PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Cisco Catalyst 9500-48Y4C
Cisco Catalyst 9500-48Y4C
★ 3.3 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Switching Capacity: 80 Tbps
  • Forwarding Rate: 1.9 Tbps
  • Ports: 48x 25GbE (SFP28) + 4x 100GbE (QSFP28)
  • Layer: L3 (Full Routing Capable)
  • Stacking Support: Yes (up to 9 units)
  • Max Power Consumption: 3500W
  • Throughput per Port: 25 Gbps (data ports) / 100 Gbps (uplinks)
  • Memory: 16 GB DRAM, 4 GB Flash
  • PoE: Optional PoE modules available

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Industry-leading 80 Tbps switching capacity for ultra-high-performance core/distribution deployments; Modular architecture supports line-rate forwarding on all ports with consistent low latency; Comprehensive L3 routing with hardware-based VXLAN/MPLS for advanced network designs; Redundant supervisors and power supplies for carrier-grade availability; Cisco Catalyst 9000 software suite enables AI-driven networking, telemetry, and segment routing
  • ✘ Cons: Exceptionally high capex cost ($95k-$145k+) limits deployment to large enterprise and service provider networks; Requires skilled networking staff for full feature utilization including programmability and automation; Power and cooling requirements (3.5kW+) significant for smaller data centers; Complex licensing model for advanced software features; Overkill throughput specifications for organizations with modest switching needs
  • Est. Price: $95,000 - $145,000

Compare Against

Ubiquiti Pro Max Aggregation (USW-Pro-Max-Aggregation)
Ubiquiti Pro Max Aggregation (USW-Pro-Max-Aggregation)
★ 5.0 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Switching Capacity: 760 Gbps
  • Forwarding Rate: 565.44 Mpps
  • Ports: (28) 10G SFP+, (4) 25G SFP28
  • PoE Budget: N/A
  • Layer: L3
  • Stacking support: No (Hardware Stacking)

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Features Etherlighting™ for visual port/VLAN management, 25G SFP28 uplinks for high-speed backbone, Full Layer 3 switching capabilities, Fanless silent operation.
  • ✘ Cons: Higher price premium for Etherlighting compared to Pro Aggregation, requires expensive SFP+ or SFP28 transceivers, no dedicated hardware stacking ports.
  • Est. Price: $949 - $999

Popular Comparisons

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