PACKETPERF

Primary Device

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

Technical Specifications

  • Switching Capacity: Up to 6.4 Tbps (Standard) / 12.8 Tbps (9500X)
  • Forwarding Rate: Up to 2 Bpps (Standard) / 8 Bpps (9500X)
  • Ports: High-density 10G, 25G, 40G, 100G, and 400G SFP/QSFP ports
  • PoE Budget: N/A
  • Layer: Layer 3
  • Stacking support: StackWise Virtual

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Future-proof performance with 400G density (9500X), enterprise-grade security (MACsec-256, ETA), high availability via StackWise Virtual, supports SD-Access and DNA Center automation, capable of hosting container-based applications.
  • ✘ Cons: High total cost of ownership including mandatory DNA licensing, fixed configuration prevents adding line cards later, lacks PoE support for end devices, complex licensing model.
  • Est. Price: $5,000 - $18,000

Compare Against

Fortinet FortiSwitch 124G (FS-124G)
Fortinet FortiSwitch 124G (FS-124G)
★ 3.7 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Switching Capacity: 240 Gbps
  • Forwarding Rate: 355 Mpps
  • Ports: 24 x 100/1000/2500 Mbps RJ45, 6 x 10 Gbps SFP+
  • PoE Budget: 0W (Non-PoE)
  • Layer: Layer 2 with Static Routing
  • Stacking support: FortiLink (Management Stacking)
  • Form Factor: 1 RU, Fanless

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: High-speed 2.5G multi-gigabit ports ideal for Wi-Fi 6/7 access points; generous 6x 10G SFP+ uplinks for high backhaul capacity; fanless design ensures completely silent operation; seamless integration with FortiGate firewalls via FortiLink for centralized security management.
  • ✘ Cons: Lacks Power over Ethernet (PoE) support, requiring injectors or a separate power source for connected devices; fanless design leads to high operating temperatures (often exceeding 50°C); limited Layer 3 features compared to enterprise core switches.
  • Est. Price: $1,130 - $1,504

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