WS-C3850-48U-S Cisco Catalyst 3850 Switch 48 Ports Upoe IP Base

Cisco WS-C3850-48U-S Catalyst 3850 Switch Overview

The Cisco WS-C3850-48U-S is a high-performance Layer 3 managed switch designed for enterprise networking environments. Offering 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports with Universal Power over Ethernet (UPOE), this switch ensures reliable connectivity, advanced routing, and extensive scalability for modern networks.

Key Manufacturer and Product Details

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Part Number / SKU: WS-C3850-48U-S
• Product Type: Network Switch
• Subtype: 48-Port Gigabit Ethernet

Technical Specifications

Device and Enclosure Details

• Device Type: Managed Layer 3 Switch, Stackable
• Enclosure Type: Desktop or 1U Rack-mountable
• Port Configuration: 48 x 10/100/1000 Mbps (UPOE)
• Power Over Ethernet: Universal PoE (UPOE) with 800W budget

Performance and Capacity

• Switching Capacity: 176 Gbps
• Stacking Bandwidth: 480 Gbps
• IPv4 Routes: 24,000
• NetFlow Entries: 48,000
• Switched Virtual Interfaces (SVIs): 1,000
• MAC Address Table: 32,000 entries
• Jumbo Frame Support: Up to 9,198 bytes

Routing and Management Protocols

• Routing Protocols: RIP-1, RIP-2, EIGRP, RIPng
• Remote Management: SNMP v1/v2c/v3, RMON 1 & 2, Telnet, SSH, CLI

Advanced Features

• Auto-negotiation and ARP support
• VLAN and trunking capabilities
• Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) & Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP)
• DHCP snooping, Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI), IGMP/MLD snooping
• Port Aggregation (PAgP, LACP) and RSPAN
• Quality of Service (QoS) and Radius support
• Virtual Route Forwarding-lite (VRF-lite) and Layer 3 load balancing
• Energy Efficient Ethernet and Stackwise-480 & StackPower technology
• UPOE, PoE+, STP Root Guard, and Uni-directional Link Detection (UDLD)
• Flexible NetFlow (FNF) monitoring and TFTP support

Compliance and Standards

• IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3z, 802.1d, 802.1q, 802.3ab
• IEEE 802.1p, 802.3af, 802.3x, 802.3ad (LACP)
• IEEE 802.1w, 802.1x, 802.1s, 802.3at

Power and Redundancy

• Power Supply: Internal plug-in module, redundant option available
• Installed Quantity: 1
• Maximum Supported Quantity: 2
• Redundancy Scheme: 1+1 with optional power supply
• Power Output: 1100W
• Voltage Requirement: AC 120/230V, 50/60 Hz

Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series Enterprise Access Switching Platform

The Cisco WS-C3850-48U-S Catalyst 3850 Switch with 48 UPOE ports and IP Base software belongs to the Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series, a highly resilient and scalable family of enterprise-grade access layer switches. This category represents a unified wired and wireless access switching solution designed to support modern digital workplaces, high-density devices, and power-hungry endpoints. Built on Cisco’s advanced ASIC architecture, Catalyst 3850 switches deliver consistent performance, enhanced visibility, and centralized policy enforcement across the access network.

The Catalyst 3850 platform is engineered to meet the evolving requirements of enterprise networks by integrating switching, routing, wireless controller functionality, and advanced power delivery into a single compact form factor. The WS-C3850-48U-S variant stands out in this category due to its support for Universal Power over Ethernet, making it suitable for next-generation endpoints such as high-performance wireless access points, IP phones with color displays, video surveillance cameras, digital signage, and IoT devices.

48-Port UPOE Access Layer Design

This category of 48-port UPOE switches is purpose-built for high-density access deployments where a large number of powered devices must be supported from a single switch. Each port on the Cisco WS-C3850-48U-S is capable of delivering enhanced power levels beyond standard PoE and PoE+, allowing enterprises to deploy advanced devices without requiring additional power sources. This simplifies infrastructure design while reducing installation and operational costs.

The non-blocking architecture of the Catalyst 3850 ensures that all 48 ports can operate at full line rate simultaneously, supporting bandwidth-intensive applications such as unified communications, real-time collaboration, and video streaming. This design philosophy aligns with modern access layer requirements where performance, reliability, and scalability are critical.

Universal Power over Ethernet Capabilities

Universal Power over Ethernet is a defining feature of this category, enabling the switch to supply up to 60 watts of power per port when required. This capability supports a broader range of devices compared to traditional PoE solutions, including advanced wireless access points and thin clients. By consolidating power delivery into the network infrastructure, organizations gain greater flexibility in device placement and future-proof their access layer.

The intelligent power management system built into the Catalyst 3850 dynamically allocates power based on device needs and overall power budget. This ensures optimal utilization of available power resources while maintaining network stability and protecting connected devices.

IP Base Software Feature Set

The Cisco WS-C3850-48U-S is equipped with IP Base software, positioning it within a category optimized for enterprise access deployments that require robust Layer 2 switching with essential Layer 3 capabilities. IP Base provides features such as static routing, RIP, enhanced security, and quality of service, making it suitable for branch offices, campus access layers, and distributed enterprise networks.

This software tier delivers a balance between functionality and cost-effectiveness, enabling organizations to deploy advanced networking features without the complexity of full enterprise routing protocols. The IP Base feature set ensures seamless integration with existing Cisco network architectures while supporting future upgrades as network requirements evolve.

