Cisco Catalyst Switch Name Convention: What Those Letters and Numbers Actually Mean
- server-parts.eu server-parts.eu
- Oct 1, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 4
Have you ever wondered what the letters and numbers in Cisco Catalyst switch names actually mean? You’re not alone — the naming system can be confusing at first. This article explains what every number and letter stands for, including old, new, and legacy models.
Cisco Catalyst Switches: Save Up To 80%
✔️ 5-Year Warranty – No Risk: Pay Only After Testing
Cisco Catalyst Switches: Series Numbers
The series number shows the switch family and where it stands in Cisco’s product lineup:
2900, 2960, 3650, 3750: Older Catalyst switch families, mostly found in legacy networks.
9200, 9300, 9400, 9500, 9600: Modern Catalyst series. Higher numbers usually mean more capacity and features.
WS: “Workgroup Switch,” used in older models such as the 2960 series.
Example structure:
C[Series]-[Port Count][Feature Letters]-[License]
Example:
C9300-24T-E
Cisco Catalyst Switches: Port Counts
The port count shows how many Ethernet interfaces the switch has:
8, 12, 16, 24, 48, 96: Common port counts across Catalyst switches.
24 or 48 ports are typical for access-layer switches.
8 or 16 ports are more common in compact or office switches.
Cisco Catalyst Switches: Uplink Types
Uplink letters and numbers indicate the type and speed of uplinks that connect to higher-level devices:
G: Gigabit Ethernet (1G) uplinks.
10G, 40G, 100G: Speeds in gigabits per second.
TW: Mix of 10G base (T) and 40G uplinks (W).
SFP: Small Form-Factor Pluggable, for fiber connectivity.
SFP+: Enhanced SFP, supporting 10G speeds.
QSFP: Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable for 40G or 100G speeds.
Cisco Catalyst Switches: Feature Letters and Combinations
Letters after the port count show key hardware or software features such as PoE, stackability, or license type. Some letters have different meanings depending on the switch series.
Power over Ethernet (PoE)
P: PoE support.
LP: Lite PoE (lower power).
FP: Full PoE or PoE+, offering higher power for devices.
UP: Universal PoE, supports PoE++ and multiple standards.
Licensing and Software
E: Essentials license (basic features).
A: Advantage license (adds Layer 3 routing, security, automation).
L: LAN Base, found in older models with basic Layer 2/3 features.
PL: Premier license (most feature-rich).
NE: Network Essentials (older term).
NA: Network Advantage (older advanced license).
S: Standard software configuration.
Stackability
S: Stackable, supports multi-switch stacking.
X: Often means 10G uplink support or stackable design (depends on series).
Uplink and Expansion
T: Copper uplinks (non-PoE).
TL: 10G base copper Ethernet with Lite features.
D: Dual uplink ports (usually SFP/SFP+).
W: Wireless or wireless controller capability.
MX: Modular switch with expansion card support.
Performance and Hardware Features
R: Redundancy (dual supervisor engines or PSUs).
V: Variable-speed fans (quieter operation).
H: High performance or enhanced uplink speeds.
C: Compact, small form factor.
N: Fanless (silent operation).
Y: Enhanced uplinks or higher throughput (40G or 100G).
K: Crypto, includes encryption support.
Z: Zero-touch provisioning and automation.
Supervisor Engines
Modular switches like the 9400 and 9600 series use supervisor engines to handle control and routing. These designations indicate their capability:
SUP-1XL: High throughput and advanced routing.
SUP-1T: 1 Terabit capacity.
SUP-2T: 2 Terabit capacity.
SUP-720: Older model with 720 Gbps capacity.
SUP-1XL-Y: Enhanced version with higher performance.
Legacy Codes and Terms
Older Catalyst switches used slightly different codes.
WS: Workgroup Switch (e.g., 2960, 3750).
SMI: Standard Multilayer Image (basic features).
EMI: Enhanced Multilayer Image (advanced routing).
LAN Lite: Limited Layer 2 functionality.
NEB: New Enterprise Branch (for branch office use).
Common Number Indicators
24, 48, 96: Port counts.
4: Often the number of uplink ports.
6, 7: Number of slots in chassis models like the 9600.
Cisco Catalyst Switches: Example Models Explained
Cisco Catalyst WS-C2960X-48LPD-L
WS: Workgroup Switch (legacy).
C2960X: 2960-X series, enhanced model of 2960.
48: 48 Ethernet ports.
LP: Lite PoE.
D: Dual SFP+ uplinks.
L: LAN Base license.
Type: Legacy fixed switch with dual uplinks and Lite PoE.
Cisco Catalyst C9300-24T-E
C9300: Modern 9300 series switch.
24: 24 Ethernet ports.
T: Copper Ethernet (non-PoE).
E: Essentials license.Type: Fixed-configuration enterprise switch without PoE.
Cisco Catalyst C9200L-48PXG-A
C9200L: Lite version of the 9200 series.
48: 48 ports.
P: PoE+ support.
X: 10G uplinks.
G: Gigabit uplinks.
A: Advantage license.
Type: Cost-efficient switch with PoE+, high-speed uplinks, and advanced features.
Cisco Catalyst C9606R-SUP-2T-6TW-A
C9606R: 9600 series modular chassis, 6 slots.
R: Redundant supervisor and power supply support.
SUP-2T: 2-Terabit Supervisor Engine.
6TW: Six uplink ports (10G base + 40G uplinks).
A: Advantage license.
Type: High-end modular chassis for large enterprise networks.
Cisco Catalyst C9500-40X-E
C9500: Fixed-core switch for enterprise networks.
40: 40 Ethernet ports.
X: 10G uplinks.
E: Essentials license.
Type: High-performance fixed-core switch with 40 10G ports.
Cisco Catalyst Switches: Save Up To 80%
✔️ 5-Year Warranty – No Risk: Pay Only After Testing
Sources: Cisco Catalyst Switches
community.cisco.com: Cisco user forum thread where engineers discuss and clarify model code meanings.
Wikipedia – Cisco Catalyst: General background on Cisco Catalyst switch families and history.
Network Engineering Stack Exchange: Technical Q&A where network experts explain Cisco model numbering logic.
Wikipedia – Cisco Supervisor Engine: Overview of Cisco Supervisor Engine types and specifications.
Comments