
Cisco MDS switches are segmented into two key categories: Director-Class and Fabric Switches, each tailored for different SANenvironments:
Director-Class Switches (e.g., Cisco MDS 9700 Series):
Modular and highly scalable
Support hot-swappable components (line cards, supervisors, fabric modules)
High port density and performance for core SANs in enterprise data centers
Fabric Switches (e.g., Cisco MDS 9148T):
Compact, fixed-form factor
Best suited for smaller SANs or edge locations
Cost-effective and simple to deploy
This distinction is important when selecting hardware for data center core vs access layers in SAN architectures.
Submit