Layer 2 and Layer 3 Integration

Within this category, Catalyst 3850 switches offer comprehensive Layer 2 switching features including VLAN support, trunking, spanning tree enhancements, and advanced loop prevention mechanisms. These capabilities ensure network stability and efficient traffic segmentation across large access deployments.

On the Layer 3 side, IP Base software enables static routing and basic dynamic routing, allowing the switch to participate intelligently in the network topology. This reduces reliance on upstream devices for routing decisions and enhances overall network performance.

Advanced Quality of Service Architecture

Quality of Service is a critical component of the Catalyst 3850 category, particularly in environments where voice, video, and data traffic converge. The switch implements granular traffic classification, queuing, and scheduling mechanisms to ensure that latency-sensitive applications receive priority treatment.

By supporting end-to-end QoS policies, the Cisco WS-C3850-48U-S helps maintain consistent user experiences even during periods of high network utilization. This is essential for organizations that rely on real-time collaboration tools and unified communications platforms.

Integrated Wired and Wireless Convergence

A defining characteristic of the Cisco Catalyst 3850 category is its ability to converge wired and wireless access on a single platform. The WS-C3850-48U-S supports integrated wireless controller functionality, allowing it to manage Cisco access points directly without the need for a separate controller appliance.

This convergence simplifies network design and reduces hardware footprint while enabling consistent policy enforcement across wired and wireless users. Administrators gain centralized visibility and control, improving operational efficiency and security posture.

Support for High-Density Wireless Deployments

As part of this category, the Catalyst 3850 is optimized to support high-density wireless environments such as offices, campuses, and educational institutions. The switch provides sufficient power, bandwidth, and control plane capacity to handle large numbers of wireless clients simultaneously.

The integrated wireless architecture ensures seamless roaming, consistent authentication, and uniform quality of service for users as they move between wired and wireless connections.

Unified Policy and Security Enforcement

The Catalyst 3850 category emphasizes unified policy enforcement across the access network. With IP Base software, administrators can implement consistent access controls, segmentation policies, and security features regardless of connection type.

This unified approach reduces complexity and minimizes the risk of configuration inconsistencies that could compromise network security or performance.

StackWise-480 High-Availability Architecture

The Cisco WS-C3850-48U-S supports Cisco StackWise-480 technology, a key differentiator within this category. StackWise-480 enables multiple switches to be interconnected into a single logical unit, providing up to 480 Gbps of stack bandwidth.

This stacking capability enhances scalability, simplifies management, and improves resilience by allowing switches to operate as one cohesive system. In the event of a hardware failure, the stack continues to operate with minimal disruption, ensuring high availability for critical network services.

Scalability for Growing Enterprises

StackWise-480 allows organizations to start with a single switch and expand incrementally as network demands increase. Additional switches can be added to the stack without major reconfiguration, preserving existing investments and minimizing downtime.

This scalability makes the Catalyst 3850 category particularly attractive for enterprises anticipating growth or fluctuating network requirements.

Redundancy and Fault Tolerance

Within a stacked configuration, control plane and data plane functions are distributed across member switches. This architecture provides built-in redundancy, ensuring that a single point of failure does not disrupt network operations.

The ability to maintain consistent forwarding and management capabilities during component failures underscores the reliability of this category.

Advanced Security and Network Visibility

Security is a foundational aspect of the Cisco Catalyst 3850 category, and the WS-C3850-48U-S integrates multiple security mechanisms to protect the access layer. Features such as port security, DHCP snooping, IP source guard, and access control lists help mitigate common network threats.

Enhanced visibility into traffic patterns and device behavior allows administrators to detect anomalies, enforce compliance, and optimize network performance proactively.

Segmentation and Access Control

Network segmentation capabilities within this category enable organizations to isolate traffic based on user roles, device types, or applications. This approach limits the attack surface and improves overall security posture.

IP Base software supports essential access control features that help ensure only authorized users and devices can connect to the network.

Monitoring and Troubleshooting Efficiency

The Catalyst 3850 platform provides detailed monitoring and diagnostic tools that simplify troubleshooting and reduce mean time to resolution. Real-time statistics, logging, and visibility into power usage contribute to efficient network operations.

This level of insight is particularly valuable in complex enterprise environments where rapid problem identification is essential.

Enterprise Deployment Scenarios and Use Cases

The Cisco WS-C3850-48U-S Catalyst 3850 Switch category is well-suited for a wide range of enterprise deployment scenarios. Its combination of high port density, UPOE support, and integrated features makes it ideal for campus access layers, branch offices, and high-performance workspaces.

Organizations deploying advanced collaboration tools, IP telephony, and wireless networks benefit from the switch’s ability to deliver power, bandwidth, and policy enforcement from a single platform.

Campus and Branch Office Networks

In campus environments, this category supports large numbers of users and devices while maintaining consistent performance and security. The ability to stack switches and manage them as a single entity simplifies administration across distributed locations.

For branch offices, the IP Base feature set provides sufficient routing and switching capabilities to support local operations while integrating seamlessly with centralized data centers.

Support for Digital Transformation Initiatives

As enterprises adopt digital transformation strategies, the access layer must support emerging technologies and increased device diversity. The Catalyst 3850 category addresses these demands by offering flexible power delivery, scalable performance, and advanced feature integration.

This makes the Cisco WS-C3850-48U-S a strategic component in modern network architectures designed to support innovation and growth.