C1000-16T-2G-L Cisco Catalyst C1000-16T SFP Managed Switch

Cisco C1000-16T-2G-L: Detailed Product Highlights

This 1RU (rack unit) switch is meticulously designed to serve as a reliable aggregation point for end-user devices, wireless access points, and IP phones. Its specification sheet tells the story of a device built for performance and growth.

Core Hardware Architecture

The switch is built on a robust hardware platform optimized for wire-speed switching across all ports. Its architecture ensures low latency and high throughput, which are critical for real-time applications and data-intensive tasks.

Port Configuration & Uplinks

The "16T" in the model name denotes sixteen downlink ports, while the "2G" indicates two dedicated uplink ports.

Sixteen 10/100/1000BASE-T Ports

Each of the sixteen RJ-45 copper ports supports auto-negotiation and auto-MDI/MDIX, automatically sensing and adjusting for speed and cable type (straight-through or crossover). This simplifies installation and eliminates configuration headaches. These ports are ideal for connecting a variety of devices, from desktop computers and printers to surveillance cameras and VoIP phones.

Two Dedicated Gigabit SFP Uplink Ports

The two Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) ports provide critical flexibility for uplink connectivity. Network administrators can choose from a wide array of Cisco SFP modules—including 1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX, 1000BASE-T, or 1000BASE-ZX—to connect to a core switch or router via fiber or copper. Fiber uplinks are essential for extending the network over longer distances, achieving electrical isolation, or simply ensuring a clean, high-bandwidth backbone connection.

Performance & Scalability

The switch offers a switching capacity of 36 Gbps and a forwarding rate of 26.8 Mpps (million packets per second). This non-blocking architecture guarantees that all ports can operate at full duplex without contention, future-proofing your investment as network demands grow. The device also supports energy-efficient Ethernet (EEE) IEEE 802.3az, reducing power consumption during periods of low data activity.

Unlocking Potential with LAN Base Software Features

The 'L' in C1000-16T-2G-L represents the LAN Base feature set, which transforms this switch from a simple connectivity box into an intelligent network device. This software layer is where the true value of the Catalyst 1000 Series is realized, offering tools for security, management, and traffic optimization.

Advanced Security & Network Segmentation

In today's threat landscape, security must be embedded at every layer of the network. The LAN Base software provides multiple mechanisms to harden the access layer.

Comprehensive Access Control Lists (ACLs)

The switch supports standard, extended, and VLAN-based ACLs. These ACLs allow administrators to define granular policies that permit or deny traffic based on IP addresses, protocols, and TCP/UDP port numbers. This can be used to restrict access between departments, control traffic to servers, or mitigate simple internal threats.

Robust IEEE 802.1X Authentication

For endpoint security, the switch acts as an authenticator in an 802.1X framework. This port-based network access control (NAC) requires users or devices to authenticate before being granted network access. It integrates seamlessly with RADIUS servers like Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), enabling dynamic VLAN assignment and guest access provisioning.

VLAN Support for Logical Segmentation

The device supports IEEE 802.1Q tagging and up to 255 VLANs. Creating separate broadcast domains for different user groups (e.g., Finance, HR, Guests) enhances security, improves performance by reducing broadcast traffic, and simplifies policy enforcement. It also supports Voice VLAN for prioritizing and isolating IP telephony traffic.

Quality of Service (QoS) for Optimized Performance

To ensure that critical applications like voice and video receive the bandwidth and low latency they require, the C1000-16T-2G-L offers sophisticated QoS features.

Classification, Marking, and Scheduling

The switch can classify traffic based on Layer 2 (CoS), Layer 3 (DSCP), or Layer 4 (TCP/UDP ports) information. It can then mark or re-mark packets to ensure consistent treatment across the network. Advanced queuing mechanisms, including weighted tail drop (WTD) and shaped round robin (SRR) scheduling, prioritize time-sensitive traffic, preventing jitter and packet loss during congestion.

Resiliency and High Availability Features

Network uptime is paramount. This switch includes several protocols designed to maximize availability and provide fast convergence in the event of a link failure.

