C1000-8T-2G-L Cisco 8 Ports Managed Switch

Product Overview

The Cisco Catalyst C1000-8T-2G-L is a reliable and high-performance Ethernet switch designed for small to medium-sized business networks. It delivers secure, scalable, and cost-efficient connectivity with a compact form factor, making it ideal for branch offices, retail environments, and enterprise edge deployments.

General Product Specifications

Manufacturer and Identification

• Brand: Cisco
• Model Number: C1000-8T-2G-L
• Product Family: Cisco Catalyst
• Series: 1000 Series
• Device Type: Managed Ethernet Switch

Port Configuration and Connectivity

Network Ports Overview

• Total of 8 high-speed Gigabit Ethernet access ports
• 2 combo uplink ports supporting RJ-45 or SFP modules
• Designed for flexible copper and fiber connections

Detailed Port Breakdown

• 8 × 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet ports
• 2 × Gigabit Ethernet TP/SFP combo uplink ports
• Uplink support for extended network reach
• Modular design for adaptable deployment
• No stack port, ensuring simplified standalone operation

Performance and Network Technology

Supported Media Types

• Twisted pair copper cabling
• Optical fiber connectivity via SFP modules

Ethernet and Network Standards

• Gigabit Ethernet switching capability
• Support for 1000Base-T technology
• Support for 1000Base-X fiber standards

Expansion and Uplink Capabilities

SFP Expansion Options

• 2 dedicated SFP (mini-GBIC) expansion slots
• Shared SFP slot design for flexible port usage
• Ideal for long-distance fiber uplinks

Environmental and Operating Conditions

Operating Environment

• Operating temperature at sea level: -5°C to 50°C
• Operating temperature up to 5,000 ft: -5°C to 45°C
• Operating temperature up to 10,000 ft: -5°C to 40°C
• Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
• Operating humidity: 5% to 90% at 40°C, non-condensing

Storage Conditions

• Storage temperature range: -25°C to 70°C (-13°F to 158°F)
• Maximum storage altitude: 15,000 ft (4,500 m)
• Storage humidity: 5% to 95% at 65°C, non-condensing

Introduction to the Cisco Catalyst C1000 Series

In today's digitally-driven business environment, a robust and reliable network foundation is non-negotiable. The Cisco Catalyst C1000 Series stands as a cornerstone for small to medium-sized businesses, branch offices, and enterprise edge deployments. Specifically, the Cisco C1000-8T-2G-L Catalyst Switch embodies the perfect blend of performance, security, and manageability in a compact form factor. This switch is engineered to deliver enterprise-class features at an accessible price point, providing a seamless and secure connectivity experience for growing organizations.

C1000-8T-2G-L Key Specifications

The Cisco Catalyst C1000-8T-2G-L is a fixed-configuration, Layer 2/Layer 3 Lite managed switch designed to offer superior Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. Its port configuration is meticulously planned to cater to diverse network needs:

8 x 10/100/1000BASE-T Ports: These copper RJ-45 ports provide high-speed Gigabit connectivity for a variety of devices including desktop computers, IP phones, wireless access points, and servers. They support auto-negotiation and auto-MDI/MDIX for hassle-free cable connections.
2 x Combo Gigabit SFP Slots: These slots offer critical flexibility. Each SFP slot shares its connection with one of the copper ports (typically the last two), allowing you to choose between copper or fiber uplinks. This enables long-distance fiber connections to other switches or network cores, extending your network reach up to kilometers.
Form Factor: Desktop or wall-mountable, making it ideal for space-constrained environments like wiring closets, retail kiosks, or small office rooms.
Managed Features: Full CLI (Command Line Interface) and web-based GUI (Graphical User Interface) management for granular control over your network.
Power: AC power supply with optional Power over Ethernet (PoE/PoE+) models available in the series (note: the "-L" model is non-PoE).

Core Features and Capabilities of the Catalyst C1000-8T-2G-L

This switch is far more than just a simple port aggregator. It is packed with features that empower network administrators to build a resilient, efficient, and secure network infrastructure.

Advanced Layer 2 Switching and Layer 3 Lite Routing

The "Layer 3 Lite" capability is a significant differentiator. It allows the switch to perform basic routing functions between VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks), improving network performance by reducing the need to route all inter-VLAN traffic through a core router.

Key Layer 2/Layer 3 Features Include:

VLAN Support (IEEE 802.1Q): Segment network traffic for improved security, performance, and broadcast control. Supports up to 1005 VLANs.
Static Routing: Provides inter-VLAN routing capabilities, allowing different subnets to communicate efficiently at wire speed.
Spanning Tree Protocol (STP, RSTP, MSTP): Prevents network loops and ensures a loop-free logical topology, enhancing network availability and redundancy.
Link Aggregation (LACP - IEEE 802.3ad): Allows grouping of multiple physical ports into a single logical link (EtherChannel) for increased bandwidth, load balancing, and redundancy.

Robust Security and Access Control

Network security starts at the access edge. The C1000-8T-2G-L integrates a comprehensive suite of security features to protect against unauthorized access and network threats.

Network Access and Threat Mitigation

IEEE 802.1X and AAA Authentication:

Provides role-based network access control. Devices and users must authenticate before gaining network access, ensuring only authorized entities can connect.

