C1200-48T-4X Cisco Catalyst Ethernet Switch 48 Ports Manageable.

Main Information about Cisco C1200-48T-4X Catalyst Switch

• Manufacturer: Cisco
• Part Number / SKU: C1200-48T-4X
• Product Type: Ethernet Switch
• Subtype: 48 Ports Gigabit + 4 x 10G SFP+
• Form Factor: 1U Rack-mountable
• Power Consumption: 50.58W
• Transmission Media: Optical Fiber & Twisted Pair

Technical Overview

Switching & Performance

• Device Category: Layer 3 Smart Switch
• Forwarding Rate (64-byte Packets): 130.94 Gbps
• Switching Fabric Capacity: 176 Gbps
• MAC Address Table: 8000 entries
• Packet Buffer: 3 MB
• Jumbo Frame Support: 9000 Bytes

Capacity & VLAN Features

• MSTP Instances: 8
• PVST+ Instances: 126
• RPVST+ Instances: 126
• Active VLANs: 255
• IGMP Multicast Groups: 255
• IPv4 Interfaces: 16
• IPv4 Static Routes: 32
• Link Aggregation Groups: 4 (8 Ports)
• ACL Rules: 512
• Priority Queues: 8

Protocols & Management

Supported Routing & Protocols

• STP, RSTP, MSTP, RPVST+
• Static IP Routing
• IGMP v1/v2/v3
• MLD & MLDv2
• CIDR
• Bonjour Services

Remote Management & Control

• CLI, Telnet, SSH/SSH-2
• SNMP v1, v2c, v3
• RMON, Syslog, ICMP
• HTTP / HTTPS
• DHCP, TFTP, SCP
• SNTP & DNS Client

Security & Encryption

• Authentication: RADIUS
• Encryption: SSL Support
• Port Security & Access Control
• DoS Attack Prevention
• Storm Control (Broadcast, Multicast, Unknown)
• Trustworthy Systems & Chip Guard

Advanced Features

Quality of Service & Traffic Management

• QoS with ACL Support
• Auto Surveillance VLAN & Guest VLAN
• Voice VLAN Optimization
• Port-based & Tag-based VLANs
• Link Aggregation with LACP
• DSCP-Based CoS, SP, WRR Queuing
• Ingress Rate Limiting & Traffic Shaping

Additional Functionalities

• Loopback Detection
• IGMP Snooping & Querier
• Zero-Touch Deployment
• Remote Firmware Upgrades
• Port Mirroring & VLAN Mirroring
• LLDP & CDP Discovery
• Cable Diagnostics & Length Detection
• Time-based Port Operation
• Dual Stack IPv4/IPv6

Compliance & Hardware Specifications

Standards Compliance

• IEEE 802.1x, IEEE 802.1d, IEEE 802.1w, IEEE 802.1s
• IEEE 802.3ad (LACP), IEEE 802.1q, IEEE 802.1p
• IEEE 802.3, IEEE 802.3u, IEEE 802.3z, IEEE 802.3ab
• IEEE 802.3az Energy-Efficient Ethernet
• IEEE 802.1ab LLDP

Processor & Memory

• CPU: ARM 1.4 GHz
• RAM: 1 GB DDR4 SDRAM
• Flash Memory: 512 MB

Status Indicators

• System LED
• Link / Activity / Speed Indicators

Expansion & Connectivity

Available Interfaces

• 48 x 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-45
• 4 x 10G SFP/SFP+ Slots
• 1 x RJ-45 Console
• 1 x USB-C Console Port

Power & Electrical

• Power Device: Internal Power Supply
• Input Voltage: AC 100–240V (50/60 Hz)

Cisco C1200-48T-4X Catalyst Ethernet Switch — product category overview

The Cisco C1200-48T-4X Catalyst Ethernet Switch category groups a family of compact, high-density access switches designed for organizations that demand reliable Layer 3 switching, flexible uplink optics, and enterprise-grade manageability in a 1U rack-mountable chassis. Within this category, the C1200-48T-4X stands out for pairing forty-eight 10/100/1000BASE-T twisted-pair access ports with four 10GBASE-X uplink interfaces, delivering a balanced platform for converged voice, video, and data on campus access layers, branch offices, and service provider customer premises equipment. This category page serves buyers, network engineers, and procurement teams seeking a cost-effective, energy-efficient Catalyst-class switch with robust feature sets for security, QoS, and routing in small-to-medium enterprise environments.

Key technical highlights and what each means for your network

The C1200-48T-4X is defined by a handful of technical highlights that directly translate into operational benefits. Forty-eight copper RJ-45 ports supporting 10/100/1000BASE-T provide ubiquitous connectivity for desktop devices, Wi-Fi access points, IP phones, and PoE endpoints when paired with externally supported PoE injectors or PoE-capable variants. The four 10GBASE-X uplinks (typically SFP+ slots) provide the high-bandwidth aggregation necessary to avoid bottlenecks when traffic is destined for data center uplinks or campus aggregation switches. Native Layer 3 support allows the switch to perform inter-VLAN routing and basic dynamic routing, reducing the need for additional routing devices at the access layer and simplifying network topology. The modest power consumption figure — 50.58 W under typical load — makes the device attractive for energy-conscious deployments and for racks where power and cooling budgets are constrained.

Performance characteristics and real-world throughput

From a throughput standpoint, the combination of forty-eight gigabit access ports and 10-gigabit uplinks creates a design where access-level devices can individually operate at full gigabit speeds without saturating uplinks, provided traffic patterns are aggregated intelligently. In practical campus and branch scenarios, latency-sensitive traffic such as voice and conferencing benefits from the switch’s low forwarding delay and QoS capabilities. The Layer 3 features included in this category enable inter-VLAN forwarding at wire speed for typical enterprise loads, while the 10G uplinks absorb north-south traffic spikes. For organizations planning VoIP rollouts or higher-density wireless access point deployments, the C1200 family provides sufficient per-port performance for sustained productivity without the need to overprovision hardware.

