WS-C3650-48PQ-L Cisco Ethernet Switch Plus (PoE+) - 48 Ports

Cisco WS-C3650-48PQ-L 48 Ports Switch Overview

The Cisco WS-C3650-48PQ-L is a high-performance, manageable Ethernet switch featuring 48 ports, designed to deliver robust connectivity and advanced network management capabilities. Ideal for enterprise and data center environments, this switch ensures reliable Gigabit Ethernet communication and efficient network operations.

Key Product Information

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Model / SKU: WS-C3650-48PQ-L
• Device Type: Manageable Ethernet Switch
• Port Count: 48 RJ-45 Ports
• Series: Catalyst 3650

Technical Specifications

Media and Networking Technology

• Supported Media Type: Twisted Pair
• Ethernet Technology: Gigabit Ethernet
• Network Standards: 10/100/1000Base-T

Expansion Capabilities

• Total Expansion Slots: 4
• Slot Type: SFP
• Offers flexible network expansion for enhanced scalability

Networking Layers and Ports

• Layer Support: Layer 2
• Total Network Ports: 48
• PoE+ Support: 48 RJ-45 Ports

Enhanced Features for Performance and Security

• Access Control List (ACL) support for secure network access
• Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI) and ARP functionality
• DHCP Snooping to prevent unauthorized IP assignment
• Energy Efficient Ethernet for lower power consumption
• IGMP and MLD Snooping for optimized multicast traffic
• Layer 2 switching and advanced VLAN support
• Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) and Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP)
• Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP) and Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP)
• Remote Switch Port Analyzer (RSPAN) and trunking capabilities
• Quality of Service (QoS) and RADIUS compatibility
• Uni-Directional Link Detection (UDLD) and PVRST+ support

Compliance and Industry Standards

• IEEE 802.1ab (LLDP), 802.1D, 802.1p, 802.1Q, 802.1s, 802.1w, 802.1x
• IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, 802.3z, 802.3ad (LACP)
• IEEE 802.3af, 802.3at, 802.3x

Management and Routing Capabilities

• Remote management via CLI, SSH, Telnet, and SNMP (v1, v2c, v3)
• RMON support for real-time network monitoring (1, 2, 3, 9 groups)
• Static IP routing supported
• Fully manageable for centralized network control

Power and Environmental Specifications

Power Requirements

• Input Voltage: 110 V AC / 220 V AC
• PoE (RJ-45) Ports: Not included

Environmental Conditions

• Operating Temperature: 23 °F to 113 °F
• Storage Temperature: -40 °F to 158 °F
• Humidity Range: 5% – 96% non-condensing

Cisco WS-C3650-48PQ-L 48 Ports Manageable Switch

The Cisco WS-C3650-48PQ-L 48 Ports Manageable Switch is a high-performance, enterprise-grade network switch designed to meet the needs of modern organizations requiring reliable, scalable, and secure network connectivity. This switch is part of Cisco’s Catalyst 3650 Series, which integrates advanced networking features with Power over Ethernet (PoE) capabilities, allowing seamless deployment of VoIP phones, wireless access points, and other networked devices. Designed for medium to large enterprise environments, the WS-C3650-48PQ-L offers robust Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching functionalities, ensuring efficient data flow across the network while maintaining high availability and security standards.

Advanced Hardware Architecture and Design

The Cisco WS-C3650-48PQ-L switch is built with a purpose-driven architecture that provides high throughput and low latency for enterprise networks. Equipped with 48 high-speed ports, this switch ensures reliable connectivity for a wide array of devices in dense networking environments. The hardware design supports stacking technology, enabling multiple switches to operate as a single logical unit. This simplifies network management, reduces operational overhead, and enhances scalability for growing enterprise networks. Additionally, the switch incorporates redundant power supply options, ensuring uninterrupted operation even during power failures.

Port Configuration and Connectivity

The 48 ports on the Cisco WS-C3650-48PQ-L switch are capable of supporting both standard Ethernet and Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+), which allows network devices to receive both power and data through a single Ethernet cable. This capability is particularly beneficial for deploying IP phones, wireless access points, and surveillance cameras without requiring separate power sources. The switch supports a flexible uplink configuration, including SFP+ uplinks for high-speed fiber connections, allowing seamless integration with backbone networks or other data center components.

Power over Ethernet Capabilities

One of the key strengths of the WS-C3650-48PQ-L switch lies in its Power over Ethernet capabilities. The switch can deliver up to 30 watts of power per port, which meets the requirements of the latest generation of networked devices. By integrating PoE into the network infrastructure, enterprises can reduce cabling complexity, lower installation costs, and streamline device deployment. PoE also ensures consistent power delivery to critical devices such as IP phones, wireless access points, and security cameras, maintaining uninterrupted operation and network stability.

High-Performance Switching and Routing

The Cisco WS-C3650-48PQ-L supports full Layer 3 routing capabilities, enabling dynamic routing protocols such as OSPF, EIGRP, and BGP. This allows network administrators to manage traffic efficiently across multiple subnets, improve network performance, and optimize bandwidth utilization. The switch is equipped with advanced QoS (Quality of Service) features to prioritize mission-critical applications, ensuring that latency-sensitive services like VoIP and video conferencing maintain high performance. Its wire-speed forwarding capability ensures that data packets are processed without delay, contributing to a highly responsive network environment.

