CBS350-48T-4X-NA Cisco 350 CBS350-48T-4X 48 Ports Ethernet Switch.

Comprehensive Overview of the Cisco CBS350-48T-4X-NA Switch

The Cisco CBS350-48T-4X-NA is a high-performance, Layer 3 managed switch engineered for businesses seeking dependable connectivity, enhanced security, and efficient network control. Designed with 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 4 high-speed 10G SFP+ uplinks, it supports modern workloads, scalable topologies, and optimized traffic handling across diverse environments.

Essential Product Details

• Brand: Cisco
• Model / SKU: CBS350-48T-4X-NA
• Category: Managed Layer 3 Ethernet Switch
• Total Ports: 48 Gigabit Ports + 4 × 10G SFP+

Technical Capabilities and Hardware Design

Construction & Form Factor

Built for reliability, this rack-mountable switch offers a robust chassis suitable for enterprise cabinets and professional network layouts.

• Fully managed, stackable Layer 3 device
• Supports up to 4 units in a combined stack
• Designed for Gigabit Ethernet environments
• Includes 48 × 10/100/1000 Base-T RJ-45 interfaces
• Equipped with 4 × 10G Base-X SFP+ uplink slots

Performance Metrics

• Switching Capacity: 176 Gbps
• Forwarding Rate: 130.94 Mpps (64-byte packets)
• MAC Address Table: 16K entries
• Buffer Size: 3 MB
• Jumbo Frame Handling: Up to 2 KB

Advanced Capacity Support

• Up to 4094 VLANs for extensive segmentation
• 1024 ACL rules for granular security filtering
• 126 RPVST+ and 8 MSTP instances to stabilize network topology

Extensive Routing & Network Control

Layer 3 Protocol Compatibility

This model supports widely used routing standards, enabling efficient packet distribution across complex networks.

• Static IPv4 & IPv6 routing
• IGMP (v1/v2/v3), MLD, CIDR
• Policy-Based Routing (PBR)
• STP, RSTP, MSTP, Rapid PVST+

Remote Management & Administration Tools

• SNMP v1/v2c/v3, RMON
• Telnet, SSH/SSH-2, SCP
• HTTP/HTTPS Web UI
• TFTP for image and config management
• DHCP, ICMP, TACACS+, RADIUS

Encryption & Authentication

• SSL encryption for secure sessions
• SSH/SSH-2 authentication
• RADIUS & TACACS/TACACS+ support

Feature-Rich Switching for Modern Networks

Traffic Optimization & Protection

• Quality of Service (QoS) & DiffServ marking
• Broadcast, multicast, and unknown storm control
• DoS threat mitigation
• Flow control and VLAN support
• STP Root Guard, BPDU Guard, loopback detection

Security-Focused Enhancements

• DHCP snooping & IP Source Guard
• Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI)
• Private VLAN Edge (PVE)
• Secure Core Technology (SCT)
• Secure Sensitive Data (SSD)
• IP/MAC/Port Binding (IPMB)
• RA Guard & DAD

Management Tools & Protocol Integration

• LLDP & LLDP-MED
• MIB support
• Smartport technology
• Cable diagnostics for quick troubleshooting
• Dual image firmware for seamless updates

Connectivity & Expansion Interfaces

Available Ports

• 48 × 10/100/1000 RJ-45
• 4 × 10G SFP+
• 1 × Mini-USB console (Type-B)
• 1 × USB Type-A
• 1 × RJ-45 console

Energy & Power Specifications

Power System

• Internal power supply
• Input Voltage: AC 120/230 V, 50/60 Hz
• Operational Power Draw: 51.01 W

Internal Components

• Processor: ARM-based CPU running at 800 MHz
• RAM: 512 MB
• Flash Storage: 256 MB
• Status Indicators: Link/activity/speed/status LEDs

IEEE Compliance Standards

Supports a wide range of IEEE standards including 802.3, 802.1Q, 802.1X, 802.3ab, 802.3ae, 802.3x, 802.3ad (LACP), 802.1p, 802.1s, 802.1w, 802.1ab, 802.3an, 802.3az, and more, ensuring broad compatibility across advanced networking ecosystems.

