WS-C3560E-24PD-E Cisco Catalyst Ethernet Switch (24 Ports)

Cisco WS-C3560E-24PD-E Catalyst Ethernet Switch

The Cisco WS-C3560E-24PD-E Catalyst switch is designed to deliver advanced enterprise-grade networking with reliable performance, scalability, and intelligent traffic handling. As part of the Cisco 3560-E Series, this managed Ethernet switch supports modern business infrastructures that require secure, high-speed, and flexible network connectivity. It is widely adopted in corporate environments, campus networks, and growing IT ecosystems where consistent data flow and control are essential.

General Product Specifications

• Brand Name: Cisco 
• Model Number: WS-C3560E-24PD-E
• Product Series: Catalyst 3560-E
• Device Category: Managed Ethernet Switch
• Switch Classification: Layer 3 Network Switch

Port Details and Interface Design

• Total Ethernet Ports: 24
• Interface Type: RJ-45
• Port Speed: 10/100/1000 Mbps
• Optimized for high-density network environments

Supported Ethernet Standards

• 10Base-T Ethernet
• 100Base-TX Fast Ethernet
• 1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet

Layer Support Features

• Layer 3 routing for optimized data paths
• Layer 4 awareness for application-level traffic handling
• Improved control over network resources

Expansion Slot Specifications

• Number of Expansion Slots: 2
• Slot Type: X2 Module Slots
• Supports high-speed uplink connectivity

Cisco Catalyst 3560-E Series Enterprise Ethernet Switching

The Cisco WS-C3560E-24PD-E Catalyst 24 Ports Ethernet Switch belongs to the Catalyst 3560-E family, a well-established enterprise-class switching platform engineered for scalable, secure, and high-performance network access and distribution layers. This category of switches is designed to support converged networks that carry data, voice, and video traffic over a single infrastructure while maintaining predictable performance and advanced control. The 3560-E series emphasizes power efficiency, intelligent services, and long-term reliability, making it suitable for enterprise campuses, branch offices, educational institutions, healthcare environments, and government networks.

Positioning Within the Catalyst 3560-E Product Line

The WS-C3560E-24PD-E model represents a Power over Ethernet capable configuration within the Catalyst 3560-E lineup. This category is positioned above entry-level access switches and below core switching platforms, offering a balance of advanced Layer 2 and Layer 3 capabilities with modular uplink flexibility. The 24-port PoE density targets deployments where connected endpoints such as IP phones, wireless access points, surveillance cameras, and building automation systems require both network connectivity and power delivery from the switch.

Enterprise-Grade Hardware Architecture

The hardware architecture of the Catalyst 3560-E category is designed for sustained throughput and low latency under demanding enterprise workloads. The switch incorporates a robust forwarding engine that supports wire-speed performance across all ports, even when advanced features such as access control lists, quality of service policies, and multicast handling are enabled. The internal switching fabric is engineered to ensure deterministic packet forwarding, supporting applications that are sensitive to delay and jitter.

Port Density and Physical Interface Design

The 24-port configuration offers a practical balance between port availability and rack space efficiency. This density is well suited for wiring closets and access-layer deployments where multiple user devices and powered endpoints must be aggregated. The physical design adheres to standard rack-mountable form factors, ensuring compatibility with existing data center and telecommunications infrastructure.

Power over Ethernet Capabilities

The PoE functionality within this category allows the switch to supply electrical power over standard Ethernet cabling, eliminating the need for separate power adapters for connected devices. This capability simplifies deployment, reduces cable clutter, and improves overall reliability by centralizing power management. The switch intelligently allocates power based on device requirements, enabling efficient use of available power budgets across multiple endpoints.

Layer 2 Switching Features and Traffic Management

The Catalyst 3560-E category is recognized for its comprehensive Layer 2 feature set, enabling administrators to build stable and scalable Ethernet networks. These features are critical in access-layer environments where numerous endpoints connect and disconnect regularly, and where broadcast containment, loop prevention, and segmentation are essential for network stability.

VLAN Segmentation and Network Isolation

Virtual LAN support allows logical separation of network traffic within the same physical infrastructure. This capability enhances security, improves performance, and simplifies network design by grouping users, devices, or applications according to organizational or functional requirements. The 3560-E series supports a large number of VLANs, enabling complex segmentation strategies in enterprise environments.

Spanning Tree Enhancements

Advanced spanning tree protocols are integral to this category, providing loop prevention while maintaining fast convergence times. The switch supports multiple spanning tree standards, enabling interoperability with diverse network equipment and ensuring rapid recovery from topology changes. These enhancements are especially valuable in environments with redundant links and hierarchical network designs.

