Data Sheet

Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F Ethernet Switches

Product Overview
The Cisco Catalyst® 4948E and 4948E-F Ethernet Switches are the Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series data center switches
built from the start to deliver best-in-class, full-featured server-access switching. The switches include identical
features except that the Cisco Catalyst 4948E offers front-to-back cooling, and the Cisco Catalyst 4948E-F offers
back-to-front cooling. Each switch offers forty-eight 10/100/1000-Gbps RJ45 downlink ports and four 1 and 10 Gigabit
Ethernet uplink ports. The switches are designed to simplify data center architecture and operations by offering
service provider-grade hardware and software in a one-rack-unit (1RU) form factor optimized for full-featured top-of-
rack (ToR) data center deployments (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F Front Panel

The Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F build on the advanced technology of the Cisco Catalyst 4948 Switches, the
most widely deployed ToR switch in the industry, with more than 10 million ports deployed worldwide. The Cisco
Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F double the uplink bandwidth and offer true front-to-back and back-to-front airflow with
no side or top venting. The airflow direction is controlled by the changing of fans. Optional front-to-back and back-to-
front airflow management reduces data center operating costs by providing strict hot-aisle and cold-aisle isolation.

Hot-aisle and cold-aisle deployment remains the widely adopted best practice for data center cabinet layouts today.
Networking switches and computing servers mounted in a single cabinet need to maintain the separation of the inlet
cold air and the exhaust hot air for efficient use of cooling resources. The Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F
switches provide the option of front-to-back airflow (Cisco Catalyst 4948E) and back-to-front airflow (Cisco Catalyst
4948E-F) for ToR switch deployments.

Exceptional reliability and serviceability are delivered with optional internal AC and DC 1+1 hot-swappable power
supplies and a hot-swappable fan tray with redundant fans (Figures 2 and 3).

Figure 2. Cisco Catalyst 4948E Front-to-Back Air-Cooled Switch Rear Panel

Figure 3. Cisco Catalyst 4948E-F Back-to-Front Air-Cooled Switch Rear Panel

© 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 1 of 9
 Data Sheet

The Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F switches offer:

Scalability and Performance

● Nonblocking server-to-server traffic with 176-Gbps aggregate throughput
● Ease of migration from Gigabit Ethernet to 10 Gigabit Ethernet upstream with support for SFP and SFP+
optics
● Large buffers optimized to handle microbursts with 17.5 MB of centralized buffering, helping ensure that
business-critical packets are not lost due to insufficient buffering
● Active queue management through dynamic buffer limiting for TCP throughput optimizations
● Investment protection through data center design with dual-stack IP Versions 4 and 6 (IPv4 and v6) support
● Advanced quality of service (QoS) with eight configurable queues for each port
● Data center server virtualization support for larger Layer 2 domains with scalable MAC addresses
● Support for a wide variety of optics connecting to the aggregation layer
● Front-to-back and back-to-front airflow options

Enhanced Manageability
● Pay as you grow with software feature packages, from Layer 2 only (LAN Base) to full Layer 3 capability
(Enterprise Services)
● Reduced operating expenses (OpEx) with tools such as AutoInstall and Cisco IOS® Embedded Event
Manager (EEM) that enable immediate availability
● Data center automation with IP service-level agreement (SLA) and Smart Call Home
● Data center optimization with true front-to-back and back-to-front airflow, including power supply cooling
● Enhanced application visibility with smart flow logging
● Enhanced manageability through eight bidirectional Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN) and Remote SPAN
(RSPAN) sessions
● Network visibility through Cisco® NetFlow-Lite (future support)

Resiliency
● 1+1 AC or DC power supplies and hot-swappable fan tray with redundant fans for high availability for mission-
critical applications
● Optimized forwarding across all four uplinks with equal-cost multipath (ECMP) load sharing
● Improved resiliency with protection from attacks with access control lists (ACLs), Control Plane Policing
(CoPP), Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) inspection, and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
snooping
● Active queue management using dynamic buffer limiting (DBL) for increased security and network control

Cisco IOS Software

Cisco IOS Software is a proven network OS that offers best-in-class availability, manageability, and scalability.

The Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F support three levels of Cisco IOS Software. The basic level is LAN Base,
developed for deployments that require data center-class hardware along with Layer 2 switching but not advanced
features such as routing and Cisco IOS EEM. The next level of software is IP Base; this level supports static routes,
Routing Information Protocol (RIP) Versions and 2, and Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol Stub (EIGRP-
Stub) for limited routing. The top level of software is Enterprise Services; this level adds support for advanced routing
protocols such as Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), Intermediate System-to-

© 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 2 of 9
 Data Sheet

Intermediate System (IS-IS) Protocol, and EIGRP. For a detailed list of supported software features, please refer to
the software release notes at
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/release/note/OL_23985.html.

Smart Top-of-Rack Design

Historically, data center design engineers have had to trade off access-layer features such as QoS, network visibility,
and security when moving from an end-of-row (EoR) to a ToR data center design. The Cisco Catalyst 4948E and
4948E-F offer the same features found on large EoR data center switches in a 1RU form factor optimized for ToR
deployments.

A few of the features specific to smart ToR switches are:

● Server-rack-optimized switches with the option of front-to-back or back-to-front airflow

● Nonblocking hardware-based switching and routing
● Full support for access- and distribution-level Layer 3 routing
● Advanced QoS including a modular QoS command-line interface (CLI)
● Advanced security
● Extended MAC address support for virtual environments
● Network visibility (future support)
Data centers focused on the following applications should deploy smart ToR switches:

● High-performance technical computing (grid)

● Enterprise and service provider cloud
● Virtual desktop environments
● Network and server virtualized data centers
● Web services
● Enterprise IT

Cisco IOS Embedded Event Manager

Cisco IOS EEM is a unique subsystem within Cisco IOS Software that allows customers to create and
asynchronously run scripts directly on a router or switch. Scripts can be programmed using a simple CLI. Cisco IOS
EEM responds to real-time events to automate tasks or to take automatic action based on condition detection.
Customers can also use Cisco IOS EEM to create custom commands to reduce deployment and management
complexity. Scripts can enable simple to complex automated actions, such as entering a log item or changing a port
configuration in response to a security threat.

Visit the open Cisco IOS EEM scripting community, Cisco Beyond, for sample Cisco IOS EEM scripts.

Optimized for Multimedia Applications

The Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F are optimized for multimedia applications, with advanced multicast support.
The switches support Protocol-Independent Multicast (PIM), Source-Specific Multicast (SSM), and Bidirectional PIM
(bidir-PIM), providing end users with additional scalability to support multimedia applications. Also supported are
Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) snooping and Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD) snooping in
hardware, enhancing performance and reducing network traffic by allowing a switch to dynamically add and remove
hosts from a multicast group.

© 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 3 of 9
 Data Sheet

Intelligent Network Services with QoS and Sophisticated Traffic Management

The Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F offer superior per-port QoS features to help ensure that network traffic is
classified, prioritized, and scheduled optimally to efficiently manage bandwidth-intensive multimedia and time-
sensitive and mission-critical applications. The Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F can classify, monitor, and mark
incoming packets, allowing the administrator to differentiate traffic flows and enforce policies. Sharing, shaping, and
strict-priority configurations determine the scheduling of egress traffic. The Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F also
support DBL, a congestion-avoidance feature. For details about the QoS features, including active queue
management through DBL on the Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F, refer to the Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series
Supervisor Engine QoS overview at
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps4324/prod_white_paper0900aecd8041691c.html.

Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series Features

Table 1 summarizes the main features of the Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series Switches.

Table 1. Main Features of Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series Switches

Feature and Description Cisco Catalyst 4948 Cisco Catalyst 4948 10 Cisco Catalyst 4900M Cisco Catalyst 4948E and
Switch Gigabit Ethernet Switch Switch 4948E-F Switches

Environmental

Height 1RU 1RU 2RU 1RU

Dimensions (H x W x D) 1.71 x 17.3 x 16.1 in. (4.3 x 1.71 x 17.3 x 16.1 in. (4.3 x 3.5 x 17.2 x 17.9 in. (8.9 x 1.75 x 17.5 x 19.4 in. (4.4 x
43.9 x 40.9 cm) 43.9 x 40.9 cm) 43.7 x 45.5 cm) 44.4 x 49.3 cm)

