Gbps QSFP+ ports, enabling seamless scaling for both leaf and spine architectures.

Key Features

• 12 QSFP+ ports supporting 40Gbps native Ethernet
• Backward compatible with 10Gbps and 25Gbps modes for flexible deployment
• Zero-touch provisioning with Cisco ACI and NX-OS integration
• Hot-swappable design minimizes downtime during upgrades
• Built-in error detection and correction for reliable data transport
• Energy efficient operation with reduced power consumption per port

Technical Specifications

• Port type: QSFP+ (40Gbps) with 10Gbps and 25Gbps fallback
• Maximum aggregate bandwidth: 480Gbps
• Supported protocols: Ethernet, Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), Data Center Bridging (DCB)
• Operating temperature: 0 to 45 degrees Celsius
• Power draw: 120W typical, 150W maximum
• Dimensions: 1U height, fits standard 19-inch rack
• Management: Cisco NX-OS CLI, Cisco DNA Center, Cisco ACI

Applications
The N9K-M12PQ is ideal for high-performance data center environments where bandwidth density and low latency are critical. Use it to:

• Connect top-of-rack servers to the spine layer in leaf-spine topologies
• Aggregate traffic from storage arrays and hyper-converged infrastructure
• Provide uplink capacity for virtualized workloads and cloud platforms
• Support high-speed inter-cluster communication in multi-site deployments
• Enable seamless migration to 40Gbps and beyond without replacing existing cabling

By integrating the Cisco Nexus 9000 12-Port 40GB Uplink Expansion Module, organizations can future-proof their network fabric, improve application performance, and simplify management across the entire data center.