Ports: Fixed 1G, 10G, 25G, 40G, 100G, and 400G options
PoE Budget: N/A (Core/Aggregation Switch)
Layer: Layer 3 (Core/Aggregation)
Stacking support: StackWise Virtual (SVL)
Curation Review
✔ Pros:Industry-leading performance with up to 400G density; robust security features including MACsec-256 and Encrypted Traffic Analytics; fully SD-Access ready; supports application hosting (e.g., ThousandEyes); high availability with sub-second failover via StackWise Virtual.
✘ Cons:Very high total cost of ownership; mandatory and complex Cisco DNA subscription licensing; fixed configuration limits future port expansion compared to modular chassis; requires Catalyst Center for full feature utilization.
Est. Price:
$5,000 - $35,000
Compare Against
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.