Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series C9300-48T-A Datasheet and Pricing Guide for Enterprise Network Deployments

1. Product Overview

The Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series, specifically the C9300-48T-A model, represents the industry-leading fixed enterprise switching platform designed to meet the rigorous demands of modern campus networks. As part of Cisco’s flagship Catalyst 9000 family, the C9300-48T-A is engineered to deliver high-performance, secure, and scalable Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching capabilities. It is optimized for digital transformation initiatives, supporting advanced security, automation, and IoT integration.

The C9300-48T-A is a 48-port full Power over Ethernet (PoE+) switch with 1G Ethernet copper ports, designed to support high-density access layer deployments. It is ideal for organizations requiring robust connectivity for wireless access points, IP phones, video endpoints, and other PoE-enabled devices. The “-A” suffix denotes the inclusion of the Network Advantage software license, unlocking advanced routing, security, and automation features.

Built on Cisco’s Unified Access Data Plane (UADP) 2.0 ASIC, the C9300-48T-A delivers wire-speed forwarding and advanced programmability. It supports stacking via Cisco StackWise-480 technology, enabling up to 8 switches to operate as a single logical unit with up to 480 Gbps of stack bandwidth. This capability simplifies management and enhances resiliency for mission-critical environments.

2. Product Specifications

Hardware Specifications

The Cisco Catalyst C9300-48T-A is a fixed-configuration switch with the following hardware characteristics:

• Ports: 48 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ-45 ports (PoE+ capable)
• Uplink Modules: Four fixed 1G SFP ports; optional uplink modules support 1G/10G SFP+ or 40G QSFP+ ports
• Stacking: Cisco StackWise-480 technology with 480 Gbps stack bandwidth
• Forwarding Bandwidth: 176 Gbps switching capacity
• Forwarding Rate: Up to 154.76 Mpps (million packets per second)
• PoE Power Budget: Up to 740W total PoE+ power budget
• Dimensions: 1.73 x 17.5 x 17.5 inches (4.4 x 44.5 x 44.5 cm)
• Weight: Approximately 15.4 lbs (7 kg)
• Power Supplies: Dual redundant, hot-swappable power supplies (optional)
• Fans: Front-to-back or back-to-front airflow options with redundant fans

Software and Licensing

The C9300-48T-A ships with the Cisco IOS XE operating system, a modular and programmable OS designed for high availability and security. The “-A” suffix indicates the inclusion of the Network Advantage license, which provides:

• Advanced Layer 3 routing protocols: OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, IS-IS
• Enhanced security features: MACsec encryption, TrustSec, Flexible NetFlow
• Advanced QoS and multicast capabilities
• Automation and programmability: NETCONF, RESTCONF, Cisco DNA Center integration
• StackWise Virtual support for high availability

The IOS XE platform supports in-service software upgrades (ISSU), allowing for minimal downtime during maintenance windows.

Performance and Scalability

The C9300-48T-A is engineered for enterprise campus access layers requiring high throughput and low latency. Key performance metrics include:

• MAC address table size: 32,000 entries
• IPv4 unicast routes: 16,000 entries
• IPv6 unicast routes: 8,000 entries
• Multicast routes: 1,000 entries
• ACL entries: Up to 4,000
• VLANs supported: 4,094

3. Features and Benefits

Advanced Security Features

Security is paramount in modern networks, and the C9300-48T-A integrates multiple layers of protection:

• MACsec Encryption: Hardware-based Layer 2 encryption to secure data in transit between switches.
• Cisco TrustSec: Role-based access control and segmentation to enforce security policies dynamically.
• Flexible NetFlow: Real-time traffic analytics for threat detection and network visibility.
• 802.1X Authentication: Network access control for endpoint validation.
• Dynamic ARP Inspection and IP Source Guard: Protection against spoofing attacks.

High Availability and Resiliency

The C9300-48T-A is designed to minimize downtime and ensure continuous network operation:

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