Primary Device
Cisco Catalyst 9500X
★ 3.2 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Product Line: Cisco Catalyst 9500X series (fixed 1RU/data-center core and aggregation switches; configurations include C9500X-28C8D and C9500X-60L4D)
- Switching Capacity: Up to 12 Tbps per Cisco datasheet (some sources cite 12.8 Tbps full duplex, not confirmed for the 28C8D)
- Forwarding Rate: Up to 8 Bpps
- Ports (breakdown): C9500X-28C8D: 28x 100G QSFP28 + 8x 400G QSFP-DD. C9500X-60L4D: 60x 10/25/50G SFP56 + 4x 40/100/200/400G QSFP-DD
- PoE Budget: None (non-PoE switch family; PoE not applicable)
- Layer: L2/L3 (Layer 3 routing requires Network Advantage license)
- Stacking support: Not confirmed in research; Catalyst 9500 family supports StackWise Virtual, verify for 9500X
- Packet Buffer: 80 MB dedicated low-latency buffer; up to 8 GB HBM deep buffer
- ASIC: Cisco Silicon One Q200
- Power Supplies: 2 power supply slots (per Cisco product overview)
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: High-density 100G/400G and 10/25/50G connectivity for data center core, aggregation, and spine roles; Up to 8 Bpps forwarding rate with a Silicon One Q200 ASIC; Large buffering (80 MB dedicated plus up to 8 GB HBM) suited to deep-buffer and bursty traffic; Cisco DNA licensing and automation (DNA Essentials/Advantage) with Layer 3 routing support; Strong platform longevity and wide partner/support availability
- ✘ Cons: Very high acquisition cost compared with general-purpose data center or campus switches; No PoE, so it is unsuitable for powering access endpoints; Port options are fixed per model, so flexibility is limited versus modular Catalyst 9600X; Advanced features and Layer 3 require higher-tier licensing that adds recurring cost; Published switching capacity differs between sources (12 vs 12.8 Tbps), so buyers must verify against the current Cisco datasheet
- Est. Price: $50,000 - $110,000
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