ACLs (Access Control Lists):

Supports standard and extended IP ACLs, as well as MAC ACLs, to permit or deny traffic based on IP address, protocol, or MAC address, providing granular traffic filtering.

Port Security:

Limits the number of MAC addresses allowed on a port and can dynamically learn or statically assign secure addresses, preventing unauthorized device connections.

DHCP Snooping:

Prevents rogue DHCP server attacks by building a bindings table of trusted IP-to-MAC address assignments, safeguarding your DHCP process.

Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI):

Validates ARP packets in the network, mitigating ARP spoofing and poisoning attacks by correlating ARP requests with the DHCP snooping bindings table.

Management and Operational Efficiency

Simplifying network management is crucial for organizations with limited IT staff. The C1000 switch offers multiple, intuitive management pathways.

Flexible Management Interfaces

Cisco Web GUI

A user-friendly, browser-based interface that provides a dashboard view of the switch's health, port status, and configuration options. It allows for quick setup and monitoring without deep CLI knowledge.

Full Cisco IOS CLI

For seasoned network professionals, the switch runs a familiar Cisco IOS software image. This allows for scriptable, granular configuration and integration into existing Cisco network management practices.

SNMP, Syslog, and sFlow

Supports comprehensive monitoring and reporting via SNMP (v1, v2c, v3), Syslog for event logging, and sFlow for network traffic sampling, enabling integration with popular network management systems (NMS).

Smart Licensing with Cisco DNA Center

The "-L" in the model name signifies it comes with a Network Essentials license pre-installed. This subscription-based licensing model, managed through Cisco's Smart Software Manager, simplifies software activation and feature access. While this model operates independently, it is conceptually aligned with the DNA Center framework for larger deployments, offering a potential growth path.

Ideal Deployment Scenarios and Use Cases

The versatility of the C1000-8T-2G-L makes it suitable for a wide array of business environments.

Small and Medium-Sized Business (SMB) Core/Aggregation

For smaller offices, this switch can act as the central networking device, connecting all workstations, printers, and servers. Its Layer 3 Lite functionality allows for secure segmentation of departments (e.g., finance, sales) into different VLANs while allowing controlled communication.

Branch Office and Remote Site Connectivity

In a distributed enterprise, this switch is perfect for remote branches. The dual combo SFP ports enable high-speed, resilient fiber uplinks back to the corporate headquarters or data center over a WAN, while the 8 copper ports serve local devices.

Enterprise Edge and Wiring Closet Access

Within larger buildings, the switch can be deployed in telecom rooms to provide access layer connectivity for end-users. Its manageability ensures it can be consistently configured and secured according to corporate policies.

Backbone for IP Telephony and Wireless Networks

When paired with the PoE variants of the C1000 series, the platform is excellent for powering and connecting Cisco IP phones and wireless access points, creating a converged network for voice, video, and data. The non-PoE 8T-2G-L model often serves as an aggregation point for such access switches.

Technical Deep Dive: Performance and Architecture

Understanding the underlying architecture helps in appreciating the reliable performance this switch delivers.

Switching Capacity and Forwarding Rates

The switch is built on a non-blocking switching fabric. With a total switching capacity of 20 Gbps and a forwarding rate of up to 14.88 Mpps (million packets per second), it ensures wire-speed performance on all ports simultaneously, even under full load. This eliminates bottlenecks and provides a smooth user experience for bandwidth-intensive applications.

Quality of Service (QoS) for Optimized Traffic

To ensure critical applications like voice and video conferencing receive priority, the switch offers robust QoS features.

Traffic Classification and Marking

Classifies traffic based on Layer 2 (CoS), Layer 3 (DSCP), or Layer 4 (TCP/UDP ports) information. It can also remark packets to ensure priority is maintained across the network.

Congestion Management

Uses weighted tail drop (WTD) and multiple egress queues per port to manage buffer usage and prioritize delay-sensitive traffic during periods of congestion.

Reliability and High Availability Features

Network uptime is critical. The C1000 includes features designed to maximize availability.

Hardware Resilience

Features a robust, fanless design (for non-PoE models) for silent operation and reduced points of failure. It also includes energy-efficient Ethernet (IEEE 802.3az) to reduce power consumption during periods of low data activity.

Software and Protocol Redundancy

Beyond STP, features like UDLD (UniDirectional Link Detection) detect and disable unidirectional links caused by fiber or cable faults. Optional redundant power supplies can be considered for critical deployments.

Comparison and Positioning Within the Cisco Portfolio

It's important to understand where the C1000-8T-2G-L fits in Cisco's broader switching lineup.

C1000 vs. Cisco Business 250/350 Series

The Catalyst C1000 series is a step up from the Cisco Business (formerly SG) series. It runs native Cisco IOS, offers more advanced security features (like DAI), provides Layer 3 Lite routing, and integrates with Cisco's Smart Licensing ecosystem, making it more suitable for businesses planning to grow into a full Cisco enterprise network.

C1000 vs. Catalyst 1000 Series

The "C1000" is the successor to the original Catalyst 1000. It introduces enhanced software capabilities, more flexible licensing (Essentials vs. Advantage), and improved hardware design, offering a more future-proof solution.

Pathway to Higher Catalysts

The C1000 serves as an ideal entry point. As network needs grow, it can seamlessly integrate with more powerful Catalyst 2000, 3000, or 9000 series switches at the distribution or core layers, thanks to consistent Cisco IOS operating principles and management protocols.