- 48 fixed 1- and 10-Gigabit Ethernet server connection ports on the back of the switch
- Three slots on the back of the switch for optional expansion modules, which can be either a 16-port 10-Gigabit generic expansion module 2 (GEM2) or a layer 3 GEM2
- Two slots on the front of the switch for hot swap-capable power supplies, which provide front-to-back airflow for cooling (the Cisco Nexus 5596T and 5596UP switches alternatively support back-to-front [port-side intake] airflow)
- Four slots on the front of the switch for hot swap-capable fan modules
- Layer 2 or Layer 3 I/O modules
- One USB port on the front of the switch
The Cisco Nexus 5596UP switch is a top-of-rack, 10-Gigabit Ethernet and Fiber channel over Ethernet (FCoE) switch offering up to 1920 Gigabit throughput and up to 96 ports. The switch has 48 1- and 10-Gigabit Ethernet and FCoE ports and three expansion slots. As a top-of-rack switch, all the servers in the rack connect to the Cisco Nexus 5596UP switch, and it connects to the LAN or SAN.