Technical Specifications:

• Part Numbers:
  • UCS-FI-6332-16UP= (Base model with power supplies)
  • UCS-FI-6332-16UP-U (Upgrade/infrastructure variant - typically ships without power supplies)
• Product Line: Cisco UCS 6300 Series Fabric Interconnects
• Form Factor: 1RU (1.7 inches) rack-mountable
• Total Ports: 40 ports (24 QSFP+ + 16 unified SFP+)

Port Configuration:

24 x QSFP+ Ports (Ports 17-40):

• Port Type: 40 Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ ports
• Supported Speeds: 40 Gbps primary operation
• Breakout Capability:
  • Ports 17-34 support 4 x 10 Gbps SFP+ breakout configuration
  • Ports 35-40 are fixed 40 Gbps QSFP+ only (no breakout support)
• QSA Adapter Support: Ports 17-34 can use Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable Adapters (QSA) for 10 Gbps operation
• FCoE Support: Fibre Channel over Ethernet on all QSFP+ ports

16 x Unified Ports (Ports 1-16):

• Port Type: SFP+ Universal/Unified Ports with multi-protocol support
• Ethernet Speeds: 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps Ethernet
• Fibre Channel Speeds: 4 Gbps, 8 Gbps, or 16 Gbps native Fibre Channel
• FCoE Support: Full Fibre Channel over Ethernet support
• Flexible Configuration: Each port can be configured independently as Ethernet or native FC

Performance Specifications:

• Switching Capacity: 2.43 Tbps (2,430 Gbps) full-duplex aggregate throughput
• Throughput: 683 Mpps (Million packets per second)
• Latency: Ultra-low latency cut-through switching architecture
• Architecture: Non-blocking, line-rate forwarding on all ports simultaneously
• Deterministic Performance: Consistent latency regardless of packet size, traffic pattern, or enabled services

Unified Fabric & Converged I/O:

FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet) Integration:

• Seamlessly converge LAN and SAN traffic over unified fabric
• Eliminate separate Fibre Channel switches and parallel cabling
• Direct connectivity to native Fibre Channel SANs via unified ports
• Support for FCoE to native FC conversion

Native Fibre Channel Support:

• Direct 4/8/16 Gbps FC connectivity on unified ports (ports 1-16)
• Connect directly to existing FC SANs without protocol conversion
• Full FC switch functionality with zoning and fabric services

Lossless Ethernet:

• IEEE 802.1Qbb Priority-based Flow Control (PFC)
• IEEE 802.1Qaz Enhanced Transmission Selection (ETS)
• Data Center Bridging Exchange (DCBX) protocol
• Multiple traffic classes over lossless Ethernet fabric

Cisco UCS Manager Integration:

The Fabric Interconnect hosts Cisco UCS Manager in a highly available clustered configuration:

• Centralized Management: Single management point for entire UCS domain
• Service Profiles: Server identity abstraction enabling workload mobility
• Policy-Based Configuration: Centralized policy enforcement across all UCS components
• Zero-Touch Deployment: Automatic server discovery and provisioning
• Firmware Management: Centralized firmware updates for servers, adapters, and I/O modules
• Redundant Management: Dual Fabric Interconnects operate in active-active cluster

UCS System Connectivity:

Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Servers:

• Connects to UCS 5108 Blade Server Chassis
• Communication via UCS 2200, 2300, or 2400 Series Fabric Extenders (IOM modules)
• Each chassis connects to both Fabric Interconnects for redundancy
• Fabric Extenders extend unified fabric into blade chassis

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers:

• Direct connectivity via Cisco UCS VIC (Virtual Interface Card) adapters
• Unified fabric connectivity for rack-mount servers
• Consistent management through UCS Manager

Scalability:

• Up to 20 chassis in single UCS domain without additional complexity
• Scale to hundreds of servers under single management domain
• Cisco Fabric Extender technology eliminates chassis management complexity

High Availability Architecture:

Dual Fabric Interconnect Deployment:

• Always deployed in redundant pairs (Fabric A and Fabric B)
• Active-active configuration with full redundancy
• Independent failure domains ensure continuous operation
• Automatic failover between fabric interconnects
• No single point of failure

Component Redundancy:

• Power Supplies: Dual hot-swappable, load-sharing power supplies (1+1 redundancy)
• Cooling: Dual hot-swappable fan modules with redundancy
• Management: Redundant management plane across clustered Fabric Interconnects

