Data Sheet
© 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information.
Page 9 of 22
Figure 8. A Pair of Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switches in an Active-Active Configuration with Native Fibre Channel Connections
to Two Storage Networks
Investment Protection with Cisco Unified Fabric
The Cisco Nexus 5000 Series supports consolidated I/O using FCoE on downlinks to servers. FCoE is Fibre
Channel and, as such, has familiar methods of configuration, operation, and management. On the uplinks to the
network, customers can choose between FCoE direct attachment to storage systems and native Fibre Channel
connection to existing SANs. Fibre Channel and FCoE exist simultaneously in the Fibre Channel network, allowing
customers to continue to use their existing administration and management tools. Cisco Fabric Manager SAN
management software manages Fibre Channel and FCoE flows over both FCoE- and Fibre Channel-capable ports.
Product Architecture
The Cisco Nexus 5000 Series is built around two custom components: a unified crossbar fabric and a unified port
controller application-specific integrated circuit ((ASIC). Each Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switch contains a single
unified crossbar fabric ASIC and multiple unified port controllers to support fixed ports and expansion modules within
the switch.
The unified port controller provides an interface between the unified crossbar fabric ASIC and the network media
adapter and makes forwarding decisions for Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and FCoE frames. The ASIC supports the
overall cut-through design of the switch by transmitting packets to the unified crossbar fabric before the entire
payload has been received. The unified crossbar fabric ASIC is a single-stage, nonblocking crossbar fabric capable
of meshing all ports at wire speed. The unified crossbar fabric offers superior performance by implementing QoS-
aware scheduling for unicast and multicast traffic. Moreover, the tight integration of the unified crossbar fabric with
the unified port controllers helps ensure low-latency lossless fabric for ingress interfaces requesting access to
egress interfaces.
Cisco NX-OS Software Overview
Cisco NX-OS is a data center-class operating system built with modularity, resiliency, and serviceability at its
foundation. Based on the industry-proven Cisco MDS 9000 SAN-OS Software, Cisco NX-OS helps ensure
continuous availability and sets the standard for mission-critical data center environments. The self-healing and
highly modular design of Cisco NX-OS makes zero-impact operations a reality and enables exceptional operational
flexibility.
