Cisco MDS 9506 vs 9706
The MDS 9706 is the modern director-class replacement for the end-of-life MDS 9506, moving from 8G Fibre Channel to 16/32/64G with far higher per-slot bandwidth in the same 6-slot footprint. With the 9506 retired, SAN refreshes should standardize on the 9706 for 32G/64G readiness.
Cisco MDS 9506 Multilayer Director
Legacy 6-slot SAN director supporting up to 8G Fibre Channel, now end of life.
- 6-slot chassis (4 line card + 2 supervisor)
- Up to 192 ports of 1/2/4/8G autosensing Fibre Channel
- Dual supervisor high availability
- End of life; migrate to MDS 9700 Series
Cisco MDS 9706 Multilayer Director
Current 6-slot MDS 9700 director with 16/32/64G Fibre Channel and Cisco Fabric-3 switching.
- 6-slot chassis (4 line card + 2 supervisor)
- Up to 192 ports, FC at 16/32/64G
- Up to 1.5 Tbps per payload slot with Fabric-3 modules
- Non-disruptive upgrades and 64G FC investment protection
Cisco MDS 9506 Multilayer Director vs Cisco MDS 9706 Multilayer Director: spec comparison
| Spec | Cisco MDS 9506 Multilayer Director | Cisco MDS 9706 Multilayer Director |
|---|---|---|
| Chassis slots | 6 (4 line card + 2 supervisor) | 6 (4 line card + 2 supervisor) |
| Max Fibre Channel ports | Up to 192 | Up to 192 |
| Fibre Channel speeds | 1/2/4/8G | 16/32/64G (and 10G) |
| Supervisor redundancy | Dual supervisor | Dual supervisor |
| Crossbar / fabric | Integrated crossbar | Cisco Fabric-3 crossbar modules |
| FCoE support | Limited (10G modules) | Yes (10/40G FCoE) |
| 64G FC readiness | No | Yes |
| Rack units | 7 RU | 9 RU |
| Lifecycle status | End of life | Current shipping product |
Choose Cisco MDS 9506 Multilayer Director if
Keep the MDS 9506 only as a short-term measure on an existing SAN until a planned migration window. It is end of life, capped at 8G FC, and no longer the basis for any new build.
Choose Cisco MDS 9706 Multilayer Director if
Choose the MDS 9706 for any new or refreshed director-class SAN. It delivers 16/32/64G Fibre Channel, much higher per-slot bandwidth, and forward investment protection in the same compact 6-slot chassis.
Verdict
Migrate from the MDS 9506 to the MDS 9706. The 9506 is end of life and limited to 8G Fibre Channel, while the 9706 brings 32G and 64G FC, Fabric-3 switching, and non-disruptive operations in the same 6-slot class. For all-flash and NVMe-over-FC workloads, the 9706 is the only sensible target.
Frequently asked questions
What is the replacement for the Cisco MDS 9506?
The MDS 9706, part of the MDS 9700 Series, is the modern 6-slot director-class replacement with 16/32/64G Fibre Channel support.
How many ports does the MDS 9706 support?
The MDS 9706 supports up to 192 Fibre Channel ports in its 6-slot chassis, the same density as the 9506 but at far higher speeds.
Does the MDS 9706 support 64G Fibre Channel?
Yes. The MDS 9706 supports 16/32/64G Fibre Channel line cards, providing investment protection for current and next-generation flash and NVMe storage.
Is the MDS 9506 end of life?
Yes. The MDS 9506 has reached end of life after roughly 17 years, and Cisco directs customers to migrate to the MDS 9706.
More MDS comparisons
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