PACKETPERF

Primary Device

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

Technical Specifications

  • Switching Capacity: 3.2 Tbps
  • Forwarding Rate: 1 Bpps (64-byte packets)
  • Ports (breakdown): 48 x 1/10/25G SFP28 + 4 x 40/100G QSFP28 uplinks
  • PoE Budget: None (non-PoE data switch)
  • Layer: L2/L3 (L3 features depend on license: Network Advantage -A, Network Essentials -E)
  • Stacking support: StackWise Virtual per reseller listings (verify against Cisco documentation)

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: 1U chassis with 48 x 25G ports and 4 x 100G uplinks for dense data center and aggregation use; 3.2 Tbps switching capacity and 1 Bpps forwarding on the UADP 3.0 ASIC; Layer 3 routing available with Network Advantage licensing; no PoE overhead, so the platform suits server and aggregation roles; -E and -A licensing tiers let buyers match features to budget; widely available new and refurbished from resellers
  • ✘ Cons: No PoE support, so it cannot power edge endpoints such as APs or IP phones; the -E tier omits some advanced features (reported as SD-Access and advanced QoS, verify against Cisco licensing); only 4 uplink ports limit high-bandwidth aggregation; list prices are high and street prices vary widely between sellers; spec sheets from resellers conflict on port count and stacking, so Cisco's official datasheet should be checked before purchase
  • Est. Price: $9,444 - $29,326

Compare Against

Aruba (HPE) Aruba CX 6200
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

Popular Comparisons

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