Power redundancy 1+1 AC or DC 1+1 AC or DC 1+1 AC or DC 1+1 AC or DC

Unit weight 16.5 lb (7.48 kg) 16.5 lb (7.48 kg) 34.0 lb (15.4 kg) 19 lb (8.62 kg)

Hot-swappable fan Yes Yes Yes Yes

Average and maximum 176W average 212W average 300W average 230W average
power consumption (in 300W maximum 300W maximum 446W maximum 275W maximum
watts [W])

Airflow Side to back Side to back Side to back Front to back (Cisco
Catalyst 4948E)
Back to front (Cisco
Catalyst 4948E-F)

Rack-mounting options Front and rear mount Front and rear mount Four-post rack-side rail Front and rear mount
High-performance rear mount High-performance rear
mount High-performance mount mount

Uplink optic types Four Small Form-Factor Two X2 (10 Gigabit Eight X2 (10 Gigabit SFP and SFP+
Pluggable (SFP) optics Ethernet) optics Ethernet) optics

Cisco® TwinGig Converter No No Yes (WS-X4908-10GE No

Module support only)

Cisco OneX Converter No No Yes No

Module support (X2 to
SFP+)

Optics LH, SX, ZX, and CWDM LR, CX4, LX4, SR, ER, X2: LR, CX4, LX4, SR, ER, CWDM, DWDM, SR, LR,
LRM, ZR, and DWDM LRM, ZR, and DWDM LRM, and CX4
SFP+: SR

Modular half-card slots 0 0 2 0

Ports

Maximum 10/100/1000- 48 48 40 48
Gbps ports

Maximum Gigabit 4 0 32 (Cisco TwinGig 4

Ethernet (fiber) ports Converter Module)

Maximum 10 Gigabit 0 0 16 0
Ethernet (10GBASE-T)
ports

Maximum 10 Gigabit 0 2 (X2) 24 (X2)* 4 (SFP+)

Ethernet (fiber) ports

© 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 4 of 9
 Data Sheet

Feature and Description Cisco Catalyst 4948 Cisco Catalyst 4948 10 Cisco Catalyst 4900M Cisco Catalyst 4948E and
Switch Gigabit Ethernet Switch Switch 4948E-F Switches

Performance and Scalability

Switching capacity 96 Gbps 136 Gbps 320 Gbps 176 Gbps

Throughput 72 million packets per 102 mpps 250 mpps for IPv4 131 mpps for IPv4
second (mpps) 125 mpps for IPv6 110 mpps for IPv6

Routes supported 32,000 32,000 256,000 57,000

MAC addresses 32,000 55,000 55,000 55,000

Per-VLAN Spanning Tree 4094 4094 4094 4094

(PVST) Protocol and
VLAN IDs

Spanning Tree Protocol 4094 4094 4094 4094

instances

Switched virtual 2000 2000 4094 4094

interfaces (SVIs)

Active VLANs 4094 4094 4094 4094

Multicast routes 28,000 28,000 28,000 28,000

Security and quality-of- 32,000 32,000 128,000 32,000

service (QoS) hardware
entries

Switched Port Analyzer 2 ingress and 4 egress 2 ingress and 4 egress 8 ingress and 8 egress 8 ingress and 8 egress
(SPAN)

Shared buffer 16 MB 16 MB 17.5 MB 17.5 MB

CPU 266 MHz 666 MHz 1.3 GHz 1 GHz

Synchronous dynamic 256 MB 256 MB 512 MB 1 GB

RAM (SDRAM)

Multilayer switching LAN Base, IP Base, and LAN Base, IP Base, and LAN Base, IP Base, and LAN Base, IP Base, and
Enterprise Services options Enterprise Services options Enterprise Services options Enterprise Services options

IPv6 support Software switched Software switched Hardware switched Hardware switched

USB port No No Yes No

Compact flash memory No No Yes No

support

System reset button No No Yes Yes

®
Minimum software Cisco IOS Software Cisco IOS Software Cisco IOS Software Cisco IOS Software
requirements Release 12.2(20)EWA or Release 12.2(25)EWA or Release 12.2(46)SG or Release 12.2(54)SG or
later later later later (Cisco Catalyst 4948E)
Cisco IOS Software
Release 12.2(54)WO
or later (Cisco Catalyst
4948E-F)

*
X2 can be converted to SFP+ using the Cisco OneX Converter Module.

