In-Depth Technical Analysis and Pricing Guide for Cisco C1000-48P-4G-L Switch

1. Product Overview

The Cisco Catalyst C1000-48P-4G-L is a robust, enterprise-grade Layer 2 managed switch designed to meet the demands of small to medium-sized business networks and branch offices. As part of Cisco’s Catalyst 1000 series, this switch offers a balance of performance, security, and ease of management, making it an ideal choice for organizations seeking reliable connectivity with Power over Ethernet (PoE) capabilities.

Engineered to deliver seamless integration into existing Cisco network infrastructures, the C1000-48P-4G-L supports advanced Layer 2 switching features, enhanced security protocols, and simplified deployment options. Its 48 PoE-enabled ports provide ample power for IP phones, wireless access points, and other PoE devices, while the 4 Gigabit SFP uplink ports ensure high-speed connectivity to core network devices.

This switch is tailored for environments requiring high port density with PoE support, such as educational institutions, retail outlets, healthcare facilities, and enterprise branch offices. The Cisco C1000-48P-4G-L combines Cisco’s renowned reliability with a cost-effective solution that does not compromise on essential network features.

2. Product Specifications

2.1 Hardware Architecture

The Cisco C1000-48P-4G-L is built on a fixed-configuration hardware platform featuring 48 RJ-45 10/100/1000 Mbps ports with PoE+ support, and 4 dedicated Gigabit SFP uplink ports. The switch’s switching fabric supports a non-blocking architecture with a switching capacity of 104 Gbps, ensuring wire-speed forwarding across all ports.

The device incorporates an advanced ASIC-based forwarding engine optimized for low latency and high throughput. It supports store-and-forward switching with hardware-based QoS and traffic prioritization mechanisms.

2.2 PoE and Power Budget

The C1000-48P-4G-L supports IEEE 802.3af PoE and IEEE 802.3at PoE+ standards, delivering up to 30W per port. The total PoE power budget is 370W, enabling simultaneous powering of multiple high-demand devices such as IP cameras, VoIP phones, and wireless access points without requiring additional power injectors.

2.3 Switching and Forwarding Capabilities

– Switching Capacity: 104 Gbps
– Forwarding Rate: 77.38 Mpps (million packets per second)
– MAC Address Table Size: 16,000 entries
– VLAN Support: Up to 255 VLANs simultaneously
– Jumbo Frame Support: Up to 9,216 bytes
– Multicast Groups: 256 IGMP snooping groups

2.4 Uplink and Expansion

The switch includes 4 fixed Gigabit SFP uplink ports supporting fiber modules for flexible network topology design. These uplinks facilitate high-speed aggregation to distribution or core switches, supporting both single-mode and multi-mode fiber optics depending on the SFP module used.

2.5 Management and Software

Cisco’s IOS-based software on the C1000-48P-4G-L provides a comprehensive suite of Layer 2 features, including:

• 802.1Q VLAN tagging and VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP)
• Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), Rapid STP (RSTP), and Multiple STP (MSTP)
• Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) for port channeling
• Quality of Service (QoS) with classification, marking, and queuing
• Access Control Lists (ACLs) for traffic filtering and security
• IGMP Snooping for multicast traffic optimization
• SNMP v1/v2c/v3 for network monitoring and management
• Web-based GUI and CLI for flexible management options

The switch supports Cisco FindIT Network Management for simplified deployment and monitoring, enabling administrators to quickly discover and configure devices within the network.

2.6 Physical and Environmental Specifications

– Dimensions (W x D x H): 44.5 x 25.5 x 4.4 cm (17.5 x 10 x 1.75 inches)
– Weight: Approximately 4.5 kg (9.9 lbs)
– Operating Temperature: 0°C to 45°C (32°F to 113°F)
– Storage Temperature: -40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F)
– Humidity: 10% to 90% non-condensing
– Power Supply: Internal, fixed power supply with auto-sensing 100-240V AC input

3. Features and Benefits

3.1 Enterprise-Grade Security

Security is paramount in modern networks, and the Cisco C1000-48P-4G-L incorporates multiple layers of protection. It supports 802.1X port-based authentication to control device access, dynamic ARP inspection (DAI) to prevent ARP spoofing attacks, and DHCP snooping to mitigate rogue DHCP server threats.

Additionally, the switch supports Access Control Lists (ACLs) to filter traffic based on Layer 2 to Layer 4 parameters, enabling granular control over network traffic flows. These features collectively help safeguard sensitive data and maintain network integrity.

3.2 Simplified Deployment and Management

The C1000-48P