The Cisco Nexus 6000 Series is Cisco's family of low-latency 10 and 40 Gigabit Ethernet data center switches, and the Nexus 6001 is its 1RU top-of-rack model. Our Cisco Nexus 6000 Switches category lists two listings of the Nexus 6001P, the SFP+ version. This guide covers its ports, optics, licenses, support dates and upgrade path, so you can order the right unit the first time.
Short answer: Both listings are the same Nexus 6001P hardware: 48 fixed 1/10 Gigabit SFP+ ports and four 40 Gigabit QSFP+ ports in one rack unit. Cisco support ended on April 30, 2022, so a Nexus 6001 is the right buy when you need to replace a failed switch or expand a fabric you already run. Plan new builds on the Nexus 9300.
What is the Cisco Nexus 6001 built for?
The Nexus 6001 is a top-of-rack and fabric switch for 10 Gigabit server racks. Cisco built it for direct server access, fabric extender aggregation and leaf-and-spine designs, with Layer 2 and Layer 3 forwarding at 1.28 Tbps and port-to-port latency of about 1 microsecond for any packet size.
The switch uses cut-through forwarding and runs every port at line rate. Each group of three 40G ports, or twelve 10G ports, shares a 25 MB packet buffer that NX-OS can tune during congestion. Cisco also lists up to 256,000 combined MAC and ARP entries, jumbo frames up to 9,216 bytes and up to 31 line-rate SPAN and ERSPAN sessions.
The 6001 supports vPC, EtherChannels of up to 16 ports and, with a license, Cisco FabricPath. Routed designs get up to 64-way equal-cost multipathing.
Which Nexus 6000 listing should you choose?
Both listings are the Nexus 6001P, so the hardware is the same: 48 fixed 1/10 Gigabit SFP+ ports and four 40 Gigabit QSFP+ ports in a 1RU chassis. Choose by condition, configuration and price, and confirm the power supplies, fan airflow, installed licenses and NX-OS version of each unit before you order.
Cisco also built the 10GBASE-T Nexus 6001T and the 4RU Nexus 6004, which we don't currently list. The table compares the 6001P with its Cisco-named successors.
| Switch | On our site | Ports (Cisco) | Cisco support status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nexus 6001P | N6K-C6001-64P, N6K-C6001-64P-RF | 48 × 1/10G SFP+, 4 × 40G QSFP+ | Last Date of Support April 30, 2022 |
| Nexus 5672UP-16G | N5K-C5672UP-16G | 24 × 10G SFP+, 24 × unified-port SFP+, 6 × 40G QSFP+ | Last Date of Support May 31, 2026 |
| Nexus 93180YC-FX | N9K-C93180YC-FX | 48 × 1/10/25G, 6 × 40/100G | End of sale July 31, 2024; Last Date of Support July 31, 2029 |
| Nexus 93180YC-FX3 | N9K-C93180YC-FX3 | 48 × 1/10/25G, 6 × 40/100G | Available to order from Cisco |
Cisco's ordering description for the N6K-C6001-64P includes two power supplies and three fan modules. Check the condition shown on each listing; the -RF suffix marks a refurbished unit.
Which optics and cables work in a Nexus 6001?
The 48 SFP+ ports take Cisco 1 and 10 Gigabit optics and Twinax cables, and the four QSFP+ ports take 40 Gigabit optics or breakout cables. With breakout, each 40G port becomes four 10G ports, for up to sixty-four 10G ports. Pick each optic from Cisco's support matrix by fiber type and distance.
For 10G server and uplink runs, Cisco lists the SFP-10G-SR for multimode fiber, the SFP-10G-LR for single-mode fiber and Twinax cables such as the SFP-H10GB-CU1M for in-rack copper. The SFP+ ports also accept Gigabit SFPs such as the GLC-T, and the FET-10G fabric extender transceiver links Nexus 2000 fabric extenders to the switch.
On the 40G side, Cisco rates the QSFP-40G-SR4 to 100 m on OM3 and 150 m on OM4 multimode fiber, the QSFP-40G-CSR4 to 300 m and 400 m, and the QSFP-40G-LR4 to 10 km on single-mode fiber. Cisco also lists the QSFP-40G-SR-BD short-reach BiDi optic.
