C9600-LC-48S Cisco Catalyst 48-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch with SFP Ports

Cisco C9600-LC-48S Catalyst Line Card

The Cisco C9600-LC-48S Catalyst line card is engineered to deliver consistent, high-performance Gigabit Ethernet connectivity within Cisco Catalyst 9600 Series chassis. Designed for enterprise core and aggregation layers, this module supports scalable network expansion while maintaining reliability, flexibility, and efficient traffic handling across demanding environments.

General Product Details

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Model / Part Number: C9600-LC-48S
• Product Category: Modular Switch Line Card
• Series Compatibility: Cisco Catalyst 9600 Series

Port

• 48 Gigabit Ethernet SFP ports
• Fiber-ready connectivity for enterprise and campus networks
• Optimized for high availability and modular scalability

Interface and Protocol Support

• Network Interface Type: Ethernet
• Transport Protocol: Gigabit Ethernet
• Data Link Protocol: Gigabit Ethernet
• Connectivity Technology: Modular line card design

Bandwidth and Speed Advantages

• 1 Gbps per port throughput
• Consistent data delivery across multiple connections
• Efficient traffic forwarding for enterprise workloads

Design Benefits

• SFP form factor for adaptable fiber deployments
• Supports various transceiver options
• Ideal for scalable and modular switching architectures

Common Deployment Scenarios

• Enterprise core and aggregation layers
• Campus backbone switching
• High-availability fiber-based networks

Switching Architecture for High-Density Fiber Networks

The Cisco C9600-LC-48S Catalyst 48-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch with SFP belongs to the Cisco Catalyst 9600 Series line cards category, engineered to deliver scalable, secure, and resilient switching for enterprise core and aggregation layers. This category focuses on modular, chassis-based switching components designed to integrate seamlessly into Catalyst 9600 Series platforms, enabling organizations to build high-performance network cores that support evolving digital demands. The C9600-LC-48S line card category emphasizes fiber-based connectivity using Small Form-Factor Pluggable interfaces, allowing enterprises to extend network reach while maintaining consistent throughput, low latency, and advanced control.

Modular Line Card Design within the Catalyst 9600 Ecosystem

This category highlights the importance of modularity in modern enterprise networking. The Cisco C9600-LC-48S line card is purpose-built for the Catalyst 9600 chassis architecture, enabling flexible deployment scenarios where capacity, port density, and feature sets can be scaled without replacing the entire switching system. Organizations leveraging this category benefit from investment protection, as line cards can be added or replaced based on changing bandwidth and connectivity requirements. The modular design also supports high availability strategies by allowing maintenance and upgrades while minimizing service disruption.

Chassis-Based Core Switching Capabilities

As part of the Catalyst 9600 Series line card category, the C9600-LC-48S supports chassis-based switching architectures optimized for enterprise core roles. This category addresses the need for centralized switching platforms capable of handling large volumes of east-west and north-south traffic. The integration of 48 Gigabit Ethernet SFP ports allows enterprises to aggregate access-layer switches, data center resources, and wide-area network links with consistent performance. The line card category is designed to operate within a high-capacity switching fabric, ensuring predictable throughput even under peak load conditions.

High-Density Fiber Port Configuration

The defining characteristic of this category is its focus on high-density fiber connectivity. The C9600-LC-48S provides forty-eight Gigabit Ethernet SFP ports, supporting a wide range of optical transceivers for short-range, long-range, and extended-distance deployments. This flexibility allows enterprises to tailor their fiber infrastructure based on building layouts, campus distances, or metropolitan network requirements. By standardizing on SFP-based connectivity, the category supports consistent network design practices while enabling future upgrades through transceiver selection rather than hardware replacement.

Performance Optimization for Enterprise Core and Aggregation Layers

The Cisco C9600-LC-48S Catalyst 48-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch with SFP category emphasizes performance optimization as a foundational requirement for enterprise networks. Designed to operate within the high-throughput Catalyst 9600 chassis, this line card category supports wire-speed forwarding, advanced buffering, and intelligent traffic management. Enterprises deploying solutions from this category can maintain application performance and service quality even as network usage scales across users, devices, and applications.

Consistent Throughput and Low Latency Switching

This category is engineered to deliver consistent Gigabit Ethernet performance across all ports simultaneously. The C9600-LC-48S line card integrates tightly with the Catalyst 9600 switching fabric, ensuring that data packets are forwarded efficiently with minimal latency. This capability is essential for real-time applications such as voice, video, and collaboration platforms, as well as for transactional systems that require predictable response times. The category’s design supports deterministic performance characteristics, making it suitable for mission-critical enterprise environments.

