Primary Device
Cisco Catalyst 9300-48P
★ 3.5 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Switching Capacity: 256 Gbps (standalone); 736 Gbps with StackWise-480 stacking
- Forwarding Rate: 190.48 Mpps (IPv4/IPv6); approx. 547.62 Mpps when stacked
- Ports (breakdown): 48x 10/100/1000 RJ-45 PoE+ access ports; 1 network module slot for uplinks (4x 1G SFP, or 10G options depending on the module installed)
- PoE Budget: 437 W default with 715 W WAC PSU; up to approx. 1440 W with an 1100 W secondary PSU (upgrade figure from third-party listings, not verified against Cisco documentation)
- Layer: L2 with Network Essentials; L3 (routing) with Network Advantage (-A) license
- Stacking support: Yes, StackWise-480 (480 Gbps stacking bandwidth, up to 8 switches per stack)
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: Full 48-port PoE+ access with 437 W default PoE budget suits typical access-layer deployments; StackWise-480 stacking allows a single managed stack with unified configuration; Network Advantage (-A) variant adds full L3 routing and advanced features; Enterprise-grade IOS-XE platform with streaming telemetry, model-driven programmability and strong security features; Modular uplink network module slot gives flexibility for 1G or 10G uplinks; Redundant power supply options allow higher PoE budget and resilience
- ✘ Cons: Default 437 W PoE budget can be limiting for high-draw devices such as PTZ cameras or multiple high-power APs without a larger PSU; Higher price point than many competing 48-port PoE+ switches, especially with the Advantage licence; Stacking and higher PoE budgets require additional hardware and licences, increasing total cost; Forwarding rate and PoE upgrade figures vary between sources, so verify against Cisco's current datasheet before purchase; Uplink options depend on the network module, which is an extra purchase; Power and cooling needs are higher than basic unmanaged switches
- Est. Price: $7,700 - $8,712
Compare Against
Aruba (HPE) Aruba CX 6200
★ 4.2 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Switching Capacity: 128 Gbps (24-port models); 176 Gbps (48-port models)
- Forwarding Rate: 95.2 Mpps (24-port models); 130.9 Mpps (48-port models)
- Ports (breakdown): 24x or 48x 10/100/1000BASE-T (PoE+ on PoE SKUs) + 4x SFP/SFP+ uplinks (1GbE/10GbE); 6200M models add 4x SFP+ uplinks
- PoE Budget: 370W Class 4 (24G and 48G 370W SKUs); 740W Class 4 (48-port 6200F PoE SKU); up to 1440W Class 6 (60W per port) on 6200M PoE SKUs. Varies by SKU
- Layer: L2/L3 (Layer 3 static routing; dynamic routing depends on software license)
- Stacking support: Yes, VSF virtual stacking up to 8 members (single logical device); VSX redundancy also supported
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: Fixed-port, Layer 2/3 managed access switch in a compact 1U form factor; Wide range of PoE and non-PoE SKUs (370W, 740W, and 1440W class 6 PoE options) for IP phones, cameras, and APs; VSF stacking of up to 8 members simplifies management as one logical device; Full Aruba CX OS features with REST API, network analytics, and automation support via Aruba Central; Solid mid-range pricing compared with enterprise-class core switches; 10GbE SFP+ uplinks support aggregation and campus backbone links
- ✘ Cons: Model and SKU naming (6200F vs 6200M, 24G vs 48G, PoE vs non-PoE) is confusing and specs differ significantly between variants; Public spec sources conflict on some figures (for example, 6200F throughput and uplink types), so exact datasheet values should be verified per SKU; Dynamic routing and advanced L3 features require additional licensing; Power budget is limited on 370W and 740W SKUs, so high-draw PoE devices may not all be supported at full load; Pricing is in USD only for 6200F SKUs. European 6200M pricing was found only in EUR and GBP, and no official HPE list price was confirmed
- Est. Price: $4,261 - $8,663