Cisco N5K-C5020P-BF — Nexus 5020 40-Port 10G SFP+ Switch with 2 Expansion Slots, 2RU
Technical Identity
The Cisco N5K-C5020P-BF is the Cisco Nexus 5020, a 2RU data center switch with 40 fixed 10 Gigabit Ethernet / FCoE SFP+ ports and two expansion module slots. The expansion slots can add up to 12 more 10GE/FCoE ports, up to 16 Fibre Channel ports, or a combination, making the 5020 one of the original unified-fabric (Ethernet + FCoE + native FC) access switches. Cisco's last day to order the Nexus 5020 was November 27, 2012, and the platform is long past its last date of support — it is supplied strictly for legacy, spares, and lab use. Condition: Refurbished. Note on stock label: this unit's chassis label print reads M5K-C5020P-BF — a degraded print of the PID N5K-C5020P-BF; the hardware is a standard Cisco Nexus 5020.
Specifications

Brand: Cisco
Model / MPN: N5K-C5020P-BF (Nexus 5020)
Series: Cisco Nexus 5000
Product type: Fixed data center switch with expansion slots (unified fabric: 10GE / FCoE / native FC via modules)
Fixed ports: 40x 10GE/FCoE SFP+
Expansion: 2 module slots — up to 12 additional 10GE/FCoE ports, up to 16 Fibre Channel ports, or a combination (modules sold separately)
Operating system: Cisco NX-OS
Form factor: 2RU, rack-mountable
FEX support: can act as parent switch for supported Nexus 2000 fabric extenders per Cisco's compatibility matrix for the final NX-OS releases
Lifecycle: end-of-sale November 27, 2012 (per Cisco EoL bulletin); last date of support has long passed — legacy/self-maintenance use only
Stock label: chassis print reads M5K-C5020P-BF (degraded print of N5K-C5020P-BF)
Condition: Refurbished

Engineering Context
The Nexus 5020 was one of the first switches to consolidate LAN and SAN access onto a single 10G unified fabric, carrying Ethernet and FCoE on the same SFP+ ports and native Fibre Channel on expansion modules. Today its role is strictly legacy: keeping existing 5020-based access layers alive, providing chassis spares, or recreating period-accurate topologies in labs. For any new deployment, current Nexus platforms are the appropriate choice.
Use Cases

Spares/replacement chassis for installed Nexus 5020 estates
Legacy unified-fabric environments still carrying FCoE or native FC on 5000-series access
Lab, training, and protocol-testing environments at minimal cost
Parent switch for legacy Nexus 2000 FEX topologies (per compatibility matrix)

What This Is NOT

NOT a current or supported Cisco product. End-of-sale 2012; vendor support has ended. No new NX-OS releases exist for this platform.
NOT a 25G/40G/100G switch. Fixed ports are 10GE SFP+ only.
NOT the Nexus 5010. The 5010 (N5K-C5010P-BF) is the 1RU, 20-port sibling — a different PID.
NOT a Nexus 5500/5600. Those are later generations with different hardware and features (e.g., unified ports, L3 options).
NOT supplied with expansion modules. The two expansion slots ship empty unless explicitly stated; FC connectivity requires optional modules.
NOT supplied with optics, cables, rail kits, or software support entitlements unless explicitly stated.

Compatibility & Hard Constraints

Optics/cabling: 10G SFP+ optics and DAC per the Cisco Nexus 5000 compatibility documentation of its era; verify optic support on the final NX-OS release.
Expansion modules: only Nexus 5020-compatible modules (e.g., N5K-M1 family) — verify module PIDs before purchase.
Software: the platform runs only the legacy NX-OS releases produced for Nexus 5000; no updates or security fixes are available.
Airflow/power: verify installed PSU/fan configuration per unit against your rack design.
Pre-deployment verification: treat as legacy equipment — confirm software image availability, optics, and FEX compatibility before relying on it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the Cisco N5K-C5020P-BF?
It is the Cisco Nexus 5020: a 2RU unified-fabric data center switch with 40 fixed 10GE/FCoE SFP+ ports and two expansion module slots for additional 10GE or Fibre Channel ports.
Q. Is the N5K-C5020P-BF still supported by Cisco?
No. The last day to order was November 27, 2012, and the last date of support has long passed. It is sold for legacy, spares, and lab use under self-maintenance.
Q. Does the Nexus 5020 include Fibre Channel ports?
Not in the fixed configuration. Native FC requires optional expansion modules in the two slots (up to 16 FC ports); the 40 fixed ports are 10GE/FCoE SFP+.
Q. Why does the label read M5K-C5020P-BF?
The chassis label print on this unit is degraded and the N of the PID appears as an M. The hardware is a standard Cisco Nexus 5020, PID N5K-C5020P-BF.
Q. Can it act as a FEX parent?
Yes, for Nexus 2000 fabric extenders listed in the compatibility matrix of its final NX-OS releases — verify the exact FEX model before deployment.
Q. What condition is supplied by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS?
Refurbished. The unit is inspected and tested where test topology is available, cleaned, and shipped in professional protective packaging from EU stock. One unit is available.
Why T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Every N5K-C5020P-BF unit ships with: (1) functional verification where test topology is available, (2) configuration wipe and inspection, (3) full cosmetic check, (4) professional protective packaging, (5) global B2B shipping from EU stock, (6) technical consultation for legacy data center support at no extra cost.
Condition: Refurbished. No optics, cables, modules, rails, software licenses, or vendor support entitlements are included unless explicitly stated.