Quality of Service (QoS):

• Class of Service (CoS): 802.1p priority tagging
• Traffic Classification: Multiple traffic classes for differentiated service levels
• Traffic Shaping: Rate limiting and bandwidth management
• Queue Management: Priority queuing for latency-sensitive applications
• Policy-Based QoS: Centralized QoS policies enforced across entire UCS domain

Security Features:

• IEEE 802.1X Authentication: Port-based network access control
• RADIUS/TACACS+ Integration: Enterprise authentication services
• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Granular administrative permissions
• Secure Management: SSHv2, SNMPv3, HTTPS for encrypted access
• Fabric Binding: Secure fabric-wide device authentication

Virtualization Support:

• Cisco VM-FEX (Virtual Machine Fabric Extender): Hardware-level virtualization support
  • Direct VM-to-fabric connectivity
  • VM mobility with consistent network policies
  • Per-VM network statistics and monitoring
• Cisco VN-Link: Virtual machine network interface abstraction
• VMware vSphere Integration: Native VMware support with vCenter plugins
• Microsoft Hyper-V Support: Full compatibility with Microsoft virtualization

Power Supply Configuration:

Important Note: The UCS-FI-6332-16UP-U (infrastructure variant) typically ships WITHOUT power supplies included.

• Power Supply Slots: 2 field-replaceable, hot-swappable power supply bays
• Minimum Required: 1 power supply (system will not operate without at least one)
• Maximum Supported: 2 power supplies for redundancy
• Compatible Power Supplies:
  • UCSC-PSU1-1050W: 1050W AC power supply
  • UCSC-PSU1-770W: 770W AC power supply
  • UCSC-PSUF-1050W: 1050W AC power supply (front-plug)
• Redundancy: N+1 power supply redundancy for maximum uptime

Cooling System:

• Fan Modules: Dual hot-swappable fan modules
• Airflow: Front-to-back cooling design
• Serviceability: Front-plug fans for easy maintenance
• Redundancy: N+1 fan redundancy ensures continuous operation
• Variable Speed: Intelligent thermal management adjusts fan speeds

Physical Specifications:

• Dimensions:
  • Width: 17.3 inches (43.94 cm)
  • Depth: 29.5 inches (74.93 cm)
  • Height: 1.7 inches (4.37 cm) - 1RU
• Weight: Approximately 22.6 lbs (10.25 kg)
• Mounting: Standard 19-inch rack-mountable with included rack kit

Environmental Specifications:

• Operating Temperature: 32°F to 104°F (0°C to 40°C)
• Non-Operating Temperature: -40°F to 158°F (-40°C to 70°C)
• Operating Humidity: 5% to 95% relative humidity (non-condensing)
• Storage Humidity: 5% to 95% relative humidity (non-condensing)
• Altitude: Supports standard data center operating altitudes

Standards Compliance:

• IEEE Standards: 802.1D, 802.1p, 802.1Q, 802.1Qaz, 802.1Qbb, 802.1s, 802.1w, 802.3, 802.3ad (LACP), 802.3ae, 802.3x
• Fibre Channel: FC-PI, FC-FS, FCoE standards
• Safety: UL 60950-1, CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1, EN 60950-1, IEC 60950-1, AS/NZS 60950-1
• EMC: FCC CFR47 Part 15 Class A, ICES-003 Class A, EN 55022 Class A, EN 55024, CISPR 22, CISPR 24
• Environmental: RoHS compliant, EN 61000-3-2, EN 61000-3-3, EN 61000-6-1, EN50082-1

Management & Monitoring:

Cisco UCS Manager:

• Integrated management software running on Fabric Interconnect
• Web-based GUI and full-featured CLI
• Service profile management and templates
• Pools and policies for resource allocation
• Firmware management with scheduling
• Real-time monitoring and event logging
• Configuration backup and restore

Management Interfaces:

• Console Port: RJ-45 serial console for local access
• Management Ethernet Ports: Dedicated out-of-band management
• KVM Console: Remote graphical console via UCS Manager
• SNMP: v1/v2c/v3 for network management integration
• REST API: Programmatic management and automation

Supported Transceivers & Cables:

QSFP+ Modules (40 Gbps):

