cisco Nexus 5500 Nexus 5596UP
The Cisco Nexus 5596UP is a 2U unified port datacenter switch providing 48 fixed Universal Ports and three modular expansion slots. Capable of supporting up to 96 universal ports of 10GbE, FCoE, or native 8G Fibre Channel, the 5596UP served as a primary high-density converged access and SAN gateway switch for enterprise virtualization clusters.
Specifications
| Brand | cisco |
|---|---|
| Family | Nexus 5500 |
| Form factor | 2U fixed switch |
| Released | Apr 2011 |
| End of sale | May 2017 |
| End of support | May 2022 |
| Fixed ports | 48 Unified Ports (10GbE, FCoE, or 8G/4G/2G FC) |
| Expansion slots | 3 expansion slots supporting 16-port unified modules or Layer 3 modules |
| Maximum ports | Up to 96 unified ports in 2U |
| Switching capacity | 1.92 Tbps / 1,428 Mpps forwarding rate |
| Cooling power | Dual hot-swappable power supplies and 4 hot-swappable fan modules |
Generations
- Next generation: cisco Nexus 5600 Nexus 5672UP
Works together
How the cisco Nexus 5500 Nexus 5596UP connects to servers, storage and the network: 1 way, with the parts and products on each path.
Fibre Channel SAN
Match the speed: 16Gb and 32Gb FC HBAs, switches and array ports work together, and each generation also runs one or two speeds below its own (a 32Gb port runs at 16Gb and 8Gb).
Servers
Dell PowerEdge R430 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R530 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R630 1U rack
Dell PowerEdge R730 2U rack
Dell PowerEdge R730xd 2U rack
HPE ProLiant DL120 Gen9 1U rack
Adapters for the server
540-BBUU Dell Emulex LPe31002 Dual Port 16Gb Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter
540-BBUV Dell QLogic 2692 Dual Port 16Gb Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter
540-BCMS Dell QLogic 2770 Single Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
540-BCMT Dell QLogic 2772 Dual Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
Storage
HPE MSA 2040 2U rack enterprise SAN
HPE StoreEver MSL2024 Tape Library 2U rack tape library
Dell PowerStore 7000T 2U rack
HPE MSA 1040 2U rack entry SAN
Dell Unity XT Unity 300 2U rack
Dell Unity XT Unity 400 2U rack
Optics
DS-SFP-FC16G-SW Cisco 16Gbps Fibre Channel Shortwave SFP+ Transceiver
DS-SFP-FC32G-SW Cisco 32Gbps Fibre Channel Shortwave SFP28 Transceiver
57-1000262-01 Brocade 16Gb Shortwave SFP+ Optical Transceiver
Plan and size it
- Draw this setup in the topology planner mrplanb.com
- Add up rack power and space rack-density.com
- Virtualization storage Ledger: scored storage platforms mrplanb.com
- SAN transport and NVMe over FC for backup mrplanb.com
Check compatibility with Cisco
Before you buy, confirm the exact configuration against the vendor's own lists: firmware levels, operating systems, adapters and optics that Cisco has tested with the cisco Nexus 5500 Nexus 5596UP.
- Compatibility Cisco UCS Hardware Compatibility List
- Compatibility Cisco Optics-to-Device Compatibility Matrix
- Support Cisco Support and Downloads
Equivalent models from other brands
FAQ
What expansion modules fit into the 5596UP?
It supports the N55-M16UP (16-port unified port module), N55-M8P8FP (8x 10GbE + 8x 8G FC), and N55-M160L3-V2 (Layer 3 routing module).
How many Nexus 2000 FEX modules can a 5596UP manage?
A single 5596UP switch can manage up to 24 Nexus 2000 Fabric Extenders, controlling hundreds of server access ports.
Buying or selling Nexus 5596UP?
New, refurbished or used. Tell us the quantity and condition and we connect you with a vetted reseller in your region, usually within one working day.
Sources
- Cisco Nexus 5596UP Product Documentation, checked 2026-10-27
- Cisco Nexus 5596UP Data Sheet and Technical Specifications, checked 2026-10-27