1. Cisco 4900 Switches, Main Features&Model Comparison
Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series Switches deliver high-performance, low-latency wire-speed
Layer 2 and 3 services in a small form factor (1 or 2 rack units).
The Catalyst 4900 Series is ideal for space-constrained deployments.
Data Center: Top-of-Rack Server Aggregation
Architectural Flexibility: Increased link use without buffer overflow and Layer 2
and 3 support at the access layer as needed
Investment Protection: Smooth transition from 10/100/1000 to 10 Gb Ethernet
interfaces
Simplified Management: Edge switch auto-provisioning

2. Transport Flexibility: Support for a wide range of storage, high-performance
computing, and video applications
Branch Offices: LAN Collapsed Core and Distribution Aggregation
Interface Flexibility: Support for a wide range of Gb Ethernet and 10 Gb Ethernet
interfaces
High Performance: Up to 320 Gbps forwarding capacity
Multilayer Support: Support for main routing protocols and IPv6 in hardware
High Availability: Hot swappable redundant power supply and fans
Investment Protection: Simple migration from Gb to 10 Gb Ethernet
NOTE:The latest addition to the Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series is the Cisco Catalyst 4948E.
It inherits all the features of the award-winning Catalyst 4948 10Gb Ethernet Switch and
also offers 10Gb Ethernet uplinks, front-to-back airflow, and IPv6 in hardware.
The following table compares the features of the Cisco Catalyst4948, 4948 10 Gigabit
Ethernet, 4928 10 Gigabit Ethernet, 4948E, 4948E-F and 4900M Switches.
Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series Switches Model Comparison - Hardware Features
Feature and Cisco Cisco Cisco Cisco Catalyst Cisco
Description Catalyst Catalyst Catalyst 4900M Catalyst
4948 4948 10 4928 10 4948E

3. Gigabit Gigabit and
Ethernet Ethernet 4948E-F
Environmental
Height 1RU 1RU 1RU 2RU 1RU
Dimension (H x W x 1.71(4.3) 1.71(4.3) 1.71(4.3) 3.5 (8.9) x 17.2 1.75(4.4)
D) Inches (cm) x x x (43.7) x 17.9 x
17.3(43. 17.3(43. 17.3(43. (45.5) 17.5(44.4
9) x 9) x 9) x ) x
16.1(40. 16.1(40. 16.1(40. 19.4(49.3
9) 9) 9) )
Power Redundancy 1+1 AC 1+1 AC 1+1 AC 1+1 AC or DC 1+1 AC
or DC or DC or DC or DC
Unit Weight Pounds 16.5 16.5 16.5 34.0 lb (15.4) 19 lbs
(Kilograms) (7.48) (7.48) (7.48) (8.62)
Hot Swappable Fan Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Avg/Max Power 176/300 212/300 300 300/446 Watts 230/275
Consumption Watts Watts Watts Watts
Airflow Side to Side to Side to Side to Back Front to
Back back back Back

4. (4948E)
Back to
Front
(4948E-F
)
Rack Mounting Front Front Front Four Post Rack Front and
Options and Rear and Rear and Rear Side rail Mount Rear
Mount Mount Mount High Mount
High Perf Performance High Perf
Rear Mount Rear
Mount Mount
Uplink Optic Types 4 SFP Two X2 Two X2 Eight X2 (10 SFP/SFP
optics (10 (10 Gigabit +
Gigabit Gigabit Ethernet) optics
Ethernet) Ethernet)
optics optics
Cisco TwinGig No No Yes Yes No
Converter Module (WS-X4908-10G
Support E only)
Cisco OneX No No Yes Yes No

5. Converter Module
Support (X2 to SFP+)
Optics LH, SX, LR, CX4, LR, CX4, X2: LR, CX4, CWDM,
ZX, LX4, SR, LX4, SR, LX4, SR, ER, DWDM,
CWDM ER, ER, LRM LRM, ZR, SR, LR,
LRM, DWDM LRM,
ZR, SFP+: SR CX4
DWDM
Modular Half-Card 0 0 0 2 0
Slots
Ports
Maximum 48 48 0 40 48
10/100/1000 Ports
Maximum Gigabit 4 0 28 32 (Cisco 4
Ethernet (Fiber) Ports TwinGig
Converter
Module)
Maximum 10 Gigabit 0 0 0 16 0
Ethernet

6. (10GBase-T) Ports
Maximum 10 Gigabit 0 2 (X2) 2 (X2)1 24 (X2) 1 4 (SFP+)
Ethernet (fiber) Ports
Performance/Scalabil
ity
Switching Capacity 96 Gbps 136 96 Gbps 320 Gbps 176 Gbps
Gbps
Throughput 72 mpps 102 72 Mpps 250 mpps for 131 mpps
mpps IPv4 for IPv4
125 mpps for 110 mpps
IPv6 for IPv6
Routes Supported 32K 32K 32K 256K 57K
MAC Addresses 32K 55K 55K 55K 55K
Per VLAN Spanning 4094 4094 4094 4094 4094
Tree (PVST) Protocol
and VLAN IDs
Switched Virtual 2000 2000 2000 4094 4094

7. Interfaces (SVIs)
Active VLANs 4094 4094 2048 4094 4094
Multicast Routes 28K 28K 28K 28K 28K
Security and 32K 32K 32K 128K 32K
Quality-of-Service
(QoS) Hardware
Entries
Switched Port 2 ingress 2 ingress 2 ingress 8 ingress and 8 8 ingress
Analyzer (SPAN) and 4 and 4 and 4 egress and 8
egress egress egress egress
Shared Buffer 16 MB 16 MB 16 MB 17.5 MB 17.5 MB
CPU 266 MHz 666 MHz 666 MHz 1.3 GHz 1 GHz
Synchronous 256 MB 256 MB 256 MB 512 MB 1 GB
Dynamic RAM
(SDRAM)
IPv6 Support Software Software Software Hardware Hardware
Switched Switched Switched Switched Switched
USB Port No No No Yes No

8. Compact Flash No No No Yes No
Memory Support
System Reset Button No No Yes Yes Yes
PoE: Max. 802.3af 0 0 0 0 0
Class 3 Devices
(15.4W)
PoE: Max. 802.3af 0 0 0 0 0
Class 2 Devices
(7.3W)
1. X2 can be converted to SFP+ using OneX Converter Module.