WS-C3750X-24U-E Cisco Catalyst Managed L3 Ethernet Switch (24 Port)

Technical Specifications and Hardware Architecture

The Cisco WS-C3750X-24U-E is built with a robust hardware design that ensures consistent performance and future-ready capabilities. Its specifications are meticulously crafted for the high-density, power-hungry edge of the network.

Core Hardware Components

The switch is centered around a high-performance forwarding ASIC, capable of wire-speed switching across all ports. It features a default DRAM configuration suitable for complex routing tables and access control lists, with options for field-upgradable memory. The integrated, hot-swappable power supplies and fan trays are hallmarks of its carrier-class design.

Port Configuration & Expandability

Fixed UPOE Port Array

The switch provides 24 RJ-45 Ethernet ports, each supporting 10/100/1000 Mbps auto-negotiation and full-duplex operation. The defining feature is Universal Power over Ethernet (UPOE), capable of delivering up to 60W of power per port (standard 802.3at PoE+ is also supported). This allows it to power beyond traditional devices, supporting technologies like Cisco's TelePresence endpoints, high-performance thin clients, and compact switches.

Power Supply Redundancy

The WS-C3750X-24U-E ships with a single, hot-swappable 715W AC power supply. A major benefit of the chassis design is the ability to add a second, redundant power supply (AC or DC). When configured with two supplies, the switch supports Power Supply Redundancy (1+1) and Enhanced PoE Grantees, ensuring continuous operation and protected power budgeting for connected devices, even during a power supply failure.

Advanced Software & Layer 3 Feature Set

The "IP Services" feature set (denoted by the "-E" in the model number) unlocks a comprehensive suite of enterprise-class routing, security, and management capabilities, making this far more than a simple Layer 2 switch.

IP Routing Capabilities

The switch supports full dynamic routing, enabling it to act as a true routing node within the network. It runs Cisco IOS Software with a familiar CLI and feature parity with larger chassis-based switches.

Dynamic Routing Protocols

For scalable interior gateway routing, the 3750X-E supports:

OSPF (Open Shortest Path First): Advanced link-state protocol for medium to large networks.
EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol): Cisco's advanced distance-vector protocol for efficient, rapid-converging routing.
BGP (Border Gateway Protocol): Exterior gateway protocol support for multi-homing and enterprise WAN edge routing.
RIP v1/v2: For legacy network integration.

Multicast Routing

To efficiently handle video, audio, and data distribution, it supports Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) in Sparse Mode (PIM-SM) and Dense Mode (PIM-DM), along with IGMP snooping for Layer 2 optimization.

Advanced Security and Policy Enforcement

Network security is embedded at multiple levels within the switch's software.

Access Control Lists (ACLs)

It supports extended, named, and VLAN ACLs (VACLs), allowing for granular traffic filtering based on IP address, protocol, port numbers, and other Layer 3/Layer 4 parameters. This enables policy enforcement directly at the access edge.

Identity-Based Networking

Integration with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) via 802.1X authentication allows for dynamic policy assignment. Users and devices are authenticated and placed into appropriate VLANs with specific QoS and ACL policies, enhancing security in dynamic environments.

Switch Hardening Features

Features like DHCP snooping, Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI), and IP Source Guard protect against man-in-the-middle and IP spoofing attacks, creating a robust foundation for trusted access.

StackWise Plus Technology

StackWise Plus is not merely a stacking technology; it is a system architecture that fundamentally changes how stackable switches operate and are managed.

Unified Management and Control Plane

When switches are stacked, they are managed as a single entity. There is one master switch that runs the routing protocols, executes management functions, and maintains the configuration file for the entire stack. This drastically reduces the operational overhead of managing multiple independent switches.

High-Bandwidth, Resilient Backplane

The StackWise Plus ring creates a 64 Gbps, bidirectional data path. Traffic is load-balanced across both paths in the ring. If a stack cable fails or a switch is removed, the ring heals within microseconds, ensuring no network downtime. This provides a level of redundancy typically found in chassis-based switches.

Stateful Switchover (SSO)

In a stack, a standby switch is designated. The master and standby synchronize critical state information (like MAC tables and routing adjacencies). If the master fails, the standby assumes control with sub-second failover, maintaining all network sessions—a critical feature for voice and video.

Cross-Stack EtherChannel

EtherChannel links can be created with member ports distributed across multiple physical switches in the stack. This provides unparalleled link aggregation resilience; even if an entire switch in the stack fails, the EtherChannel stays partially operational, maintaining uplink connectivity.

Intelligent Power & Cooling Systems

The 3750X platform was designed with energy efficiency and reliability as core principles, featuring sophisticated power and thermal management subsystems.

Universal Power over Ethernet (UPOE)

By extending the IEEE 802.3at standard, UPOE delivers up to 60W per port over standard Cat5e/6 cabling. This innovation enables Power over Everything, allowing the switch to directly power a new generation of devices, reducing the number of AC power adapters and simplifying deployments.

Dynamic Power Allocation

The switch intelligently negotiates and monitors power delivery. If a device needs less power (e.g., a phone on standby), the switch reduces allocation. It can also prioritize power delivery to critical devices in the event of a power budget shortfall.

Hot-Swappable, Modular Design

All critical components—power supplies and fan trays—are modular and hot-swappable. A failed component can be replaced without powering down the switch or the entire stack, ensuring maximum network uptime and simplifying maintenance operations.

Front-to-Back Airflow

The switch supports reversible fan trays, allowing airflow to be configured as either port-side exhaust or port-side intake. This flexibility is crucial for proper integration into various data center and wiring closet hot-aisle/cold-aisle containment designs.

Primary Use Cases and Applications

The versatility of the Cisco WS-C3750X-24U-E makes it an ideal solution for multiple deployment scenarios within the enterprise.

Enterprise Building/Wiring Closet Access

Its most common role is as a hardened, high-density access switch. Deployed in stacks, it provides connectivity for hundreds of end-users, delivering Gigabit to the desktop, Power over Ethernet to phones and access points, and resilient uplinks to the network core.

Mid-Sized Network Core/Collapsed Core

For smaller campuses or branch offices, a stacked 3750X system can perform the role of a collapsed core, aggregating all access switches and providing inter-VLAN routing, security policies, and uplinks to the WAN. Its Layer 3 capabilities are perfectly suited for this.

High-Power Density Deployments

In environments like modern classrooms, hospitals, or retail spaces with extensive digital signage, video surveillance, and wireless systems, the 24 UPOE ports provide the necessary power budget to run all devices without external injectors, simplifying cabling and power management.

IoT and Smart Building Gateway

With its ability to segment traffic (via VLANs and ACLs) and power a diverse set of sensors and controllers, the 3750X-24U-E serves as an excellent aggregation point for IoT networks, providing both connectivity and a first layer of security.