PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Cisco Cisco Catalyst 9500
Cisco Cisco Catalyst 9500
★ 3.2 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Switching Capacity: 51.2 Tbps
  • Forwarding Rate: 76.8 Bpps (billion packets/sec)
  • Ports: Modular (48x 10GbE + 6x 100GbE typical)
  • PoE Budget: Cisco StackPower, not traditional PoE
  • Layer: L3 (Multilayer)
  • Stacking Support: StackWise Virtual (VSS equivalent)

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Exceptional 51.2 Tbps throughput for large-scale deployments; Modular line-card architecture enables customization and future expansion; StackWise Virtual provides high availability, redundancy, and simplified cluster management; Comprehensive enterprise security (ACLs, DDoS protection, encryption); Industry-leading support for data center, core, and distribution layer networks
  • ✘ Cons: Extremely high cost ($45K–$180K+) makes it unsuitable for small or mid-market deployments; Complex configuration and management requiring specialized Cisco expertise; Significant power consumption (500–1000+ watts depending on config) increases operational costs; Large form factor (10 RU chassis) requires substantial data center space; Steep learning curve for new administrators; Overkill for non-enterprise use cases
  • Est. Price: $45,000 - $180,000

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