Supported Small Form-Factor Pluggable Optics and Copper Media

The Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet SFP and SFP+ on all the four uplinks. For more
information about Cisco transceiver modules compatible with the Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F, visit
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/modules/ps5455/products_device_support_tables_list.html.

© 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 5 of 9
 Data Sheet

Switch Indicators and Ports

● System status: Green (operational) or red (faulty)
● Console: RJ-45 socket
● Reset (switch recessed for protection)
● Uplinks: Link and active
● Image management port: 10/100/1000BASE-TX (RJ-45 socket) data terminal equipment (DTE); green (good),
orange (disabled), or off (not connected)

Physical and Environmental Characteristics

Table 2 lists the physical and environmental characteristics of the Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F switches.

Table 2. Physical and Environmental Characteristics

Feature Specification

Environmental

Operating temperature 32 to 104°F (0 to 40°C)

Storage temperature -40 to 167°F (-40 to 75°C)

Relative humidity 10 to 90%, noncondensing

Operating altitude -196 to 6561 ft (-60 to 2000m)

Mean time between failure (MTBF) ● Cisco Catalyst 4948E-F : 149,261 hours
● Cisco Catalyst 4948E: 145,422 hours

Airflow ● 28 cubic feet per minute (CFM) at low speed

● 44 CFM at full speed

Physical

Dimensions 1.75 x 17.5 x 19.4 in. (4.4 x 44.4 x 49.3 cm)

Weight ● 19 lb (8.62 kg) (fully loaded with 2 power supplies and fan tray)
● 14 lb (6.35 kg) (base system only; no power supply or fan tray)

Power

AC input voltage range 90 to 264 VAC

DC input voltage range -40.5 to -72 VDC

Maximum current ● AC: 4 amperes (A) at 120 VAC; 2A at 240 VAC input
● DC: 8A at -48 VDC input

Typical operating power 230W at 25°C

Maximum power 275W at 55°C

RoHS compliant RoHS-6 compliance

Heat dissipation (maximum) ● AC Input: 1173 BTU per hour

● DC Input: 1251 BTU per hour

For Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F mounting options, please refer the installation guide at
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4900/4948E/installation/guide/4948E.pdf

Industry Standards
Table 3 summarizes the supported industry standards on Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F switches. For a detailed
list of supported software features, please refer to the software release notes at
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/release/note/OL_23985.html.

© 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 6 of 9
 Data Sheet

Table 3. Industry Standards

Feature Standard

Industry standards ● Ethernet: IEEE 802.3 and 10BASE-T

● Fast Ethernet: IEEE 802.3u, 100BASE-TX, and 100BASE-FX
● Gigabit Ethernet: IEEE 802.3z and 802.3ab
● IEEE 802. 1D Spanning Tree Protocol
● IEEE 802.1w rapid reconfiguration of spanning tree
● IEEE 802. 1s multiple VLAN instances of spanning tree
● IEEE 802.3 ad LACP
● IEEE 802. 1p CoS prioritization
● IEEE 802.1Q VLAN
● IEEE 802. 1x user authentication
● RMON I and II standards

Regulatory Standards Compliance

Table 4 provides regulatory compliance information for the Cisco Catalyst 4948E and 4948E-F.

Table 4. Regulatory Standards Compliance

Standard Compliance

Regulatory compliance Products bear CE Marking, indicating compliance with the 89/336/EEC and 73/23/EEC
directives, which include the safety and EMC standards listed here.

Safety ● UL 60950-1
● CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 60950-1
● EN 60950-1
● IEC 60950-1
● AS/NZS 60950
● IEC 60825-1
● IEC 60825-2
● EN 60825-1
● EN 60825-2
● 21 CFR 1040

EMC ● FCC Part 15 (CFR 47) Class A

● ICES-003 Class A
● EN55022 Class A
● CISPR22 Class A
● AS/NZS 3548 Class A
● VCCI Class A
● EN55024
● ETS300 386
● EN50082-1
● EN61000-3-2
● EN61000-3-3

Network Equipment Building Standards ● GR-63-Core NEBS Level 3

(NEBS) ● GR-1089-Core NEBS Level 3

ETSI ● ETS 300 019 Storage Class 1.1

● ETS 300 019 Transportation Class 2.3
● ETS 300 019 Stationary Use Class 3.1

Warranty Information
Find warranty information at Cisco.com on the Product Warranties page.