Advanced Traffic Handling and Quality of Service

Within this category, advanced traffic handling features are central to maintaining network reliability. The C9600-LC-48S supports enterprise-grade Quality of Service mechanisms that prioritize critical applications and manage congestion effectively. By classifying and queuing traffic intelligently, the line card category ensures that latency-sensitive workloads receive appropriate bandwidth allocation. This capability is particularly valuable in converged networks where data, voice, and video traffic coexist on shared infrastructure.

Scalability for Growing Network Demands

The category addresses scalability by enabling organizations to expand port capacity without compromising performance. As additional line cards are installed within the Catalyst 9600 chassis, the overall system can scale horizontally to support increased numbers of connected devices and higher traffic volumes. The C9600-LC-48S line card category supports this growth model by delivering reliable Gigabit Ethernet connectivity that complements higher-speed uplink and backbone modules within the same chassis.

Security-Driven Switching for Modern Enterprise Environments

Security is a defining attribute of the Cisco C9600-LC-48S Catalyst 48-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch with SFP category. Built for deployment at the core and aggregation layers, this category integrates advanced security capabilities that help protect network infrastructure, data, and users. By embedding security features directly into the switching hardware and software stack, the category enables proactive threat mitigation without sacrificing performance.

Integrated Network Segmentation and Access Control

This category supports robust network segmentation strategies that help organizations isolate traffic and reduce attack surfaces. The C9600-LC-48S line card works in conjunction with Catalyst 9600 platform features to enforce virtual LAN separation, access control policies, and identity-based networking. These capabilities allow enterprises to implement zero-trust principles and ensure that only authorized users and devices can access sensitive resources.

Threat Detection and Policy Enforcement

The line card category benefits from Cisco’s broader security ecosystem, enabling consistent policy enforcement across the network. By integrating with centralized management and security platforms, the C9600-LC-48S supports real-time monitoring and threat detection. This approach allows security teams to identify anomalies, respond to incidents, and maintain compliance with organizational and regulatory requirements.

Hardware-Assisted Security Processing

The category leverages hardware-assisted processing to enforce security policies at scale. By offloading critical security functions to dedicated hardware resources within the Catalyst 9600 system, the C9600-LC-48S line card maintains high forwarding performance while applying encryption, filtering, and inspection where required. This balance of security and performance is essential for large enterprise networks handling sensitive data.

Operational Efficiency and Intelligent Network Management

The Cisco C9600-LC-48S Catalyst 48-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch with SFP category emphasizes operational efficiency through intelligent management and automation capabilities. Designed to reduce administrative overhead, this category supports modern network operations models that prioritize visibility, consistency, and rapid troubleshooting.

Centralized Management and Visibility

This category integrates seamlessly with Cisco’s network management solutions, providing centralized visibility into port status, traffic patterns, and device health. The C9600-LC-48S line card reports detailed telemetry data that enables proactive monitoring and capacity planning. Network administrators can gain insights into performance trends and potential issues before they impact end users.

Automation and Programmability

Automation is a core component of this category, enabling enterprises to streamline configuration and maintenance tasks. The C9600-LC-48S supports programmable interfaces and model-driven management, allowing organizations to automate repetitive processes and enforce configuration consistency across the network. This approach reduces the risk of human error and accelerates deployment timelines.

High Availability and Resilience for Mission-Critical Networks

High availability is a central theme of the Cisco C9600-LC-48S Catalyst 48-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch with SFP category. Designed for enterprise core deployments where downtime is unacceptable, this category incorporates redundancy and fault-tolerance features that ensure continuous network operation.

Redundant Architecture and Fault Isolation

The line card category benefits from the Catalyst 9600 platform’s redundant components, including power supplies, supervisors, and switching fabrics. The C9600-LC-48S operates within this resilient architecture, ensuring that individual component failures do not disrupt overall network functionality. Fault isolation mechanisms help contain issues and maintain service continuity.

Resilient Fiber Connectivity

The fiber-based design of the C9600-LC-48S category enhances resilience by supporting diverse optical paths and redundant links. Enterprises can design network topologies that include multiple fiber routes, reducing the risk of outages caused by physical link failures. This approach supports business continuity and disaster recovery strategies.

Digital Transformation and Future Technologies

The Cisco C9600-LC-48S Catalyst 48-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch with SFP category is positioned to support ongoing digital transformation initiatives. By providing a robust foundation for connectivity, security, and scalability, this category enables enterprises to adopt new technologies and applications with confidence.

Readiness for Software-Defined Networking

This category aligns with software-defined networking principles by supporting centralized control, programmability, and policy-based management. The C9600-LC-48S line card integrates with software-defined solutions that allow enterprises to abstract network complexity and respond quickly to changing business needs.

Integration with Cloud and Hybrid Environments

The line card category supports integration with cloud and hybrid infrastructure models by providing reliable, high-performance connectivity between on-premises resources and external environments. The fiber-based Gigabit Ethernet ports enable efficient data transfer and consistent performance across distributed architectures.