Cisco Catalyst C9300-48S-E Datasheet and Pricing Guide: Enterprise-Grade 48-Port SFP Switch

1. Product Overview

The Cisco Catalyst C9300-48S-E is a flagship model within Cisco’s Catalyst 9300 Series, designed to meet the rigorous demands of modern enterprise campus networks. As a member of the industry-leading Cisco Catalyst 9000 family, the C9300-48S-E delivers high-performance, secure, and scalable switching capabilities optimized for digital transformation initiatives, IoT integration, and cloud-ready architectures.

Engineered for high-density fiber connectivity, the C9300-48S-E features 48 fixed 1 Gigabit SFP ports, making it ideal for environments requiring extensive fiber optic uplinks or access layer aggregation. The “E” in the model number denotes the Enhanced Network Advantage software license, unlocking advanced Layer 3 routing protocols, security features, and automation capabilities.

This switch is purpose-built for enterprise campus deployments, offering robust resiliency, advanced security, and programmability through Cisco’s Digital Network Architecture (DNA). It supports Cisco StackWise-480 technology, enabling stacking of up to eight switches with a unified data plane and control plane, simplifying management and scaling.

2. Product Specifications

Hardware Specifications

The Cisco Catalyst C9300-48S-E is a fixed-configuration switch with the following key hardware attributes:

• Ports: 48 x 1G SFP (Small Form-Factor Pluggable) fiber ports
• Uplink Modules: Supports modular uplink slots with options for 1G, 10G, 25G, or 40G uplinks (depending on module installed)
• Switching Capacity: 176 Gbps switching fabric
• Forwarding Rate: Up to 154.76 Mpps (million packets per second)
• Stacking Bandwidth: Cisco StackWise-480 technology with 480 Gbps stack bandwidth
• CPU: Multicore ARM processor optimized for high throughput and advanced features
• Memory: 8 GB DRAM, 4 GB flash storage
• Power Supply: Dual redundant, hot-swappable power supplies (supports 715W or 1100W options)
• 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)
• Operating Temperature: 32 to 113 °F (0 to 45 °C)

Software and Licensing

The “E” suffix indicates the inclusion of the Network Advantage software license, which provides:

• Advanced Layer 3 routing protocols: OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, IS-IS
• Enhanced security features: MACsec encryption, TrustSec, and advanced access control lists (ACLs)
• Automation and programmability: Support for Cisco DNA Center, Cisco SD-Access, and APIs (RESTCONF, NETCONF, and gRPC)
• Quality of Service (QoS) enhancements for voice, video, and data prioritization
• Flexible NetFlow for traffic analytics and monitoring

Connectivity and Expansion

The C9300-48S-E supports modular uplink slots that can be populated with various uplink modules to meet diverse network requirements:

• 4 x 1G SFP uplinks
• 4 x 10G SFP+ uplinks
• 2 x 40G QSFP+ uplinks
• 2 x 25G SFP28 uplinks (depending on module)

This flexibility allows network architects to tailor uplink bandwidth and media types to specific deployment scenarios, such as data center aggregation or high-speed campus core interconnects.

3. Features and Benefits

Enterprise-Grade Performance and Scalability

The Cisco Catalyst C9300-48S-E is engineered to deliver wire-speed performance across all ports simultaneously, ensuring no bottlenecks in high-density fiber environments. The 176 Gbps switching capacity and 154.76 Mpps forwarding rate enable seamless handling of bandwidth-intensive applications such as video conferencing, cloud services, and IoT telemetry.

StackWise-480 technology allows up to eight switches to be stacked and managed as a single logical unit, providing up to 384 ports in a single stack. This stacking capability simplifies network expansion and reduces operational complexity by centralizing management and configuration.

Advanced Security and Compliance

Security is paramount in enterprise networks, and the C9300-48S-E incorporates multiple layers of protection:

• MACsec Encryption: Hardware-based encryption on all fiber ports to secure data in transit against eavesdropping and tampering.
• Cisco TrustSec: Role-based access control and segmentation to enforce security policies dynamically across the network.
• Secure Boot and Runtime Def