IE-3100-8T4S-E Cisco Catalyst IE3100 Rugged Series 8 Ports Layer 3 Manageable Rail Mountable Switch

Cisco Catalyst IE-3100-8T4S-E — Industrial Gigabit Ethernet Switch Overview

The Cisco Catalyst IE-3100-8T4S-E is an industrial-grade, din-rail mountable Gigabit Ethernet switch built for harsh environments and mission-critical networks. Engineered for resilient edge deployments, this rugged switching appliance combines eight copper Gigabit ports with four SFP fiber uplinks, Layer 3 routing capabilities, and low power consumption. Use this product page copy to highlight features, technical data, deployment scenarios, and search-friendly terms such as industrial ethernet switch, din-rail Ethernet, and Cisco Catalyst IE3100.

General Information

• Manufacturer: Cisco Systems, Inc.
• Model / Part Number: IE-3100-8T4S-E
• Product Type: Ethernet switch / industrial network switch

Technical Specifications 

• Form Factor: DIN-rail mountable chassis
• Total network ports: 8 copper Gigabit ports
• Uplink ports / expansion: 4 SFP slots (Gigabit SFP modules compatible)
• Port types: RJ-45 (copper), SFP (fiber uplink)
• Modularity: SFP-based expansion slots for fiber or other transceivers
• Product Family: Catalyst, IE3100 Rugged series

Power & Consumption

• Supported input voltages: 9.6 V, 12 V, 48 V, 60 V (flexible industrial power options)
• Power source: External power supply (nominal industrial inputs supported)
• Typical power consumption: 17.80 W

Media, Speed & Protocols

• Network speeds: Gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T / 1000BASE-TX), 1000BASE-X via SFP
• Media supported: Twisted pair copper and optical fiber
• Ethernet type: 10/100/1000 Mbps capable (Gigabit Ethernet)

Performance and Connectivity

• 8 × Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 ports for high-throughput copper connections (1000BASE-T / 1000BASE-TX).
• 4 × SFP expansion slots for fiber uplinks or fiber aggregation links — flexible media support.
• Layer 3 switching and routing capability, enabling inter-VLAN routing at the network edge.
• Manageable platform — full SNMP/CLI/Web management for enterprise-class control.

Rugged Design & Mounting

• DIN-rail mountable form factor — ideal for industrial cabinets and control rooms.
• Part of the Catalyst IE3100 Rugged series — designed for vibration, temperature extremes, and factory-floor use.
• Modular architecture supports hot-swappable SFP media for flexible link types.

Supported Networking Standards

• IEEE 802.1Q — VLAN tagging for traffic segmentation
• IEEE 802.1p — Layer 2 QoS / priority handling
• IEEE 802.1s / 802.1w — Spanning Tree (RSTP/MSTP) for loop prevention and fast convergence
• IEEE 802.3ad — Link aggregation and port-channeling
• IEEE 802.1x — Port-based network access control (authentication)
• IEEE 802.3ah, 802.3u, 802.3z, 802.3ab — Various Ethernet physical-layer and management standards
• IEEE 1588v2 — Precision time protocol for time-sensitive networks
• LLDP (IEEE 802.1ab) — Link Layer Discovery Protocol for topology discovery 

Product category: Cisco Catalyst IE3100 Rugged Series — industrial L3 managed, rail-mount Ethernet switches

The Cisco IE-3100-8T4S-E Catalyst IE3100 Rugged Series represents a focused category of industrial-grade Ethernet switches engineered for critical infrastructure, transportation, manufacturing, utilities, and outdoor or harsh-environment networks. This category centers on compact, rail-mountable Layer 3 managed switches with robust physical design and enterprise-class switching capabilities. Typical models in this category—such as the IE-3100-8T4S-E—combine multiple Gigabit Ethernet copper ports with SFP fiber uplink options for resilient connectivity across short and long distances.

Form factor and mechanical design

A defining characteristic of the IE3100 Rugged Series category is its mechanical suitability for constrained or vibration-prone installations. The rail-mountable chassis design allows easy installation on DIN rails commonly found inside control cabinets, telecom enclosures, and rolling stock racks. Robust metal housing and reinforced connectors protect the switch from shock and vibration; many models in this category offer extended operating temperature ranges to operate reliably in hot or cold environments.

