In-Depth Technical Analysis and Pricing of Cisco Catalyst C9200L-24P-4G-E Switch

1. Product Overview

The Cisco Catalyst C9200L-24P-4G-E is a member of Cisco’s renowned Catalyst 9200 Series, designed to deliver enterprise-class access layer switching with advanced security, high availability, and simplified management. Engineered for medium to large enterprise campus networks, this switch model offers a robust combination of performance, scalability, and operational efficiency.

As a fixed-configuration Layer 2/3 switch, the C9200L-24P-4G-E is optimized for Power over Ethernet (PoE) deployments, supporting up to 24 ports with PoE+ capabilities, and four 1G SFP uplink ports. It is built on Cisco’s Unified Access Data Plane (UADP) 2.0 ASIC, which provides hardware-based programmability and enhanced security features. The device supports Cisco IOS XE software, enabling advanced network programmability, automation, and telemetry.

This switch is ideal for organizations requiring secure, resilient, and scalable access layer infrastructure that integrates seamlessly with Cisco DNA Center for intent-based networking and automation. The C9200L-24P-4G-E is also designed to support Cisco’s Software-Defined Access (SD-Access) architecture, enabling segmentation and policy enforcement at scale.

2. Product Specifications

2.1 Hardware Architecture

The Cisco Catalyst C9200L-24P-4G-E is built on the UADP 2.0 ASIC, which delivers wire-speed forwarding and advanced security features. The switch chassis supports 24 fixed 10/100/1000 PoE+ ports, each capable of delivering up to 30W per port, compliant with IEEE 802.3at standards. Additionally, it includes four fixed 1G SFP uplink ports for flexible fiber or copper connectivity.

The device supports a switching capacity of 128 Gbps and a forwarding rate of up to 95.23 Mpps (million packets per second), ensuring low latency and high throughput for demanding enterprise applications. The switch’s MAC address table supports up to 32,000 entries, and it can handle up to 16,000 IPv4 and IPv6 routes.

2.2 Software and Protocol Support

Running Cisco IOS XE, the C9200L-24P-4G-E supports a comprehensive suite of Layer 2 and Layer 3 protocols, including:

• Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), Rapid STP (RSTP), and Multiple STP (MSTP)
• Virtual LANs (VLANs) with support for up to 4,094 VLAN IDs
• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) snooping and DHCP relay
• IPv4 and IPv6 static routing, OSPF, EIGRP, and RIP
• Access Control Lists (ACLs) for granular traffic filtering
• Quality of Service (QoS) with classification, marking, and queuing
• Multicast protocols such as PIM-SM, PIM-DM, and IGMP snooping

The switch also supports advanced security features such as 802.1X port-based authentication, MACsec encryption on uplinks, and TrustSec for scalable segmentation.

2.3 Power and Environmental Specifications

The C9200L-24P-4G-E supports PoE+ with a total power budget of 370W, enabling it to power IP phones, wireless access points, and other PoE-enabled devices without requiring additional power injectors. The device is designed for energy efficiency, compliant with Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) standards.

Environmental operating conditions include:

• Operating temperature: 0°C to 45°C
• Storage temperature: -40°C to 70°C
• Relative humidity: 10% to 90% non-condensing

2.4 Physical and Management Interfaces

The switch features a compact 1RU form factor with front-facing ports for easy cable management. Management interfaces include:

• Console port (RJ-45)
• USB Type-A and USB Type-B ports for software upgrades and configuration backups
• Out-of-band management via dedicated management Ethernet port

The device supports management via CLI, SNMP, NETCONF, RESTCONF, and integration with Cisco DNA Center for centralized orchestration.

3. Features and Benefits

3.1 Enterprise-Grade Security

Security is paramount in modern networks, and the C9200L-24P-4G-E incorporates multiple layers of protection. 802.1X authentication ensures only authorized devices connect to the network, while Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI) and IP Source Guard prevent spoofing attacks. MACsec encryption on uplinks protects data in transit from interception or tampering.

Cisco TrustSec integration allows for scalable segmentation using Security Group Tags (SGTs), enabling policy enforcement based on user roles rather than IP addresses, which enhances security posture and simplifies compliance.

3.2 High Availability and Resiliency

The switch supports StackWise-160 technology, allowing up to eight switches to be stacked and managed as a single logical unit. This stacking capability provides redundancy and increases port density without additional management overhead.

Features such as dual redundant power supplies (optional), nonstop forwarding with Stateful Switchover (NSF