C9300-48S-E vs. C9300-48T-E: What’s the Difference? Fiber vs. Copper Ports and Use Cases



​What Is the Cisco Catalyst C9300-48S-E?​

The ​​Cisco Catalyst C9300-48S-E​​ is a ​​48-port Layer 3 fiber switch​​ designed for high-speed, high-density aggregation and core deployments. It features ​​48x 1G/10G SFP+ ports​​ and ​​4x 40G QSFP+ uplinks​​, optimized for environments requiring low-latency fiber connectivity. The “​​E​​” designation includes the ​​Cisco DNA Essentials license​​, enabling foundational automation, network segmentation, and threat detection.


​Key Technical Specifications​

  • ​Ports​​: 48x ​​1G/10G SFP+ ports​​ + 4x ​​40G QSFP+ uplinks​​.
  • ​Stacking​​: ​​StackWise-480​​ for 480 Gbps stacking bandwidth across 8 switches.
  • ​Performance​​: ​​1.2 Tbps switching capacity​​ and ​​900 Mpps forwarding rate​​.
  • ​Software​​: ​​Cisco IOS XE​​ with DNA Essentials for centralized management via Cisco DNA Center.
  • ​Security​​: ​​MACsec-256​​, Cisco TrustSec, and Secure Network Analytics for encrypted traffic visibility.

​Primary Use Cases​

  • ​Data Center Aggregation​​: Connects server racks with high-speed 10G/40G links.
  • ​Service Provider Edge​​: Supports Metro Ethernet and fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) deployments.
  • ​Campus Core​​: Aggregates traffic from access switches in large enterprises or universities.
  • ​High-Performance Computing (HPC)​​: Handles data-intensive workloads in research or financial sectors.

​C9300-48S-E vs. C9300-48T-E: Critical Differences​

​Feature​ ​C9300-48S-E​ ​C9300-48T-E​
​Port Type​ 48x SFP+ (fiber) 48x RJ45 (copper)
​Uplink Speed​ 40G QSFP+ 10G SFP+
​Latency​ Sub-3 microseconds ~5 microseconds
​Typical Deployment​ Fiber backbone/core Copper-based access layer

​Where to Purchase the C9300-48S-E Reliably?​

For enterprises seeking ​​Cisco-certified fiber switches​​, [​​C9300-48S-E​​ link to (https://itmall.sale/product-category/cisco/) provides genuine hardware with validated SFP+ compatibility. Itmall.sale ensures seamless integration with existing Cisco ecosystems, including licensing and support.


​Deployment Considerations​

The C9300-48S-E excels in ​​fiber-dominant networks​​, but its lack of PoE limits it to aggregation roles. In a recent data center upgrade, its ​​40G uplinks​​ eliminated bottlenecks between storage and compute nodes—though this required pre-terminated fiber cabling, which added complexity. A common oversight: underestimating the cost of ​​SFP+ transceivers​​. Opt for Cisco-certified modules to avoid link stability issues, even if third-party options seem cheaper. For future scalability, pair it with 100G core switches (e.g., Catalyst 9400) to accommodate bandwidth growth. Always validate airflow direction (front-to-back vs. rear) in rack layouts to prevent overheating in dense configurations.

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