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High-Performance, Rack-Optimized Server Switching

Product Overview

The Cisco Catalyst^® 4948 Switch is a wire-speed, low-latency, Layer 2 to 4, 1-rack-unit (1RU), fixed-configuration switch for rack-optimized server switching. Based on the proven Cisco^®Catalyst 4500 Series hardware and software architecture, the Cisco Catalyst 4948 offers exceptional performance and reliability for low-density, multilayer aggregation of high-performance servers and workstations. High performance and scalability of intelligent network services is made possible with dedicated specialized resources known as ternary content addressable memory (TCAM). Ample TCAM resources (64,000 entries) enable high feature capacity, providing wire-speed routing and switching performance with concurrent provisioning of services such as quality of service (QoS) and security, and helping ensure scalability for today's network requirements with ample room for future growth.

The Cisco Catalyst 4948 offers 48 ports of wire-speed 10/100/1000BASE-T with four alternative wired ports that can accommodate optional 1000BASE-X Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP) optics.^[1] Exceptional reliability and serviceability are delivered with optional internal AC or DC 1+1 hot-swappable power supplies and a hot-swappable fan tray with redundant fans (Figures 1 and 2).

Features and Benefits

Wire-Speed Performance for 10/100/1000 Connectivity

The Cisco Catalyst 4948 delivers wire-speed throughput with low latency for data-intensive applications, using a 96-Gbps switching fabric with a forwarding rate of 72 million packets per second (mpps) in hardware for Layer 2 to 4 traffic. Switching performance remains high regardless of the number of route entries or Layer 3 and 4 services enabled. Hardware-based Cisco Express Forwarding routing architecture enables increased scalability and performance.

Power Supply Redundancy for Nonstop Operation

The Cisco Catalyst 4948 provides reliability for critical applications, with 1+1 redundant hot-swappable internal AC or DC power supplies. The 1+1 power supply design provides A-to-B failover when power supplies are connected to different circuits. AC and DC power supplies can be mixed in the same unit for outstanding deployment flexibility. The Cisco Catalyst 4948 also has a hot-swappable fan tray with four redundant fans for additional serviceability and availability.

Wire-Speed Performance for 10/100/1000 Connectivity

The Cisco Catalyst 4948 delivers wire-speed throughput with low latency for data-intensive applications, using a 96-Gbps switching fabric with a forwarding rate of 72 million packets per second (mpps) in hardware for Layer 2 to 4 traffic. Switching performance remains high regardless of the number of route entries or Layer 3 and 4 services enabled. Hardware-based Cisco Express Forwarding routing architecture enables increased scalability and performance.

Power Supply Redundancy for Nonstop Operation

The Cisco Catalyst 4948 provides reliability for critical applications, with 1+1 redundant hot-swappable internal AC or DC power supplies. The 1+1 power supply design provides A-to-B failover when power supplies are connected to different circuits. AC and DC power supplies can be mixed in the same unit for outstanding deployment flexibility. The Cisco Catalyst 4948 also has a hot-swappable fan tray with four redundant fans for additional serviceability and availability.

Comprehensive Management

The Cisco Catalyst 4948 includes a single, dedicated 10/100 console port and a single, dedicated 10/100 management port for offline disaster recovery. Remote in-band management is available with the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), Telnet client, Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP), and Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP). Support for local or remote out-of-band management is delivered through a terminal or modem attached to the console interface. The management port helps enable the Cisco Catalyst 4948 to reload a new image from a TFTP server within seconds.

The Cisco Catalyst 4948 delivers a comprehensive set of management tools to provide the visibility and control required for server switching. Managed with CiscoWorks solutions and embedded CiscoWorks CiscoView, the Cisco Catalyst 4948 can be configured and managed to deliver device, VLAN, traffic, and policy management. These web-based management tools offer numerous services, including software deployment and quick isolation of error conditions.

Software Configuration Options

Table 1 summarizes the software configuration options for the Cisco Catalyst 4948.

Table 1. Software Configuration Options for Cisco Catalyst 4948

Feature Comparison

Table 2 compares the features of the Cisco Catalyst 4948 Switch, Catalyst 4948 10 Gigabit Ethernet Switch, and Catalyst 4900M Switch.

Table 2. Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series Switches Model Comparison