PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Cisco Catalyst 9200 Series
Cisco Catalyst 9200 Series
★ 3.3 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Device Type: Modular Enterprise Access/Campus Switch
  • Switching Capacity: 1.4 Tbps
  • Forwarding Rate: 1 Billion packets/second (1 Bpps)
  • Ports (Typical C9200-48PXG): 48u00d71G + 4u00d710G uplink ports
  • PoE Budget: 1440W (with appropriate PSU)
  • Layer: L3 (Layer 3 routing)
  • Stacking Support: Yes - up to 9 units via FlexStack Plus
  • Throughput Per Port: Up to 100 Gbps aggregate (varies by model)
  • Protocol Support: IPv4, IPv6, EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, VLANs, ACLs
  • Redundancy: Dual PSU support, StackWise Virtual (SVL)
  • Management: Cisco IOS-XE OS, NETCONF/YANG, SNMP, SSH
  • Form Factor: 2RU rack mount, modular components
  • Buffer Memory: Up to 32 MB packet buffer
  • Max MAC Addresses: 256K MAC address table
  • VLAN Support: Up to 4094 VLANs

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Industry-leading switching fabric with 1.4 Tbps capacity enabling high-density deployments; Modular design with FlexStack Plus stacking supports enterprise scaling up to 9 switches for 432+ ports in single logical unit; Comprehensive PoE+ support (1440W) powers modern IP cameras, APs, and IoT devices; Advanced L3 routing capabilities with support for EIGRP, OSPF, BGP eliminate need for separate core routers in many designs; StackWise Virtual (SVL) provides true redundancy with active-active operation; Rich security features including ACLs, 802.1X port authentication, DHCP snooping, and dynamic ARP inspection; Cisco IOS-XE provides proven, stable OS with frequent updates and broad ecosystem support
  • ✘ Cons: Premium pricing ($5K–$15K+) compared to competing vendor switches limits adoption in budget-conscious environments; Complexity of IOS-XE command-line interface and feature-rich configuration requires experienced network engineers, increasing deployment time; Cisco licensing model (e.g., DNA subscriptions, smart licenses) adds recurring costs beyond hardware purchase; Power consumption (300–500W typical) requires adequate data center infrastructure planning; Fan noise level can be significant in office-adjacent environments; Learning curve for advanced features like segment routing and micro-segmentation; Stacking requires specialized cables and careful network design to avoid single points of failure
  • Est. Price: $5,200 - $14,800

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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