Cisco CBS350-48T-4X-NA: product family overview and category positioning

The Cisco CBS350-48T-4X-NA 350 series 48 ports manageable 2-layer Ethernet switch represents a class of business-grade access and aggregation switches designed for small to medium-sized enterprises, branch offices, and campus edge deployments that require enterprise features without the complexity of a full data center platform. This category page focuses on the CBS350-48T-4X-NA model and its closely related subcategory devices, describing design intent, operational benefits, management approaches, performance expectations, and deployment patterns. Emphasis is placed on the switch’s role as a reliable network building block that balances throughput, manageability, and predictable interoperability in multi-vendor or Cisco-centric networks. The content below is written to help buyers, network planners, and integrators understand how this 48-port switch fits into modern access-layer architectures and to highlight the attributes that make it appropriate for use as an access or aggregation switch in business environments.

Design goals and target use cases

The CBS350-48T-4X-NA category is engineered for organizations that need a solid mix of port density and uplink flexibility while retaining centralized management capabilities. Typical use cases include office floor connectivity where dozens of wired endpoints such as desktop systems, VoIP handsets, wireless access points, and small servers must be aggregated into a single network segment. Another common scenario is branch or remote office consolidation, where an on-site IT team expects enterprise-level functionality—VLAN segmentation, secure management, access control lists, and quality of service—without the cost and configuration overhead of an advanced modular switch. The switch is also well suited for converged access environments where voice, video, and data coexist and where administrators require deterministic performance and predictable QoS behavior.

Business benefits and ROI considerations

Purchasing a CBS350-48T-4X-NA-class switch category delivers tangible business benefits through reduced operational complexity, improved security at the network edge, and longevity of deployment. From a return-on-investment perspective, the category provides a high port count in a compact form factor, consolidating connections that otherwise would require multiple smaller switches. The availability of multiple high-speed uplinks simplifies network design by enabling direct connections to distribution or core layers and by reducing the need for intermediate aggregation devices. Energy-efficient design, when present in a product family, lowers ongoing operating costs, and firmware support/updates extend product life and protect the investment. When evaluating total cost of ownership, decision makers should consider the minimized downtime due to robust management features and the decreased administrative workload thanks to centralized configuration options.

Key technical characteristics and functional capabilities

At the heart of this switch category is an emphasis on manageable Layer 2 functionality paired with advanced features that were once only found in higher-tier product lines. The "48T" nomenclature in the model name highlights its 48 copper Ethernet ports, which handle the majority of edge connectivity requirements. The "4X" suffix indicates the presence of multiple high-speed uplink ports, giving network architects the necessary bandwidth to interconnect with a distribution layer or to support uplink redundancy. This combination of many access ports with a handful of uplinks is ideal for environments where edge-to-core traffic patterns require both capacity and resilience.

Layer 2 switching and intelligent traffic handling

The category emphasizes robust Layer 2 switching capabilities including VLAN support for logical segmentation, dynamic link aggregation for bandwidth scaling and redundancy, and multicast handling for video and conferencing traffic. Administrators get predictable behavior for MAC learning and forwarding, plus controls to mitigate common access-layer issues such as broadcast storms and network loops. The switches in this family typically include intelligent forwarding features to prioritize latency-sensitive traffic and to maintain session persistence for critical applications.

Quality of Service and traffic prioritization

Quality of Service is a central capability when voice and video traffic share the same physical infrastructure as regular data. The category includes mechanisms to classify, mark, and prioritize traffic so that voice and collaboration services maintain low latency, jitter, and packet loss characteristics. Multiple queues per port, configurable scheduling algorithms, and CoS/DSCP mapping capabilities allow administrators to implement QoS policies aligned with business priorities. Effective QoS design reduces user impact from congestion and enables consistent application performance even during peak usage.

