C1000-48P-4X-L Cisco Catalyst C1000-48P Ethernet Switch

Product Overview

The Cisco Catalyst C1000-48P-4X-L is a reliable and high-performance managed Ethernet switch designed for small to medium-sized business networks. Built with enterprise-grade technology, this rack-mountable switch delivers secure connectivity, efficient traffic management, and scalable networking for modern IT environments.

Manufacturer & Model Details

• Brand: Cisco
• Model Number: C1000-48P-4X-L
• Series: Catalyst 1000
• Device Category: Managed Network Switch
• Form Factor: Rack-mountable

Network Switch Specifications

• Total Ports: 48 Ethernet Ports
• Switch Type: Managed Gigabit Ethernet Switch
• Ethernet Technology: 10/100/1000 Mbps
• PoE Support: Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+)

Port Configuration & Interfaces

This Cisco switch offers a versatile port layout that supports both data and power delivery, making it ideal for IP phones, access points, and surveillance systems.

Ethernet & Uplink Ports

• 24 × 10/100/1000Base-T RJ-45 PoE+ ports (up to 15W per port)
• 24 × 10/100/1000Base-T RJ-45 standard Ethernet ports
• 4 × 1000Base-X SFP uplink ports for high-speed fiber connectivity

Management & Connectivity Interfaces

• 1 × RJ-45 management port
• 1 × Mini-USB Type-B console port
• 1 × USB Type-A port

Performance & Hardware Architecture

Processing Power

The Catalyst C1000-48P-4X-L is powered by an efficient ARM-based processor to ensure stable performance and smooth network operations.

• Processor: ARM architecture
• CPU Speed: 800 MHz

Routing & Switching Capabilities

Supported Routing Protocols

• IGMP
• MLD
• MLDv2
• STP (Spanning Tree Protocol)
• RSTP (Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol)
• MSTP (Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol)

Remote Management & Network Security

Designed for simplified administration, this Cisco managed switch supports a wide range of remote management and monitoring protocols to enhance network visibility and security.

Management & Monitoring Protocols

• SNMP v1, v2c, v3
• RMON 1 & RMON 2
• Telnet and SSH / SSH-2
• HTTP access
• TFTP
• CLI (Command Line Interface)
• NTP and ICMP
• DHCP

Authentication & Access Control

• TACACS+
• RADIUS

Ideal Use Cases

• Small to medium-sized business networks
• IP telephony and VoIP deployments
• Wireless access point connectivity
• Enterprise-grade edge networking

Core Architecture and Technical Specifications

At its heart, the C1000-48P-4X-L is designed for performance and reliability. Its architecture ensures non-blocking throughput, enabling all ports to communicate at wire speed simultaneously without packet loss, which is critical for latency-sensitive applications.

Port Configuration and Uplink Flexibility

The switch's port matrix is a key differentiator, offering a balanced blend of access ports and high-speed uplinks.

48 x RJ-45 Copper Ports with Full PoE+ Support

Each of the 48 10/100/1000BASE-T ports provides IEEE 802.3at PoE+ capability, delivering up to 30 watts per port. With a total PoE budget of 740 watts, the switch can power a dense deployment of devices like Cisco Aironet® access points, IP cameras, video phones, and building management systems concurrently, eliminating the need for separate power supplies and simplifying cabling infrastructure.

4 x 1/10 Gigabit SFP+ Uplink Ports

The integrated 4-port SFP+ module offers unprecedented uplink flexibility for an access switch. These ports support both 1G SFP and 10G SFP+ optics, allowing network architects to choose between cost-effective 1G connectivity today and seamlessly migrate to 10G for bandwidth-intensive applications or switch stacking in the future. This future-proofing capability protects infrastructure investments.

Advanced Software Features and Manageability

The C1000 series runs on Cisco's robust IOS XE software, providing a consistent operational experience with larger Catalyst switches. This brings a wealth of enterprise features down to the access layer.

