C9300X-24Y-10E Switch: What Delivers Its Edge in High-Speed Enterprise and Data Center Networks? Features, Licensing, and Use Cases

Core Specifications and Target Use Cases

The ​​C9300X-24Y-10E​​ is a ​​Cisco Catalyst 9300X Series switch​​ designed for ​​high-density, high-throughput enterprise core and aggregation-layer deployments​​. It features ​​24x 25G SFP28 ports​​ and ​​4x 40G QSFP+ uplinks​​, delivering ​​960Gbps switching capacity​​ to support bandwidth-heavy workloads like AI/ML data pipelines, real-time analytics, and 4K video streaming. The ​​“10E”​​ suffix indicates ​​Cisco DNA Essentials licensing​​, providing foundational automation and security for mid-to-large enterprises.

Key Technical Advantages

• ​​High-Density 25G Connectivity​​: The ​​24x 25G SFP28 ports​​ support breakout configurations to ​​96x 10G connections​​, ideal for hyperscale server farms or storage clusters.
• ​​40G Uplink Scalability​​: The ​​4x 40G QSFP+ ports​​ aggregate up to ​​160G throughput​​ via port channels, ensuring seamless integration into 40G/100G backbone networks.
• ​​Cisco StackWise-480​​: Enables stacking of up to 8 switches for a unified ​​7.68Tbps backplane​​, simplifying management in distributed environments.
• ​​UADP 3.0 ASIC​​: Delivers ​​hardware-accelerated MACsec encryption​​ and ​​deep buffer memory​​ (9MB per port) to mitigate microburst congestion.

Addressing Critical User Concerns

​​Q: Can this switch support future 100G upgrades without hardware replacement?​​

A: Yes. The ​​40G QSFP+ ports​​ are compatible with ​​QSFP28 transceivers​​, enabling 100G per port. For 400G readiness, use breakout cables to split 100G ports into 4x 25G links.

​​Q: Is the C9300X-24Y-10E suitable for latency-sensitive applications like financial trading?​​

A: Absolutely. With ​​cut-through switching​​ and ​​sub-microsecond latency​​, it ensures real-time performance for algorithmic trading platforms or IoT-driven automation.

Ideal Deployment Scenarios

• ​​Enterprise Core Networks​​: Manages campus-wide traffic with ​​SD-Access​​-enforced segmentation and ​​Cisco TrustSec​​ for role-based policies.
• ​​Media Production Studios​​: Supports 8K video rendering clusters and broadcast-grade streaming with ​​lossless RoCEv2​​ for RDMA workloads.
• ​​Hybrid Cloud Gateways​​: Acts as a high-speed bridge between on-premises infrastructure and public cloud providers, leveraging ​​Cisco Cloud ACI​​.

Procurement and Licensing Insights

For organizations requiring verified hardware with Cisco’s Limited Lifetime warranty, the C9300X-24Y-10E is available through Cisco’s authorized partner. ​​DNA Essentials licensing​​ includes basic automation and ​​Encrypted Traffic Analytics​​, while upgrades to ​​Advantage​​ unlock ​​AI-driven network assurance​​ and ​​API-based orchestration​​.

Practical Deployment Observations

Having integrated the 9300X series in media production environments, the ​​C9300X-24Y-10E​​ excels in scenarios where ​​25G server-facing density​​ and ​​low-latency uplinks​​ are critical. Its ​​40G-to-100G migration path​​ offers flexibility, though the cost of QSFP28 optics can add up quickly in large deployments. While the ​​960Gbps throughput​​ handles most enterprise workloads effortlessly, ensure rack cooling solutions are robust enough to manage its thermal output under peak loads. For enterprises balancing performance with TCO, this switch is a strategic investment—provided teams prioritize future-proofing uplink capacity during initial design phases.