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) Enhancements

Beyond standard IEEE 802.1D STP, the switch supports Rapid Per-VLAN Spanning Tree (RPVST+), which creates a separate spanning tree instance for each VLAN. This allows for faster convergence and better utilization of available links through load balancing across VLANs.

Flexible Link Aggregation

Using IEEE 802.3ad Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP), multiple physical ports can be bundled into a single logical EtherChannel. This increases bandwidth, provides load sharing, and creates redundancy—if one link in the bundle fails, traffic is automatically redirected to the remaining links with no disruption.

Streamlined Management and Deployment Options

The Cisco C1000-16T-2G-L is designed for ease of use, offering multiple management interfaces suitable for both novice and expert network operators. This flexibility accelerates deployment and simplifies day-to-day operations.

Diverse Management Interfaces

Intuitive Web-based Management (GUI)

The device includes a built-in, HTML5-based web interface (Cisco Device Manager). This graphical user interface provides a dashboard view of device health, port status, and traffic statistics. It allows for easy configuration of VLANs, QoS, security, and system settings through intuitive wizards and menus, lowering the barrier to entry for managing enterprise-class features.

Powerful Command-Line Interface (CLI)

For network professionals, the switch features a Cisco IOS-style CLI, accessible via console port, SSH, or Telnet. The CLI offers granular control, advanced scripting capabilities for automation, and is consistent with the broader Cisco Catalyst switching portfolio, reducing training time and operational complexity.

Centralized Management with Cisco Prime

For organizations managing multiple switches, the C1000 series is fully compatible with Cisco Prime Infrastructure. This network management software provides a single pane of glass for provisioning, monitoring, troubleshooting, and applying consistent policies across hundreds of devices, dramatically improving operational efficiency.

Deployment Scenarios and Use Cases

The versatility of the C1000-16T-2G-L makes it suitable for a wide range of environments.

Small to Medium Business Core Switching

In a central office or headquarters, this switch can serve as the main network aggregation point, connecting user workstations, servers, and wireless controllers, with fiber uplinks to an internet router or WAN device.

Branch Office and Remote Site Connectivity

Its compact size, silent operation (fanless in some models, though verification for this specific SKU is recommended), and advanced feature set make it ideal for remote offices. It can securely segment local traffic while maintaining a reliable, policy-enforced connection back to the corporate data center.

Enhanced Campus Access Layer

Within a larger campus or enterprise, it functions perfectly as an access layer switch deployed in wiring closets. Here, it provides Power over Ethernet (PoE is not available on this specific 'T' model; PoE models are designated with a 'P'), connectivity to IP phones and wireless access points (via injectors or separate PoE switches), and enforces security and QoS policies before traffic moves to distribution layer switches.

Key Considerations and Comparison Within the Series

Selecting the right switch model requires understanding the specific needs of your network environment. The C1000-16T-2G-L is one configuration among several in the Catalyst 1000 family.

Model Variants and Selection Guide

The Catalyst 1000 series is offered with different port counts, uplink options, and software feature sets.

Port Density and Type

The series includes models with 8, 16, 24, and 48 ports. The 'T' models (like the 16T) have all copper RJ-45 ports, while 'S' models offer a mix of copper and SFP ports for downlinks. The '2G' designation is crucial—it provides dedicated, non-blocking fiber/copper uplinks, whereas models without it may rely on shared uplinks from the base port pool.

Power over Ethernet (PoE/PoE+) Availability

It is critical to note that the C1000-16T-2G-L does NOT provide Power over Ethernet. Models ending in 'P' (e.g., C1000-16P-2G-L) include PoE or PoE+ capabilities, which are essential for directly powering devices like wireless access points, IP phones, and surveillance cameras. For deployments requiring PoE, a PoE-capable model must be selected.

Software Feature Sets (LAN Base vs. Network Essentials)

The Catalyst 1000 series primarily offers the LAN Base software (designated by 'L'), as found on this model. Some models may be available with Network Essentials, which offers a more foundational feature set. LAN Base is the recommended tier for organizations needing advanced security (ACLs, 802.1X), robust QoS, and RPVST+.