N9K-C9396PX-B18Q - Cisco 2xNexus 9396PX Switch with 8 QSFP-40G-SR-BD

N9K-C9396PX-B18Q Fiber Leaf Pair with 40G BiDi Optics

N9K-C9396PX-B18Q is Cisco's exact package of two Nexus 9396PX switches and eight QSFP-40G-SR-BD optics. Each chassis has 48 fixed 1/10G SFP+ downlink ports, giving 96 fiber downlinks across the pair. This is materially different from the copper-based N9K-C93128TX-B18Q even though both bundles carry eight BiDi optics.

Reconcile SFP+ and uplink modules

Build an asset ledger for both chassis, their 1/10G SFP or SFP+ transceivers, power supplies, fan direction, rack hardware and installed uplink modules. Cisco identifies the uplink module as an additional requirement, so request its exact PID, port count and operating mode. Match every downlink optic to fiber type, reach and the connected device.

Validate the eight included BiDi optics

Confirm eight genuine QSFP-40G-SR-BD units by PID and serial, then document where they are installed. Inspect and clean the duplex multimode paths, collect DOM levels and run bidirectional load, failover and recovery checks. Preserve pre- and post-test CRC, optical-power and interface-reset counters.

Support has ended

The 9396PX family ended sale May 1, 2018 and reached last support April 30, 2023. Cisco's bulletin directed customers toward the Nexus 9300-EX and 9300-FX families without naming one equivalent PID. Current migration therefore requires a fresh port, optic, software-mode, scale and licensing comparison rather than a presumed drop-in replacement.

Official evidence: Cisco exact 9396PX bundle, port and lifecycle notice and Cisco ACI starter-kit bundle context.