C1300-16P-4X Cisco 16 Port Managed Switch

Cisco C1300-16P-4X Catalyst Gigabit PoE+ Managed Switch

The Cisco C1300-16P-4X Catalyst 16-Port Layer 3 Gigabit PoE+ Managed Switch is engineered for modern enterprise networking, enabling exceptional performance, intelligent security, and advanced scalability. Its versatile configuration supports multi-gigabit traffic flows, robust PoE+ capability, and flexible fiber uplink options, making it well-suited for medium to large-scale deployments that demand efficiency and uninterrupted operation.

General Information and Structural Design

• Brand: Cisco
• Model Identifier: C1300-16P-4X
• Device Category: Fully Managed Networking Switch
• Chassis Form: Rack-mountable structure optimized for enterprise server rooms

Key Mechanical Advantages

• Zero-noise fanless architecture
• High-durability metal chassis
• Efficient internal PSU for uninterrupted performance
• Mounting-ready for standardized racks

Technical Specifications and Operational Capabilities

• Device Classification: L3 Managed Stackable Switch
• Total Ports: 16 × PoE+ Gigabit Ethernet
• Uplink Modules: 4 × 10G SFP+ fiber interfaces
• PoE Capability: PoE+ support with total 120W power budget

Data Throughput and Performance

• Forwarding Rate: 130.94 Mpps
• Switching Fabric: 176 Gbps
• MAC Address Table: 16,000 entries
• Jumbo Frames: Supports up to 9000 bytes
• Stackable Units: Max of 8 devices per stack

Advanced Capacity and Operational Scaling

• Up to 4093 VLAN identifiers
• Link aggregation groups: 8
• IPv4 static routes: Up to 990
• IGMP multicast groups: 2000
• IPv4 interface capacity: 128
• ACL rule availability: 1024
• Priority queues: 8
• 1.5 MB packet buffer memory

Supported Protocols

• STP, RSTP, MSTP
• PVST+, RPVST+
• Static IP routing
• IGMP, IGMPv2, IGMPv3
• CIDR support
• RIP-2 routing
• Policy-Based Routing (PBR)
• MLD, MLDv2
• Bonjour protocol compatibility

Remote Administration & Management Interfaces

• CLI, Telnet, SSH, SSH-2
• HTTP/HTTPS web-based management
• SNMP (v2c, v3)
• DHCP, TFTP, SCP
• Syslog for detailed event monitoring
• ICMP, RMON, Radius Authentication

Security and Encryption Capabilities

• Encryption Algorithms: MD5, SSL
• User Authentication: Radius and TACACS+

Feature Enhancements for Enterprise Networking

• Zero-touch provisioning for fast installation
• Fanless system for silent operation
• Comprehensive VLAN architecture
• Dynamic routing and link aggregation
• QoS traffic prioritization
• ARP inspection & IP Source Guard
• DHCP snooping and relay capabilities
• Eco-friendly power button
• EEE (Energy Efficient Ethernet)

Advanced Security Safeguards

• Port security
• Web authentication
• Router Advertisement Guard
• DHCPv6 Guard
• Persistent PoE functionality
• Storm control (broadcast/multicast/unicast)
• DDoS attack mitigation
• STP Loop, Root & BPDU Guard

Multicast, Traffic Optimization & High Availability

• IGMP snooping, proxy & querier
• MLD snooping and proxy
• ISCSI traffic optimization
• Path MTU discovery
• High-availability architecture

Compliance and Industry Standards

• IEEE 802.1x, 802.1p, 802.1d, 802.1s, 802.1w, 802.1q
• IEEE 802.3, 802.3x, 802.3u, 802.3z
• IEEE 802.3ab, 802.3an, 802.3ae
• IEEE 802.3af, 802.3at PoE standards
• LACP (IEEE 802.3ad)
• IEEE 802.3az (Energy Efficient Ethernet)

Processor and Memory Architecture

• CPU: X ARM 1.4 GHz processor
• System Memory: 1 GB DDR4 SDRAM
• Flash Storage: 512 MB