Security, authentication, and access control

Security at the access layer is non-negotiable for modern networks, and the CBS350-48T-4X-NA category addresses this need with a suite of features that enable both preventive and detective controls. Role-based access, 802.1X port authentication, and MAC-based access control furnish flexible methods for authenticating users and devices. Access control lists (ACLs) at Layer 2 through Layer 3 boundaries permit granular enforcement of traffic policies. The switches also commonly support secure management protocols, such as HTTPS and SSH, to protect administrative sessions. Network segmentation using VLANs, plus private VLAN or port isolation techniques where available, helps prevent lateral movement by unauthorized devices.

Firmware, secure boot, and lifecycle management

Lifecycle management of switch firmware is crucial for security and stability. This category encourages administrators to implement a disciplined firmware update cadence and to use images that support secure boot and verified firmware to reduce the risk of tampering. Centralized management platforms or out-of-band management consoles allow operators to schedule and apply updates across many switches, streamlining patching and compliance activities. Vendor-supplied release notes and security advisories should be reviewed regularly to align firmware updates with organizational risk tolerance and maintenance windows.

Integration with wireless, voice, and converged services

The access switch category is central to converged infrastructures that carry voice, wireless, and IoT traffic alongside traditional data flows. Integration with enterprise wireless systems is simplified when the switch provides Power over Ethernet in applicable models, inline power management, and automated VLAN assignment for wireless client traffic. Voice deployments benefit from dedicated voice VLANs and LLDP-MED or CDP support for endpoint classification and automatic provisioning. The switch category enables unified communication services to coexist with business applications on a single wired fabric while maintaining the performance and isolation requirements of each service type.

Edge use patterns for modern applications

Modern applications such as unified communications, video conferencing, and cloud-based collaboration place unique demands on the edge. This category supports the predictable low-latency forwarding necessary for these experiences through careful buffer management, QoS configuration, and prioritization of real-time traffic. For cloud-first architectures, the switch edge often functions as a bridge between local user devices and cloud-based services, making consistent policy enforcement and secure egress controls important considerations.

Support for IoT and device diversity

Enterprise edges increasingly host a diverse set of connected devices beyond traditional computers: access control systems, IP cameras, environmental sensors, and other IoT endpoints. These devices often have differing traffic patterns, security postures, and power requirements. The category provides tools to segment and secure these devices while offering the necessary connectivity options for both powered and non-powered devices. Administrators should plan network segmentation and apply access controls tailored to the device class to reduce attack surfaces and to manage bandwidth consumption effectively.

Physical design, cabling, and installation guidance

Physical considerations impact both operational simplicity and long-term maintainability. The CBS350-48T-4X-NA category generally shares standard 1U rack form factors, clear front-panel port labeling, and accessible management interfaces. Rack planning should account for cable routing, airflow, and power provisioning. Proper cabling practices, including the use of labeled patch panels and color-coded cables for different services or VLANs, simplify day-to-day maintenance and speed troubleshooting. When installing multiple switches, ensure adequate spacing for ventilation and follow vendor recommendations for ambient temperature and humidity.

Power and cooling considerations

Understanding power consumption and cooling needs is essential for reliable operation. Although some switches in similar families may offer power provisioning options, the 48-port copper variants typically consume a modest amount of AC power relative to larger chassis-based systems. When planning racks and closets, factor in the aggregate power draw of all devices, include redundancy for power supplies where offered, and ensure that cooling systems can sustain the expected heat load. Proper cable management also contributes to effective airflow, preventing hotspots that can lead to early hardware failure.

Physical security and tamper protections

Securing the physical location of access switches complements network-level security controls. Ensure that wiring closets are locked, that cabinets are monitored, and that access is controlled through established procedures. Where available, enable chassis-level protections, such as secure console access and password policies, to prevent unauthorized configuration changes. The combination of physical and logical protections reduces the likelihood of internal threats and improves the integrity of network operations.