C9600-LC-48YL Cisco Catalyst 9600 48-Port 25GE/10GE/1GE Line Card Switch

Cisco C9600-LC-48YL Catalyst 9600 Series Line Card

The Cisco C9600-LC-48YL Catalyst 9600 Series line card is engineered to deliver exceptional high-density connectivity for modern enterprise and service provider networks. Designed as a modular plug-in line card, it integrates seamlessly into the Cisco Catalyst 9600 chassis, enabling scalable, resilient, and future-ready switching architectures. This model supports multi-speed Ethernet connectivity, making it ideal for evolving campus cores and large-scale aggregation environments.

General Product Information

• Manufacturer: Cisco  
• Part Number: C9600-LC-48YL
• Product Family: Cisco Catalyst 9600 Series
• Device Type: Modular Line Card Switch

Supported Ethernet Speeds

• 25 Gigabit Ethernet (25GE) for high-throughput workloads
• 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GE) for aggregation and distribution layers
• 1 Gigabit Ethernet (1GE) for legacy and mixed-speed environments

Enclosure and Form Factor

• Enclosure Type: Plug-in Module
• Optimized for Catalyst 9600 chassis compatibility
• Hot-swappable design for reduced downtime

Key Performance Highlights

• High port density for core and aggregation switching
• Multi-speed ports for seamless network transitions
• Optimized packet forwarding and traffic handling

Typical Deployment Scenarios

• Enterprise campus core switching
• High-density aggregation layers
• Scalable modular network designs

Integration Benefits

• Unified hardware and software ecosystem
• Consistent operational experience
• Future-ready modular expansion

Cisco Catalyst 9600 Series High-Density Line Card Architecture

The Cisco C9600-LC-48YL Catalyst 9600 Series 48-Port 25GE/10GE/1GE Line Card Switch is positioned within the modular core switching category designed for large-scale enterprise campuses and service-provider-ready aggregation layers. This category focuses on delivering extremely high throughput, flexible interface speeds, and consistent policy enforcement across expansive networks. The Catalyst 9600 Series chassis-based design enables organizations to scale bandwidth, services, and resiliency without redesigning their core infrastructure, making this line card an integral component of a long-term network architecture strategy.

Within this category, line cards such as the C9600-LC-48YL are engineered to operate as part of a distributed system that supports centralized forwarding intelligence, redundant supervisors, and high-speed fabric interconnects. The category emphasizes deterministic performance, predictable latency, and the ability to support both current and future application requirements, including cloud connectivity, unified communications, and data-intensive workloads.

48-Port Multi-Speed Ethernet Density for Core Deployments

This category is defined by high-density port configurations that maximize chassis slot efficiency. The C9600-LC-48YL provides forty-eight ports capable of operating at 25 Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, or 1 Gigabit Ethernet, allowing a single line card to support mixed-speed environments. This flexibility enables network architects to aggregate access-layer switches, connect high-performance servers, and interconnect distribution blocks using the same hardware platform.

By supporting multiple Ethernet speeds on each port, this category reduces the need for separate line cards for different interface requirements. Organizations can gradually migrate from legacy 1GE and 10GE infrastructures to 25GE without disruptive hardware changes. The category therefore aligns with investment protection goals while enabling incremental performance upgrades.

Enterprise-Class Switching Performance Characteristics

Core and aggregation switching categories prioritize sustained throughput and lossless forwarding under peak load conditions. The Cisco Catalyst 9600 Series line cards are built to leverage the high-capacity switching fabric of the chassis, ensuring that every port can operate at line rate simultaneously. This capability is essential for environments with east-west traffic patterns, large-scale virtualization, and high-volume data replication.

The C9600-LC-48YL category emphasizes deterministic forwarding behavior, where packets are processed consistently regardless of network load. This predictable performance supports latency-sensitive applications such as voice, video, and real-time analytics, which are increasingly common in modern enterprise and service-oriented networks.

Optimized Buffering and Traffic Handling

Switching line cards in this category incorporate advanced buffering architectures designed to manage traffic bursts and microbursts effectively. This approach minimizes packet loss during congestion events and maintains application performance even when traffic patterns fluctuate rapidly. The category supports intelligent queue management and congestion avoidance techniques that align with enterprise quality-of-service policies.

These buffering capabilities are particularly relevant in data center interconnect and campus core scenarios, where traffic aggregation can result in sudden spikes. The C9600-LC-48YL category ensures that such conditions are handled gracefully, preserving end-user experience and application reliability.

Quality of Service Integration at Scale

Quality of Service functionality is a defining characteristic of this switching category. The line cards are designed to classify, mark, and prioritize traffic at high speeds, enabling consistent policy enforcement across the network core. This ensures that critical applications receive appropriate bandwidth and latency guarantees, while less critical traffic is managed according to organizational priorities.

By integrating QoS at the hardware level, the category supports complex traffic engineering scenarios without compromising forwarding performance. This capability is essential for converged networks that carry voice, video, collaboration, and data traffic simultaneously.

Advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 Feature Support

The Cisco Catalyst 9600 Series line card category supports a comprehensive set of Layer 2 and Layer 3 features required in modern enterprise cores. These features enable scalable VLAN architectures, efficient routing, and robust redundancy mechanisms. The C9600-LC-48YL fits within this category by providing hardware-assisted forwarding for common protocols and advanced routing features.

Layer 2 capabilities within this category include support for large MAC address tables, rapid spanning-tree convergence, and flexible link aggregation options. These features allow the core to maintain stability and fast recovery in the event of topology changes or link failures.

Scalable Routing and High Availability

At the Layer 3 level, this category emphasizes high-scale routing tables and fast convergence. The Catalyst 9600 Series supports dynamic routing protocols and equal-cost multipath forwarding, enabling efficient use of available bandwidth and rapid adaptation to network changes. The C9600-LC-48YL operates within this framework, leveraging centralized supervisors for control-plane intelligence while executing forwarding decisions in hardware.

High availability is a cornerstone of this category. Redundant supervisors, power supplies, and fabric modules work in conjunction with line cards to deliver continuous operation. In the event of a component failure, traffic is rerouted with minimal disruption, supporting mission-critical business processes.

Nonstop Forwarding and Stateful Switchover

Switching platforms in this category are designed to support nonstop forwarding and stateful switchover capabilities. These mechanisms allow the network to continue forwarding traffic during control-plane events such as supervisor failover or software upgrades. The line card category therefore supports maintenance activities without requiring planned downtime.

This level of resiliency is particularly valuable in environments where network availability directly impacts revenue, safety, or regulatory compliance.

Security-Driven Core Switching Category

Security is deeply integrated into the Cisco Catalyst 9600 Series category, with line cards designed to enforce policies at high speeds. The C9600-LC-48YL operates within a secure-by-design framework that supports segmentation, access control, and threat mitigation directly in the switching fabric.

This category supports features such as Access Control Lists, secure segmentation through virtual networks, and integration with centralized policy engines. These capabilities enable organizations to implement zero-trust architectures and reduce the attack surface of the core network.

Hardware-Assisted Policy Enforcement

By implementing security policies in hardware, this category ensures that traffic inspection and enforcement do not introduce performance bottlenecks. The line cards can apply complex rules to large volumes of traffic while maintaining line-rate forwarding. This approach allows security to scale alongside network growth.

The C9600-LC-48YL category supports granular policy application across all ports, enabling consistent enforcement regardless of traffic volume or interface speed.

Segmentation and Network Isolation

Network segmentation is a key design principle within this category. By supporting multiple virtual networks and secure isolation mechanisms, the Catalyst 9600 Series enables organizations to separate user groups, applications, and services without deploying additional hardware. This improves security posture while simplifying network design.

The line card category supports these segmentation capabilities at scale, making it suitable for large campuses, multi-tenant environments, and hybrid enterprise networks.

Automation and Programmability Capabilities

The modern core switching category places significant emphasis on automation and programmability. The Cisco Catalyst 9600 Series is designed to integrate with software-defined networking frameworks and automation tools, enabling consistent configuration and rapid deployment of services. The C9600-LC-48YL participates in this ecosystem by exposing hardware capabilities through standardized APIs.

Automation reduces operational complexity and minimizes the risk of configuration errors. This category supports model-driven programmability, allowing network teams to manage the infrastructure using declarative configurations and version-controlled workflows.

Telemetry and Real-Time Visibility

Line cards in this category support advanced telemetry features that provide real-time insights into network performance, traffic patterns, and application behavior. This continuous stream of data enables proactive monitoring and faster troubleshooting. The C9600-LC-48YL category ensures that telemetry collection does not impact forwarding performance.

Enhanced visibility supports data-driven decision-making, allowing organizations to optimize capacity planning and improve user experience.

Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Design

Energy efficiency is an increasingly important consideration in core switching categories. The Cisco Catalyst 9600 Series incorporates power-efficient silicon and intelligent power management features to reduce overall energy consumption. The C9600-LC-48YL operates within this optimized power envelope while delivering high port density and performance.

Adaptive Power Management

Adaptive power management features allow the switching system to allocate power dynamically based on port utilization and operational requirements. This approach minimizes wasted energy while ensuring that performance remains consistent during peak usage periods.

The line card category benefits from centralized power distribution within the chassis, enabling more efficient use of available resources compared to standalone switches.

Deployment Scenarios and Use Case Alignment

The Cisco C9600-LC-48YL Catalyst 9600 Series line card category is well suited for a variety of deployment scenarios, including enterprise campus cores, large aggregation layers, and high-performance interconnection points. Its multi-speed port capability allows it to adapt to diverse connectivity requirements within a single chassis.

This category supports organizations undergoing digital transformation, cloud integration, and bandwidth expansion initiatives. By consolidating multiple connectivity needs into a unified platform, the line card category simplifies network architecture and reduces operational complexity.