Connectivity and Expansion Options

• 16 × RJ-45 10/100/1000 PoE+ Ports
• 4 × 10G SFP+ Fiber Uplinks
• 1 × RJ-45 Console Port
• 1 × USB-C Console Port

Power System Characteristics

• Power Source: Integrated internal power unit
• Voltage Input: AC 100–240V, 50/60 Hz
• Stable delivery for PoE and switching workloads

Cisco C1300-16P-4X Catalyst Managed Switch Category 

The Cisco C1300-16P-4X Catalyst Switch represents a highly reliable Layer 3 Gigabit platform tailored for contemporary enterprise environments requiring advanced Power over Ethernet capabilities, scalable uplink performance, and secure traffic management. This model highlights sixteen Gigabit Ethernet ports with PoE+ functionality, combined with four dedicated 10 Gigabit SFP+ uplinks that extend backbone throughput, streamline aggregation, and support demanding digital applications within business, campus, and industrial networks.

Enterprise Network Positioning within the Catalyst C1300 Series

Situated within Cisco’s modern Catalyst C1300 Series, the C1300-16P-4X switch aligns with high-efficiency communication workloads, robust policy enforcement, and simplified administration. The device is engineered to deliver dependable switching speed and Layer 3 routing performance suitable for organizations expanding connected devices, deploying cloud-managed tools, or adopting hybrid wireless infrastructures. Across this entire series, emphasis is placed on power efficiency, adaptable software features, and long-term operational sustainability, ensuring that the switch can maintain reliable service levels throughout evolving networking needs.

Switch Architecture and System Enhancements

The underlying hardware architecture of the C1300-16P-4X integrates modern processing elements, resilient internal components, and energy-aware circuitry optimized for continuous enterprise operation. Integrated security measures, hardware-assisted forwarding, and explicit QoS prioritization elevate the switch’s usefulness within latency-sensitive or bandwidth-heavy network segments. This architecture is crafted to accommodate an expanding IoT device base, intensified video traffic, and centralized data-driven workflows without compromising switching efficiency or overall system integrity.

Advanced Layer 3 Routing Functions

This switch delivers dynamic routing abilities that classify it as a high-performance Layer 3 platform. Administrators can activate routing protocols designed for scalable communication across segmented domains, multiple VLAN groups, inter-departmental data paths, and distributed application architectures. Whether used in core-to-access topologies or standalone operational scenarios, these features support rapid packet propagation, optimized forwarding logic, and controlled broadcast distribution, ultimately allowing organizations to organize and manage data paths with precision.

PoE+ Power Delivery and Intelligent Network Energy Management

The PoE+ power features of the Cisco C1300-16P-4X provide sufficient wattage to energize a wide variety of connected devices such as wireless access points, remote sensors, IP surveillance equipment, smart door controllers, unified communication endpoints, and other essential tools found in digital workplaces. The power budget is dynamically allocated using intelligent system algorithms that regulate device startup, ensure stable output, and prioritize mission-critical equipment. This approach minimizes energy waste while maintaining continuous runtime performance, especially within environments that rely heavily on PoE-driven equipment.

Long-Term Power Reliability

Designed for consistent electrical output across all sixteen PoE+ ports, the switch maintains power delivery even under peak load conditions. The internal components are reinforced to sustain operational stability in extensive deployments where numerous devices rely on uninterrupted current. These characteristics make the switch an excellent option for environments where power redundancy, uptime protection, and intelligent overload prevention are crucial for reliable operational continuity.

10 Gigabit SFP+ Uplinks for High-Speed Aggregation

The presence of four SFP+ uplinks allows high-bandwidth aggregation that significantly accelerates data transport between access layers and distribution layers. These uplinks enhance communication between servers, storage solutions, and additional switching layers while ensuring greater throughput capacity for multimedia streaming, large-volume data exchange, and real-time analytics. Organizations with future expansion goals appreciate the modularity of fiber uplinks, as they support long-distance connectivity and improved performance across broader topologies.