Port configuration and uplink versatility

The IE-3100-8T4S-E and related category models emphasize a pragmatic balance between copper edge ports and fiber uplinks. A typical configuration is eight Gigabit Ethernet copper ports for direct device connectivity and four Gigabit SFP uplink slots for fiber links or media conversion. This layout enables short-range device aggregation at the edge while providing resilient, long-distance uplink options to aggregation switches or data centers.

Layer 3 managed features and network services

As a Layer 3 managed switch category, the IE3100 series supports advanced networking features that go beyond basic switch-and-forget devices. Layer 3 routing capabilities allow these switches to participate in routed networks, simplifying network segmentation and reducing dependency on separate routers for local inter-VLAN routing. Managed features also include robust security, QoS (Quality of Service), multicast handling, and diagnostics that are crucial for mission-critical systems.

High availability, redundancy and resilience

Industrial networks demand high availability. Products in this category typically implement features that reduce unplanned downtime and enable graceful failover during network faults. Redundancy mechanisms can be implemented at multiple layers—physical, link, and network—depending on the deployment architecture.

Environmental ratings and certifications

Rugged switches in the IE3100 category are designed with industrial standards in mind. Typical environmental considerations include extended temperature ranges, ingress protection options (IP ratings when deployed in enclosures), and compliance with industrial electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standards. Certifications and qualifications vary by model but often include compliance to recognized standards relevant to industrial deployments.

Security and operational integrity

Security is central for any managed industrial switch category. The IE3100 series typically supports a variety of security controls designed to limit unauthorized access, maintain audit trails, and segment critical control traffic from general-purpose data streams. These controls help protect operational technology (OT) workloads from malicious actors and accidental misconfigurations.

Power options and energy considerations

While many models in this category are designed as data-only switches, some variants and accessories may support Power over Ethernet (PoE) to power edge devices such as cameras, wireless access points, or sensors. Where PoE is not included, the presence of efficient power supplies and power-saving functions reduces energy consumption in distributed deployments.

Network design patterns and deployment strategies

The IE3100 Rugged Series category supports multiple design patterns that are optimized for the constraints and requirements of edge and industrial networks. Choosing the right deployment strategy depends on use case priorities—latency, bandwidth, determinism, resilience, or manageability. Below are several proven patterns and recommendations.

Edge aggregation

Use the switch as a local aggregator that concentrates traffic from sensors, controllers, and cameras. The local copper ports attach to end devices while fiber SFP uplinks carry aggregated traffic to a regional or central aggregation switch or controller. This pattern reduces copper runs and improves immunity to EMI for long link segments.

Distributed intelligence

When local routing and firewalling provide better response times or reduce the load on centralized devices, Layer 3 routing on the switch can be used to implement local route decisions. This reduces latency for control loops and can improve failure isolation in complex plant networks.

Ring and redundant topologies

In environments that demand minimal downtime—rail corridors or production lines—configure the switches in ring topologies with fast failover. Use multiple SFP uplinks to provide physical redundancy and adopt switch-level fast convergence protocols suitable for industrial networks.

Comparing to alternatives: what sets this category apart

When evaluating rugged edge switches, the IE3100 Rugged Series category stands out due to the combination of enterprise-class Cisco switching features and industrialized hardware design. Alternatives may offer either high-end switching features (in non-rugged chassis) or rugged hardware without comprehensive L3 capabilities. This category blends both, making it ideal for organizations that require both OT-grade robustness and IT-grade network services.

Integration and interoperability considerations

Successful integration requires attention to software image compatibility, interface naming conventions, and network management compatibility with existing infrastructure. Consider interoperability testing for SFP optics, specific routing protocols, and QoS policies, especially when bridging OT and IT domains.

Accessories, modules and expandability

Accessories expand the versatility of devices in this category. Common accessories include SFP transceivers (single-mode and multi-mode), mounting kits, DIN-rail adapters, surge protection devices, and environmental enclosures. Consider the accessory ecosystem when planning deployments—use of standardized optics and accessories can materially reduce operational complexity.