• QSFP-40G-SR4: 40GBASE-SR4, multimode, up to 150m
• QSFP-40G-CSR4: 40GBASE-CSR4, multimode, up to 400m
• QSFP-40G-LR4: 40GBASE-LR4, single-mode, up to 10km
• QSFP-H40G-CU series: Direct Attach Copper cables (1m, 3m, 5m, 7m)

SFP+ Modules (1/10 Gbps Ethernet):

• SFP-10G-SR: 10GBASE-SR, multimode, up to 300m
• SFP-10G-LR: 10GBASE-LR, single-mode, up to 10km
• SFP-10G-ER: 10GBASE-ER, single-mode, up to 40km
• SFP-H10GB-CU series: 10 Gbps Direct Attach Copper

FC SFP+ Modules (Fibre Channel):

• DS-SFP-FC16G-SW: 16 Gbps FC short-wave
• DS-SFP-FC8G-SW: 8 Gbps FC short-wave
• DS-SFP-FC4G-SW: 4 Gbps FC short-wave

Ideal Applications:

• Large-Scale UCS Blade Deployments: Management and connectivity for UCS 5108 chassis
• Converged Infrastructure: Unified LAN/SAN fabric for virtualized data centers
• Private Cloud Infrastructure: Foundation for OpenStack, VMware vCloud, Microsoft clouds
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): High-density VDI with Citrix or VMware Horizon
• Database Consolidation: High-performance connectivity for Oracle RAC, SQL Server
• SAP HANA: Certified platform for SAP HANA in-memory databases
• Big Data & Analytics: Converged infrastructure for Hadoop and analytics platforms
• High-Performance Computing (HPC): Low-latency fabric for scientific computing

End-of-Life Notice:

Important: Cisco announced End-of-Sale and End-of-Life for the UCS 6332 and 6332-16UP Fabric Interconnects effective May 1, 2025. Organizations should plan migrations to current-generation UCS 6400 or 6500 Series Fabric Interconnects for new deployments.

• Last Date of Support: To be announced by Cisco
• Replacement Models: UCS 6454 or UCS 6536 Fabric Interconnects
• Existing Deployments: Continue to receive support during warranty/contract period

Field Notice:

Cisco Field Notice FN-72028 advises that UCS 6324 and 6332 Fabric Interconnects may become unresponsive after approximately 3.2 years (1,170 days) of continuous operation due to a timer overflow issue. A BIOS/firmware upgrade resolves this issue and is strongly recommended for all deployments.

What's Typically Included:

UCS-FI-6332-16UP= (Full Configuration):

• 1 x Cisco UCS 6332-16UP Fabric Interconnect
• 2 x Power supplies
• 2 x Fan modules
• Rack-mount kit
• Console cable

UCS-FI-6332-16UP-U (Infrastructure/Upgrade Variant):

• 1 x Cisco UCS 6332-16UP Fabric Interconnect
• 0 x Power supplies (must be ordered separately)
• 2 x Fan modules (typically included)
• Rack-mount kit

Key Purchase Considerations:

1. Power Supplies: Verify if included or must be ordered separately
2. Transceivers: All SFP+/QSFP+ modules sold separately
3. UCS Manager License: Included with Fabric Interconnect
4. Unified Fabric License: May require separate licensing for certain features
5. Redundant Pair: Always purchase in pairs for high availability

Warranty & Support:

• Cisco standard hardware warranty
• Cisco SMARTnet and solution support services available
• TAC (Technical Assistance Center) support
• Software updates and firmware releases during support period

Why Choose the Cisco UCS 6332-16UP Fabric Interconnect:

The UCS 6332-16UP delivers exceptional performance and flexibility for modern data center deployments requiring both high-speed Ethernet and native Fibre Channel connectivity. With 2.43 Tbps of aggregate throughput, 24 x 40 Gbps QSFP+ ports for upstream connectivity, and 16 unified ports supporting both 10GbE and 16 Gbps Fibre Channel, this Fabric Interconnect provides the versatile, high-performance foundation required for converged infrastructure deployments. The cut-through switching architecture ensures deterministic, ultra-low latency regardless of traffic patterns, while the integrated Cisco UCS Manager simplifies server deployment through service profiles and policy-based automation. Combined with support for up to 20 chassis in a single domain, lossless Ethernet fabric, comprehensive virtualization features, and the ability to consolidate LAN and SAN infrastructure, the UCS 6332-16UP represents a proven, scalable platform for mission-critical enterprise workloads.