Layer 3 Lite Routing Capabilities

While primarily an access switch, the "4X-L" model includes enhanced Layer 3 functionality. It supports static routing and RIP for basic inter-VLAN routing, allowing for network segmentation and improved traffic flow without requiring an external router for simple internal routing tasks. This enhances performance and reduces latency for inter-VLAN communication.

Comprehensive Security Suite

Network security starts at the access edge. The C1000-48P-4X-L integrates multiple security features to safeguard against unauthorized access and threats.

Port Security and Network Access Control

Leverage IEEE 802.1X for role-based device authentication. Coupled with MACsec (802.1AE) encryption on select ports, it ensures data confidentiality and integrity. Features like DHCP snooping, IP Source Guard, and Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI) work in concert to mitigate common Layer 2 attacks and IP address spoofing.

Cisco TrustSec® and ACLs

Support for Cisco TrustSec enables policy-based access through security group tags (SGTs). Flexible IPv4/IPv6 Access Control Lists (ACLs) provide granular control over traffic, allowing administrators to permit or deny flows based on myriad parameters.

High Availability and Network Resilience

Business continuity depends on network uptime. This switch offers features to maximize availability.

Stacking with Cisco FlexStack

Using the 10G SFP+ ports, up to 8 C1000 switches can be stacked into a single logical unit with FlexStack. This simplifies management (one IP address for the stack), enhances resiliency with stateful switchover, and enables cross-stack EtherChannel for improved uplink redundancy.

Redundant Power and Uplinks

While the internal PSU is fixed, the switch supports Cisco RPS (Redundant Power System) 2300 for power redundancy. Combined with support for standards-based link aggregation (LACP) and Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) enhancements like Rapid PVST+, it ensures a highly available network topology.

PoE Management and Smart Energy Efficiency

The significant PoE budget is managed intelligently. Cisco's EnergyWise technology allows for granular monitoring and control of PoE power consumption. Administrators can set policies to schedule power on/off for connected devices (e.g., turning off IP phones at night), reducing energy costs and contributing to sustainability goals. The switch also provides per-port PoE monitoring and remote power cycling for troubleshooting.

Deployment Scenarios and Use Cases

The versatility of the C1000-48P-4X-L makes it suitable for a wide range of applications.

Unified Access for Office Floors and Branches

Ideal as a floor/distribution switch in an office building, providing connectivity and power to a mix of user computers, VoIP phones, and wireless access points. Its Layer 3 Lite features allow it to handle local routing between user, voice, and guest VLANs efficiently.

High-Density Wireless and IoT Deployment

With 740W of PoE, it can support dense deployments of Wi-Fi 6/6E access points and a growing ecosystem of IoT sensors, building automation controllers, and digital signage, creating a converged network for smart buildings and digital campuses.

Small Business Core Switching

For a small to mid-sized business, this switch can serve as the core of the network, providing inter-VLAN routing, connectivity to servers (via 10G uplinks), and power to all connected devices, all from a single, manageable platform.

Management and Programmability

The switch offers multiple management avenues to suit different operational models.

Cisco DNA Center and Cloud Management

When managed by Cisco DNA Center, the switch becomes part of an intent-based network, enabling zero-touch provisioning, automated application policies, and advanced analytics. For simpler deployments, it can be managed via the Cisco Business Mobile App or cloud-based dashboard.

Traditional and Programmatic Interfaces

For CLI experts, the familiar Cisco IOS CLI is accessible via console, SSH, or Telnet. A built-in web-based GUI (Device Manager) offers an intuitive graphical interface for day-to-day tasks. For automation, support for APIs, Python scripting, and model-driven programmability (NETCONF/YANG) helps teams integrate the switch into modern DevOps workflows.

Comparison and Positioning in the Catalyst Portfolio

The C1000-48P-4X-L occupies a strategic position. It offers more PoE budget and 10G uplink capability compared to the base C1000 models, while being more access-focused and cost-effective than the fully Layer 3 capable Catalyst C9200/C9300 series. It is the go-to choice when high-density PoE and future-ready 10G uplinks are required in a single, quiet, managed switch.