C9500X-28C8D-1E: What Ports Are Included?, How to Future-Proof?, Why Cisco & Itmall.Sale?

​​Core Functionality of the C9500X-28C8D-1E​​

The ​​C9500X-28C8D-1E​​ is a Cisco Catalyst 9500X Series switch optimized for hyperscale data centers and enterprise core networks. It combines ​​28x 100G QSFP28 ports​​ and ​​8x 400G QSFP-DD uplinks​​, targeting high-performance workloads like AI/ML, real-time analytics, and distributed cloud architectures.

​​Key Technical Specifications​​

• ​​Port Density​​: ​​28x 100G ports​​ (breakout to 4x25G) + ​​8x 400G ports​​ (breakout to 4x100G or 2x200G).
• ​​Throughput​​: ​​12.8 Tbps​​ switching capacity with ​​4.8 Bpps​​ forwarding rate.
• ​​Stacking​​: ​​Cisco StackWise-2T​​ enables 2.4 Tbps stacking bandwidth across up to 8 units.
• ​​Software​​: Runs ​​Cisco IOS XE​​ with ​​DNA Advantage​​, supporting ​​Encrypted Traffic Analytics (ETA)​​ and ​​Cisco SD-Access​​.
• ​​Security​​: ​​MACsec-256​​ on all ports, integrated with ​​Cisco TrustSec​​ for automated policy enforcement.

​​Primary Use Cases​​

• ​​AI/ML Clusters​​: Supports ​​RoCEv2 (RDMA over Converged Ethernet)​​ for low-latency GPU/TPU communication.
• ​​Hyperscale Spine Layer​​: Acts as a ​​400G-ready spine​​ in data center Clos topologies.
• ​​Multi-Cloud Gateways​​: Integrates with ​​Cisco SD-WAN​​ for secure AWS/Azure/GCP connectivity.

​​Procurement via Itmall.Sale​​

The ​​C9500X-28C8D-1E​​ is available exclusively through ​​itmall.sale​​, which offers:

• ​​Validated Optics​​: Pre-tested Cisco QSFP-100G-SR4 and QSFP-DD-400G-DR4 modules.
• ​​Licensing Bundles​​: Includes ​​5-year DNA Advantage​​ and ​​24×7 Smart Net​​ support.
• ​​Custom Airflow​​: Side-to-side or front-to-back configurations for high-temperature deployments.

​​Addressing Deployment Concerns​​

​​Q: Can it support 800G uplinks via future optics?​​
A: No—but the 400G ports are compatible with ​​Cisco 800G OSFP​​ transceivers via adapter kits.

​​Q: Is PoE/PoE+ supported?​​
A: No—this model prioritizes high-speed data transport over power delivery.

​​Q: What’s the maximum latency for financial trading traffic?​​
A: ​​Sub-500ns​​ with cut-through switching and jumbo frames enabled.

​​Final Perspective: A Spine-Layer Powerhouse​​

The ​​C9500X-28C8D-1E​​ is a rare blend of ​​100G access density​​ and ​​400G spine readiness​​, making it ideal for enterprises bridging today’s needs with tomorrow’s scalability. While its lack of modularity may deter some, its ​​10-year hardware lifecycle​​ and ​​Cisco’s backward compatibility commitment​​ justify its premium for hyperscale environments. Partnering with ​​itmall.sale​​ ensures access to Cisco-validated optics—critical for avoiding signal integrity issues in 400G deployments. For industries like telecom or cloud providers, where bandwidth demands double every 18 months, this switch isn’t just an upgrade; it’s an insurance policy against obsolescence.