To split a 40G port into four 10G links, use a breakout cable such as the QSFP-4SFP10G-CU1M, a passive copper assembly with one QSFP+ end and four SFP+ ends. For single-mode breakout, Cisco lists the QSFP-4X10G-LR-S on the 6001P only.
How many fabric extenders can a Nexus 6001 run?
Cisco supports up to 24 Nexus 2000 Series fabric extenders on each Nexus 6001. The extenders connect to the 6001 over 10G or 40G fabric links and are managed from it, so one switch can serve many Gigabit and 10 Gigabit server racks from a single point of management. Check that your extender model is on Cisco's list.
Cisco's list covers Nexus 2200 models for Gigabit copper, 1/10G SFP+ and 10GBASE-T servers, plus B22 blade fabric extenders. For example, the N2K-C2232PP-10GE (Nexus 2232PP) has 32 1/10G SFP+ host ports and eight 10G fabric ports, all with FCoE support.
Which NX-OS licenses does a Nexus 6001 need?
Layer 2 switching is in the base NX-OS software, so a Layer 2 top-of-rack switch needs no feature license. Routing, FabricPath, FCoE and VM-FEX each need a Cisco license package. Confirm the installed licenses on any unit you buy, because they decide what the switch can do on day one.
- Layer 3 Base Services Package (LAN_BASE_SERVICES_PKG): static routes, RIPv2, OSPFv2 and OSPFv3, EIGRP stub, HSRP, VRRP, PIM sparse mode, VRF Lite, routed ACLs and NAT, with unlimited static routes and up to 256 dynamic routes.
- Layer 3 Enterprise Services Package (LAN_ENTERPRISE_SERVICES_PKG): adds BGP, full EIGRP, policy-based routing, IS-IS, all PIM modes, uRPF, MSDP and Sampled NetFlow, and lifts the 256-route limit. It requires the Layer 3 Base package.
- FabricPath Services Package (ENHANCED_LAYER2_PKG): Cisco FabricPath.
- Storage Protocols Services Package (FC_FEATURES_PKG): FCoE and FCoE NPV, sold for 16 or 64 ports on the 6001.
- FCoE NPV Package (FCOE_NPV_PKG): FCoE NPV only, for the whole switch.
- VM-FEX Package: Cisco Data Center VM-FEX.
The show license usage command lists the installed packages, so ask us for that output with your quote.
Can the Nexus 6001 carry FCoE storage traffic?
Yes, with a Storage Protocols Services license. Any 10G or 40G port can run Fibre Channel over Ethernet, and Cisco built the 6001 for multihop FCoE, carrying storage and LAN traffic on one lossless Ethernet fabric. It has no native Fibre Channel ports, so native Fibre Channel devices connect through a Fibre Channel switch.
The FCoE feature set includes Fibre Channel forwarding, VE and VF port types, NPIV, zoning and VSAN trunking, with priority flow control and enhanced transmission selection keeping storage traffic lossless.
What should you check for power, airflow and rack space?
The Nexus 6001 is 1RU but 30 inches deep, so check rack depth first. Its ports sit on the rear, and its two power supplies and three fan modules sit on the front, all hot-swappable. Cisco requires every fan module and power supply in a chassis to share one airflow direction.
Choose port-side exhaust (front-to-back) when the ports face the hot aisle, and port-side intake (back-to-front) when they face the cold aisle. Cisco offers 1100W AC power supplies in both airflow directions and an 1100W DC power supply for port-side exhaust. The switch runs on one power supply, but Cisco says never to leave a slot empty, so install two for redundancy. Cisco rates the 6001 for 0 to 40°C operating temperature.
What support dates and upgrade path should you plan around?
Cisco support for the Nexus 6000 Series has ended. Cisco's end-of-life bulletin set the end of sale at April 30, 2017 and the Last Date of Support at April 30, 2022. Security fixes ended on April 29, 2020, so keep the NX-OS release your fabric has validated and hold spares on the shelf.
Cisco named the Nexus 5600 platform as the migration path, with the Nexus 5672UP-16G replacing the N6K-C6001-64P. The 5672UP-16G reached its own Last Date of Support on May 31, 2026, and Cisco's Nexus 5600 bulletin names the N9K-C93180YC-FX as the 5672UP-16G's replacement.
