Core Hardware and Performance Specifications

The ​​Cisco Catalyst C9300X-24HX-1E​​ is a 24-port enterprise-class switch designed for high-performance data centers and cloud-edge deployments. It features ​​24x 25G SFP28 ports​​ and ​​1x 100G QSFP28 uplink​​, powered by a ​​770W AC power supply​​. The “1E” designation includes ​​Cisco DNA Essentials licensing​​ for foundational automation, analytics, and security features.

Key Advantages Over Catalyst 9300L Series

• ​​Hyperscale Readiness​​: Supports ​​VXLAN/EVPN​​ for multi-tenant cloud architectures, unlike the 9300L series’ focus on campus networking.
• ​​High Port Density​​: Delivers 24x 25G ports in a 1RU form factor—double the density of the C9300X-12Y-1A model.
• ​​Advanced Buffering​​: ​​8MB per-port buffer memory​​ minimizes packet drops during traffic bursts, critical for AI/ML or real-time analytics workloads.

Addressing Critical Deployment Concerns

​​Q: Can the 100G uplink handle breakout to 4x 25G or 2x 50G connections?​​
Yes. The ​​QSFP28 port​​ supports both configurations, enabling flexible spine-leaf topologies or direct connections to storage arrays.

​​Q: Is this switch compatible with existing 10G infrastructure?​​
Yes, via SFP28-to-SFP+ adapters, but optimal performance requires native 25G/100G devices. For legacy-heavy environments, consider the C9300L-48T-4X-A.

Optimal Use Cases

• ​​AI/ML training clusters​​: Connects GPU/TPU nodes with 25G RoCEv2 support for RDMA workloads.
• ​​Hybrid cloud gateways​​: Secures east-west traffic with microsegmentation via Cisco TrustSec and Group-Based Policy (GBP).
• ​​Media streaming platforms​​: Delivers <1μs latency for 8K video transcoding pipelines using hardware-accelerated QoS.

Licensing and Procurement Guidance

The C9300X-24HX-1E includes ​​Cisco DNA Essentials​​ for encrypted traffic visibility and basic automation. For advanced features like predictive analytics or SD-Access, upgrade to ​​DNA Advantage​​. Purchase through authorized partners like itmall.sale to ensure valid warranties and access to firmware updates.

Field Deployment Insights

In a recent deployment for a hyperscaler’s edge compute nodes, the C9300X-24HX-1E’s buffering capacity prevented retransmissions during unpredictable AI inference traffic spikes. While its lack of PoE limits IoT use cases, the switch’s focus on raw data throughput and cloud-native programmability makes it indispensable for enterprises modernizing data centers. For teams prioritizing flexibility, the modular C9300X-12Y-1A offers expansion slots—but for pure 25G/100G density, this model reigns supreme.