Link Aggregation and Port Channeling

The ability to aggregate multiple physical links into a single logical channel improves bandwidth utilization and provides redundancy. This category supports dynamic link aggregation, allowing network administrators to increase throughput between switches or to upstream devices while maintaining fault tolerance.

Advanced Layer 3 Routing Capabilities

The Cisco WS-C3560E-24PD-E category extends beyond basic Layer 2 switching by incorporating advanced Layer 3 routing functions. These capabilities enable the switch to perform inter-VLAN routing and participate in routed network architectures without requiring a separate router for local traffic flows.

IP Routing and Static Route Support

Integrated IP routing allows efficient communication between VLANs directly on the switch, reducing latency and simplifying network designs. Static routing support enables straightforward configuration in smaller or segmented networks where dynamic routing protocols may not be necessary.

Dynamic Routing Protocol Integration

This category supports industry-standard dynamic routing protocols, allowing the switch to integrate seamlessly into larger routed networks. These protocols enable automatic route learning and adaptation to network changes, improving resilience and reducing administrative overhead.

Multicast Routing and Traffic Optimization

Multicast support is essential for applications such as video streaming, conferencing, and real-time data distribution. The Catalyst 3560-E series includes multicast routing features that ensure efficient delivery of multicast traffic while conserving bandwidth and maintaining performance across the network.

Quality of Service for Converged Networks

Quality of Service is a foundational aspect of the Catalyst 3560-E category, enabling prioritization of critical traffic types such as voice and video. In modern enterprise networks, multiple application types coexist, each with different performance requirements. The switch provides granular QoS controls to ensure consistent user experiences.

Traffic Classification and Marking

The switch can classify traffic based on multiple criteria, including port, protocol, and application type. Once classified, traffic can be marked with appropriate priority values, allowing downstream devices to recognize and honor these priorities.

Queue Management and Congestion Avoidance

Advanced queueing mechanisms help manage congestion during periods of high network utilization. By allocating bandwidth and buffering resources according to defined policies, the switch ensures that latency-sensitive traffic maintains acceptable performance even under heavy load.

Voice and Video Optimization

Specialized QoS features are tailored for voice over IP and video applications. These optimizations reduce packet loss, delay, and jitter, contributing to clear voice calls and smooth video streams across the network.

Integrated Security Services

Security is a critical consideration in enterprise networking, and the Catalyst 3560-E category incorporates multiple layers of protection to safeguard network resources. These features help prevent unauthorized access, mitigate threats, and enforce organizational security policies.

Access Control and Policy Enforcement

Access control mechanisms allow administrators to define policies that regulate which devices and users can access specific network resources. These controls can be applied at the port level or based on traffic characteristics, providing flexible and granular security enforcement.

Network Segmentation and Threat Containment

By combining VLAN segmentation with security policies, the switch helps contain potential threats and limit their impact. This approach reduces the attack surface and enhances overall network resilience.

Authentication and Identity Awareness

The category supports authentication mechanisms that verify the identity of connected devices before granting network access. This identity-aware networking approach strengthens security by ensuring that only authorized endpoints can communicate on the network.

Centralized Management Integration

The switch integrates with Cisco management platforms, enabling centralized configuration and monitoring across multiple devices. This integration reduces administrative effort and improves consistency across the network.

Remote Management and Secure Access

Secure remote management options enable administrators to manage the switch from anywhere without compromising security. Encrypted management sessions protect sensitive configuration data during transmission.

Scalability and Deployment Flexibility

The Catalyst 3560-E category is designed to scale with organizational growth. Its flexible architecture and feature set support a wide range of deployment scenarios, from small branch offices to large campus environments.

Campus Network Integration

In campus networks, this category serves as a reliable access or aggregation layer, connecting end devices to the broader network infrastructure. Its performance and feature depth support high user densities and diverse application requirements.

Future-Proof Design Considerations

The switch is engineered with long-term deployment in mind, offering software feature support and hardware reliability that extend its usable lifespan. This future-ready approach helps organizations protect their investment while adapting to evolving network demands.

Reliability, Availability, and Operational Stability

High availability is a defining characteristic of the Catalyst 3560-E category. The switch is built to operate continuously in enterprise environments where downtime can have significant operational and financial impacts.

Redundancy and Fault Tolerance

Support for redundant network paths, rapid convergence protocols, and resilient hardware components contributes to consistent uptime. These features ensure that network services remain available even when individual components or links fail.

Operational Efficiency and Power Management

Intelligent power management capabilities help reduce energy consumption while maintaining performance. This efficiency aligns with organizational sustainability goals and lowers operational costs over time.