The Cisco Catalyst 9200 and 9300 series switches are both strong contenders for enterprise networking, designed to meet different business needs based on performance, scalability, and network complexity.
I Is Cisco Catalyst 9200 or 9300 your next purchase?
Through the official Cisco Excess Program, you can save up to 50%, making these switches more affordable without sacrificing quality.
Cisco Catalyst 9200 Series
The 9200 series is geared toward small to medium-sized enterprises. It balances cost-efficiency with performance, offering essential features without overcomplicating network management.
Key Features:
Up to 48 ports of 1 Gbps Ethernet.
Power over Ethernet (PoE/PoE+) for powering devices like IP phones and access points.
Layer 2/3 capabilities such as static routing, OSPF, and EIGRP Stub.
Stacking: Can be stacked up to 160 Gbps using Cisco StackWise-160 technology.
Security: Basic features like MACsec-256 encryption to ensure secure communications.
Management: Runs on Cisco IOS XE, allowing for automation and easier network provisioning.
Popular Models:
C9200L-24T-4X-E: 24 x 1G RJ-45 ports with 4 x 10G SFP+ uplinks.
C9200-24P-E: 24 x PoE+ ports with modular uplinks.
C9200L-24T-4G-E: 24 x 1G RJ-45 ports with 4 x 1G SFP uplinks.
The 9200 series is excellent for smaller networks that require reliable connectivity, basic routing, and security, but not the high-performance features necessary for more complex or larger environments.
Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series
The 9300 series is Cisco's flagship switch series for larger enterprises, offering advanced features suited for high-performance, highly scalable network environments.
Key Features:
Multigigabit Ethernet (1G, 2.5G, 5G, and 10G) support.
PoE/PoE+ and UPOE capabilities, including 90W UPOE+ for high-powered devices like wireless access points.
Layer 3 routing: Supports advanced routing protocols like BGP, EIGRP, and full OSPF.
Stacking: StackWise-480 technology allows up to 480 Gbps stacking bandwidth, making it ideal for larger networks.
Security: Advanced features like Encrypted Traffic Analytics (ETA) for deep visibility into threats in encrypted traffic, in addition to MACsec encryption.
Management: Cisco IOS XE and SD-Access, which offer greater automation and network segmentation for larger, more complex setups.
Popular Models:
C9300-24S-A: 24 x 1G SFP ports with the advanced "Advantage" license.
C9300-48U-A: A 48-port model with multigigabit speeds (1G to 5G) for environments like wireless backhaul.
C9300X-24Y-A: High-performance model supporting up to 100G uplinks, offering flexible configurations for future-proofing.
The 9300 series is suited for enterprises with high performance and scalability needs, as well as those looking to adopt IoT, cloud, and Wi-Fi 6 technologies. It offers improved security, flexibility, and higher stacking bandwidth, making it ideal for large, dynamic environments.
Comparison: Which to Choose?
Small to Medium Enterprises: The Cisco Catalyst 9200 series is the better choice. It is more affordable and still offers reliable performance for basic enterprise networking needs, such as PoE+ for devices, stacking, and basic Layer 3 capabilities.
Larger Enterprises or High-Performance Needs: The Cisco Catalyst 9300 series is better suited. With support for multigigabit speeds, advanced security, and higher stacking bandwidth, it is built for enterprises that demand scalability, high performance, and more advanced features like SD-Access and Encrypted Traffic Analytics.
Key Considerations:
Performance: The 9300 series offers higher performance, better security, and more flexibility with multigigabit Ethernet.
Budget: The 9200 series provides an excellent balance of features and price for smaller setups.
Future Growth: The 9300 series is more future-proof with its support for advanced technologies like Wi-Fi 6, UPOE, and cloud integration.
In conclusion, your decision should be based on your enterprise size, network performance requirements, and budget. The 9200 series is more suited for small to medium-sized networks, while the 9300 series offers more advanced capabilities for larger, more complex environments.
Through the official Cisco Excess Program, you can save up to 50%, making these switches more affordable without sacrificing quality.
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