Primary Device
Cisco Catalyst 9300
★ 3.3 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Switch Type: Enterprise Campus L2/L3
- Switching Capacity: 2.56 Tbps
- Forwarding Rate: 1.9 Billion packets/sec (1.9 Bpps)
- Port Configuration: 48u00d7 1/10/25G Ethernet + 4u00d7 40/100G uplinks
- PoE Budget: 4000W (PoE++) with optional power supplies
- Layer Support: L2/L3 with advanced routing
- Stacking Support: Yes - StackWise Virtual & StackWise Plus (up to 9 units, 40Gbps interconnect)
- Buffer Memory: 32 MB packet buffer
- ASIC: Cisco UADP7 for deep packet inspection
- Throughput per Port: 100 Gbps aggregate (48 u00d7 25G ports)
- Max MAC Addresses: 256,000
- IPv4 Routes: 2,000,000+ with UADP ASIC
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: Enterprise-grade reliability with 99.999% uptime SLA; Advanced security with Cisco Trustsec, SGT, and MACsec encryption; Flexible high-availability options (StackWise Virtual, redundant supervisors); Deep packet buffering (32 MB) handles traffic bursts smoothly; Cisco DNA Center integration for simplified management and AI-driven insights; UADP ASIC enables advanced QoS, security, and telemetry without performance impact; Modular design with optional line cards for future scalability
- ✘ Cons: High capital cost ($18K–$42K per unit) with additional licensing fees for advanced features; Steep learning curve requiring Cisco IOS XE expertise; Power consumption is significant (peak 1000+ watts per unit); Proprietary ecosystem limits interoperability with non-Cisco gear; Overkill for small/medium networks, leading to underutilization; Cisco licensing model for DNA and security add-ons increases TCO; Requires trained engineering staff to fully leverage advanced features
- Est. Price: $18,000 - $42,000
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