The 93180YC-FX reached end of sale on July 31, 2024, with Cisco support until July 31, 2029. Cisco names the N9K-C93180YC-FX3 as its replacement and lists it as available to order, so plan new builds in our Cisco Nexus 9000 Switches category. A refurbished Nexus 6001 still keeps an existing fabric running.
What should a Nexus 6001 RFQ include?
- Model and quantity: N6K-C6001-64P or N6K-C6001-64P-RF, and how many spares.
- Airflow: port-side exhaust or port-side intake, matching the switches already in the rack.
- Power: AC or DC, with two power supplies for redundancy.
- Licenses: the Layer 3 Base, Layer 3 Enterprise, FabricPath, Storage Protocols Services or VM-FEX packages your design uses.
- NX-OS version: the release your fabric runs, so the replacement can match it.
- Optics: the SFP+ or QSFP+ optic or breakout cable for every port, by fiber type and distance.
- Fabric extenders: the connected Nexus 2000 models and their fabric optics.
- Rack: enough usable depth for a 30-inch-deep chassis.
Nexus 6000 FAQ
What is the difference between the N6K-C6001-64P and the N6K-C6001-64P-RF?
Both are the Nexus 6001P: a 1RU switch with 48 fixed 1/10 Gigabit SFP+ ports and four 40 Gigabit QSFP+ ports. The -RF suffix marks a refurbished unit. Check the condition, power supplies, fan airflow, installed licenses and NX-OS version shown for each unit before you order.
How many 10G ports does a Nexus 6001 have?
The Nexus 6001P has 48 fixed 1/10 Gigabit SFP+ ports. Each of its four 40 Gigabit QSFP+ ports can split into four 10 Gigabit ports with a breakout cable, so the switch supports up to sixty-four 10 Gigabit ports at wire speed. Cisco rates its throughput at 1.28 Tbps.
Does the Nexus 6001 need a license for Layer 3 routing?
Yes. Layer 2 switching is in the base NX-OS software, but routing needs the Layer 3 Base Services Package (LAN_BASE_SERVICES_PKG), which covers OSPF, RIPv2, EIGRP stub, HSRP, VRRP and up to 256 dynamic routes. BGP, full EIGRP, IS-IS and policy-based routing need the Layer 3 Enterprise Services Package (LAN_ENTERPRISE_SERVICES_PKG).
Does the Nexus 6001 support FCoE?
Yes. Any 10 or 40 Gigabit port can carry Fibre Channel over Ethernet once a Storage Protocols Services license is installed, sold for 16 or 64 ports on the 6001. Cisco designed the switch for multihop FCoE. It has no native Fibre Channel ports.
When did Cisco support end for the Nexus 6000 Series?
Cisco's end-of-life bulletin for the Nexus 6000 Series set the end of sale at April 30, 2017 and the Last Date of Support at April 30, 2022. Software maintenance releases ended on April 30, 2018 and security fixes on April 29, 2020. Cisco named the Nexus 5600 platform as the migration path.
What should replace a Nexus 6001 in a new design?
Cisco first named the Nexus 5672UP-16G, which reached its Last Date of Support on May 31, 2026. Cisco then named the N9K-C93180YC-FX as the 5672UP-16G's replacement, and the N9K-C93180YC-FX3 as the replacement for the 93180YC-FX. Cisco lists the 93180YC-FX3 as available to order.
About this guide
Prepared by M&F Collaboration, a B2B reseller of Cisco networking, collaboration, power, and UCS hardware based in West Chicago, Illinois. Port, optics, fabric extender, license, power and lifecycle details were checked against Cisco's Nexus 6001 data sheet, Nexus 6000 and 5600 end-of-life bulletins and Cisco's NX-OS licensing guide. When a marketplace listing title disagrees with Cisco's data sheet, we follow the data sheet.
Need a Nexus 6001 for your data center fabric?
Send us the part number you are replacing, the airflow direction, AC or DC power, the licenses and NX-OS version your fabric runs and the optics for each port. We will match refurbished Nexus 6001 switches, optics and breakout cables.
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