Flexible Fiber Deployment Capabilities

These uplinks are adaptable to various optical transceiver options, enabling network planners to select suitable fiber modules for campus-wide deployments, inter-building links, or local data center interconnections. This level of fiber flexibility increases the switch’s relevance within modern infrastructures where performance uniformity, low latency, and resilience across extended distances have become dominant operational priorities.

Scalability and Network Growth Alignment

The Cisco C1300-16P-4X Catalyst switch supports long-term network evolution by offering a scalable architectural foundation that adapts to increasing workloads, intensified traffic density, and expanded device ecosystems. Its software capabilities include sophisticated management, enhanced security models, and integrated automation that simplify operations while reducing manual intervention. With these attributes, businesses can reliably expand digital systems without undergoing disruptive infrastructure changes.

Support for Multi-Domain Segmentation

VLAN segmentation and traffic isolation tools embedded into the switch provide robust control over data pathways, improve resource allocation, enhance monitoring accuracy, and bolster protection against unauthorized lateral movement. This segmentation ensures that sensitive information travels only through designated channels, thereby strengthening compliance and supporting greater operational oversight.

Cisco Software Features and Cloud-Ready Management

The switch integrates with Cisco’s cloud-enabled management suites and on-premises network controllers, delivering comprehensive visibility, streamlined updates, and automated configuration workflows. Administrators benefit from intelligent dashboards, centralized alerting, proactive diagnostics, and configuration templating that simplify otherwise complex network tasks. These functions significantly reduce the administrative burden and shorten the time required to deploy or adjust infrastructure settings.

Embedded Security Protections

Security is strengthened through a built-in feature set that includes authentication standards, traffic validation mechanisms, encrypted communication capabilities, and automated threat-detection processes. Secure access tools manage device joining procedures and user verification, while enhanced monitoring identifies abnormalities in network behavior. These attributes are particularly valuable for organizations handling confidential information or operating in compliance-regulated sectors.

Reliability, Durability, and Business Continuity

The C1300-16P-4X switch is manufactured with durability in mind, leveraging high-quality materials and enterprise-grade electronics that support long-term serviceability. The design accommodates continuous operation in demanding temperature ranges and ensures consistent cooling through efficient airflow engineering. These characteristics contribute directly to business continuity, preventing performance degradation and minimizing disruptions caused by environmental or workload fluctuations.

Operational Efficiency and Reduced Downtime

The switch incorporates features designed to maintain uninterrupted service during updates, reconfigurations, or link adjustments. High-speed convergence protocols, redundant power options in broader network setups, and optimized failover paths ensure that performance remains stable. This operational resilience is essential in environments where communication reliability directly influences productivity, security operations, or customer service outcomes.

Use Cases within Modern Enterprise Ecosystems

Across corporate offices, educational campuses, hospitality venues, healthcare institutions, industrial automation spaces, and retail environments, the Cisco C1300-16P-4X facilitates dependable connectivity. Its ability to supply power, apply Layer 3 policies, and deliver high-speed fiber uplinks positions it as a core access device suitable for new network builds or upgrades from legacy hardware. Its role extends into supporting cloud applications, VoIP systems, wireless expansion, intelligent monitoring solutions, and distributed collaboration technologies that modern organizations routinely depend on.

Support for High-Density Device Environments

With more enterprises deploying extensive arrays of smart sensors, surveillance devices, and wireless access points, the switch’s high PoE capacity and routing features become central to sustaining seamless technology integration. Each port is engineered to sustain stable throughput, ensuring uniform communication quality and reliable interaction across digital platforms and user endpoints.

Future-Proofing and Network Modernization

The Cisco C1300-16P-4X Catalyst switch is constructed with a forward-looking approach that mirrors the rapid evolution of enterprise networking strategies. Support for advanced software features, cloud orchestration, automation tools, and expanded security frameworks allows organizations to modernize their operations without extensive reinvestment. Adaptability ensures alignment with future Ethernet standards, expanding workloads, and multi-application environments that will continue to evolve in complexity.