The Cisco MDS 9148 Multilayer Fabric Switch (Figure 1) is a high-performance, flexible, cost-effective platform providing high-density, line-rate 8-Gbps ports for storage networking deployments in small, medium-sized, and large enterprise environments. The Cisco MDS 9148, based on a purpose-built "switch-on-a-chip" application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), offers outstanding value by providing high-availability, security, and ease of use at a costeffective price in a compact one-rack-unit (1RU) form factor. With the flexibility to expand from 16 to 48 ports in 8- port increments, the Cisco MDS 9148 offers the densities required to scale from an entry-level departmental switch to top-of-the-rack switch to edge connectivity in enterprise SANs. The Cisco MDS 9148 delivers a nonblocking architecture, with all 48 1/2/4/8-Gbps ports operating at line rate concurrently.