Stacking Technology for Scalability

Cisco’s StackWise-480 technology allows multiple WS-C3650 switches to be interconnected and managed as a single logical unit. This stacking technology supports up to nine switches in a stack, providing up to 480 Gbps of stack bandwidth. Stacking simplifies network management by consolidating configuration, monitoring, and maintenance tasks. It also enhances redundancy, as if one switch in the stack fails, the remaining switches continue to operate seamlessly, maintaining network continuity and minimizing downtime.

Network Security Features

Security is a critical consideration for enterprise networks, and the Cisco WS-C3650-48PQ-L delivers comprehensive security features to protect sensitive data and maintain network integrity. The switch supports IEEE 802.1X network access control, which ensures that only authorized users and devices can connect to the network. Additionally, it offers advanced features like dynamic ARP inspection, IP source guard, and DHCP snooping, which help mitigate threats such as spoofing attacks and unauthorized access. Integrated security policies can be applied across multiple ports, providing consistent protection throughout the network.

Energy Efficiency and Environmental Considerations

The Cisco WS-C3650-48PQ-L is designed with energy efficiency in mind, implementing technologies that reduce power consumption without compromising performance. Features such as Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) dynamically adjust power usage based on traffic levels, lowering operational costs and reducing environmental impact. The switch’s fan and power supply systems are optimized to operate quietly and efficiently, making it suitable for deployment in office environments, data centers, and other noise-sensitive areas.

Software Features and Cisco IOS XE

Running on Cisco’s IOS XE software platform, the WS-C3650-48PQ-L delivers a flexible and feature-rich operating environment. IOS XE provides advanced networking functionalities, including automation, programmability, and simplified network management through Cisco DNA Center. The software supports automation tools and APIs, enabling IT teams to streamline network deployment, configuration, and monitoring. Features such as Software-Defined Access (SD-Access) further enhance network security and segmentation, allowing administrators to define policies that control user access and device communication at a granular level.

Enhanced Wireless Integration

The WS-C3650-48PQ-L switch is optimized for wireless network integration, acting as a convergence switch for both wired and wireless traffic. Its unified architecture allows it to manage wireless access points directly, simplifying network topology and improving overall performance. By integrating wireless controller functions directly into the switch, enterprises can reduce the need for separate hardware controllers, thereby reducing cost and complexity while maintaining high-quality wireless coverage and management.

Reliability and High Availability

For mission-critical networks, reliability and high availability are essential. The WS-C3650-48PQ-L offers multiple features to ensure continuous operation. Redundant power supply options, StackWise redundancy, and dual management planes contribute to minimizing downtime. In addition, the switch supports fast failover mechanisms, allowing traffic to reroute automatically in case of network failures. These capabilities make the WS-C3650-48PQ-L suitable for industries that require high uptime, such as finance, healthcare, and education, where network disruption can have significant consequences.

Automation and Programmability

The WS-C3650-48PQ-L supports programmability through modern APIs and automation frameworks. Network administrators can leverage tools such as Python scripts, REST APIs, and Ansible playbooks to automate routine tasks, including device provisioning, configuration changes, and firmware upgrades. Automation reduces manual errors, accelerates network deployment, and ensures consistent configuration across multiple devices. The ability to programmatically manage the switch allows organizations to adopt modern DevOps practices in their IT operations, enhancing agility and operational efficiency.

Quality of Service and Traffic Management

Maintaining optimal performance for critical applications is a key function of the WS-C3650-48PQ-L. The switch provides advanced QoS capabilities to prioritize traffic based on application type, user, or device. QoS policies can be customized to ensure that latency-sensitive applications such as VoIP, video conferencing, and real-time data analytics receive priority over less critical traffic. This feature ensures that enterprise networks deliver predictable performance, even under high traffic loads, contributing to a seamless user experience.

Deployment Scenarios and Use Cases

The Cisco WS-C3650-48PQ-L switch is versatile, supporting a wide range of deployment scenarios. It is ideal for core, distribution, and access layer deployments within enterprise networks. In campus networks, the switch provides high-density connectivity for user devices, IP phones, and access points. In data centers, it offers reliable Layer 3 switching and routing capabilities to manage server-to-server and server-to-network traffic. Additionally, its PoE capabilities make it suitable for deployments involving VoIP infrastructure and security surveillance systems, providing both connectivity and power to end devices efficiently.

Integration with Cisco Ecosystem

Being part of the Cisco Catalyst family, the WS-C3650-48PQ-L integrates seamlessly with other Cisco networking devices and management tools. This ensures a consistent and standardized approach to network configuration, monitoring, and policy enforcement. Integration with Cisco DNA Center allows for centralized management, automation, and analytics, while interoperability with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) provides enhanced security and access control. This level of integration simplifies IT operations, reduces complexity, and enhances overall network performance.

Future-Proofing Network Infrastructure

Investing in the Cisco WS-C3650-48PQ-L helps organizations future-proof their network infrastructure. With support for high-speed uplinks, stacking, advanced Layer 3 routing, and PoE+ capabilities, the switch can accommodate the growing demands of enterprise networks. It provides the flexibility to expand, adapt, and integrate emerging technologies without requiring frequent hardware replacement. This ensures that the network remains scalable, resilient, and capable of supporting new applications and services over time.