Enterprise features that improve reliability and security

Cisco’s Catalyst line is known for integrating a comprehensive set of enterprise features, and the C1200-48T-4X category is no exception. Hardware and software capabilities that improve network stability include resilient routing protocols, Spanning Tree variants for loop prevention, and link aggregation to deliver both redundancy and additional available bandwidth. Security features such as 802.1X network access control, port security, DHCP snooping, and Dynamic ARP Inspection help prevent unauthorized network access and reduce the attack surface for lateral movement. In addition, role-based access control for the management plane, secure management protocols, and the option for integration with centralized identity and policy solutions make these switches suitable for environments that must meet strict compliance or security posture requirements.

Quality of Service, voice, and video optimization

Quality of Service plays a fundamental role in any converged network. The C1200-48T-4X category supports granular QoS mechanisms that permit classification, prioritization, and queuing of traffic so that mission-critical services—such as voice, video conferencing, and real-time collaboration—receive preferential treatment through congested links. Traffic shaping and policing help when uplinks approach capacity, while DiffServ marking and priority queuing ensure predictable performance for latency-sensitive flows. For enterprises moving to unified communications platforms or deploying classroom and telemedicine solutions, applying QoS policies on this switch type ensures consistent user experience even during peak utilization periods.

Deployment scenarios and ideal use-cases

This Catalyst switch category is particularly well-suited to a number of common deployment scenarios. In campus access designs, the device forms a high-density floor or closet switch that aggregates desktops, laptops, wireless APs, and IP phones. The four 10G uplinks connect to distribution or aggregation switches, creating a predictable traffic path for inter-floor and data center-bound traffic. For branch office environments, the integrated routing and compact 1U form factor mean the switch can handle local switching and basic routing tasks, reducing the number of separate devices needed at remote sites. Managed service providers and small data centers can utilize these switches as top-of-rack or aggregation devices where density and the availability of 10G uplinks are required but full-blown modular chassis solutions would be overkill. Retail, education, healthcare, and manufacturing sites that need secure, manageable, and resilient switching for mixed traffic types will find this category compelling.

Rack, power and physical considerations

The 1U rack-mountable design keeps rack space usage efficient, enabling denser deployments in wiring closets and small racks. With an advertised power consumption around 50.58 W for the unit described, thermal and power planning is simplified: racks can be populated with several units without massive increases to cooling requirements. Cable management becomes a straightforward exercise thanks to the standard front-facing RJ-45 ports and rear uplink optics. Because the device supports both optical fiber (via SFP+/SFP modules for the 10GBASE-X ports) and twisted pair copper, it offers flexibility when integrating with existing fiber runs or when copper-based aggregation is still preferred. The result is simple physical logistics coupled with flexible connectivity options for growth and reconfiguration.

Management, automation and lifecycle operations

Modern networks demand automation and simplified operations to reduce human error and accelerate change. The Cisco Catalyst category typically supports both CLI-based management for advanced operators and GUI-based management through web interfaces or centralized platforms. Integration with Cisco DNA Center or other network management systems allows administrators to manage large fleets of switches, deploy consistent policies, and automate provisioning tasks. For teams moving toward intent-based networking, these switches are often compatible with the automation and assurance tools that enable zero-touch provisioning, software-based policy enforcement, and telemetry-driven operations. Built-in support for SNMP, NetFlow or similar flow telemetry, and streaming telemetry enables proactive monitoring and capacity planning without constant manual oversight.

Firmware, security updates and long-term support

Maintaining firmware currency is essential to close security gaps and to obtain feature improvements. Switches in this category typically receive ongoing software maintenance, bug fixes, and security patches from the vendor as part of lifecycle support agreements. Organizations should plan for staged firmware rollouts with rollback plans and test windows to prevent unexpected service interruptions. The relative simplicity of the C1200 platform makes it straightforward to integrate into an existing change control process, whether updates are applied centrally through management tools or rolled out in the field using scripted processes. Consideration of software lifecycle and support contracts is an important part of total cost of ownership calculations for this category.

Energy efficiency and sustainability advantages

Energy consumption is an increasingly important selection criterion. With a stated power draw of approximately 50.58 W, the switch category offers a low baseline footprint compared to older or larger chassis-based solutions. Energy efficiency reduces operational costs and aligns with corporate sustainability goals. Lower power consumption also reduces heat output, which in turn can lengthen hardware life and reduce cooling demands in the data closet. When planning large-scale rollouts, the cumulative savings from choosing energy-efficient access switches translate directly into reduced total operating expense and a smaller carbon footprint for the networking infrastructure.

Comparing to alternatives: when to choose this category

Choosing the C1200-48T-4X category is sensible when the deployment requires a combination of high-density gigabit access, a few 10-gigabit uplinks, Layer 3 functionality, and enterprise-grade features in a compact form factor. If your network needs extremely high uplink capacity, modular expansion, or advanced silicon optimized for massive east-west data center switching, then larger Catalyst platforms or data center-class switches might be more appropriate. On the other hand, for campus edge locations, branch offices, and SMB core-and-access combinations where affordability, straightforward management, and energy efficiency are priorities, this category represents a sweet spot that balances features and cost. Carefully map your expected northbound traffic and future growth to decide if the four 10G uplinks will meet long-term needs or if stacking and additional uplinks will be required.