© 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 7 of 9
 Data Sheet

Ordering Information
Help customers understand all the components or parts they need to purchase to install and use the product. Table 5
lists part numbers for customer convenience. To place an order, visit the Cisco Ordering homepage. To download
software, visit the Cisco Software Center at http://www.cisco.com/cisco/software/navigator.html.

Table 5. Ordering Information

Description Part Number

Hardware

Front-to-Back Cooling Back-to-Front Cooling

48x 10/100/1000(RJ45)+4x 10GbE(SFP+), no p/s WS-C4948E WS-C4948E-F

48x 10/100/1000(RJ45)+4x10GbE(SFP+), IP Base IOS, AC p/s WS-C4948E-S WS-C4948E-F-S

48x 10/100/1000(RJ45)+4x10GbE(SFP+), Ent Ser IOS, AC p/s WS-C4948E-E WS-C4948E-F-E

Green Bundle 10x WS-C4948E WS-C4948E-BDL WS-C4948E-F-BDL

Catalyst 4948E 300WAC power supply (spare) PWR-C49E-300AC-R(=) PWR-C49E-300AC-F(=)

Catalyst 4948E 300WAC redundant power supply PWR-C49E-300AC-R/2 PWR-C49E-300AC-F/2

Catalyst 4948E 300WDC power supply (spare) PWR-C49-300DC(=) Not Available at this time

Catalyst 4948E 300WDC redundant power supply (spare) PWR-C49-300DC/2 Not Available at this time

Software

Cisco IOS Software for Cisco Catalyst 4948E Series Switches (LAN S49ELB-12254SG(=) S49ELB-12254WO(=)
Base image)

Cisco IOS Software for Cisco Catalyst 4948E Series Switches (LAN S49ELBK9-12254SG(=) S49ELBK9-12254WO(=)
Base image with Triple Data Encryption)

Cisco IOS Software for Cisco Catalyst 4948E Series Switches (IP S49EIPB-12254SG(=) S49EIPB-12254WO (=)
Base image)

Cisco IOS Software for Cisco Catalyst 4948E Series Switches (IP S49EIPBK9-12254SG(=) S49EIPBK9-12254WO (=)
Base image with Triple Data Encryption)

Cisco IOS Software for Cisco Catalyst 4948E Series Switches S49EES-12254SG(=) S49EES-12254WO(=)
(Enterprise Services image with BGP support)

Cisco IOS Software for Cisco Catalyst 4948E Series Switches S49EESK9-12254SG(=) S49EESK9-12254WO(=)
(Enterprise Services image with 3DES and BGP support)

Catalyst 4948 IP Base Upgrade License for LAN Base IOS WS-C4900-SW-LIC WS-C4900-SW-LIC

Accessories

Cisco Catalyst 4948E spare fan tray rear exhaust WS-X4993(=) WS-X4993-F(=)

Power Cables

AC Power cord, 110V North America, Japan CAB-US515-C15-US(=)

AC Power cord, 220V North America CAB-N5K6A-NA(=)

AC Power cord (Australia, New Zealand) CAB-AS3112-C15-AU(=)

AC Power cord (Europe) CAB-CEE77-C15-EU(=)

AC Power cord CD12 (Italy) CAB-C2316-C15-IT(=)

AC Power cord (Argentina) CAB-IR2073-C15-AR(=)

AC Power cord (South Africa, India) CAB-SABS-C15-IND(=)

AC Power cord (United Kingdom) CAB-BS1363-C15-UK(=)

AC Power cord (Switzerland) CAB-9K10A-SW(=)

Cisco Services
Cisco Technical Support Services helps ensure that your Cisco products operate efficiently, remain highly available,
and benefit from current system software to help you effectively manage your network services while controlling
operating costs.

© 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 8 of 9
 Data Sheet

Cisco Technical Support Services (Table 6) provides significant benefits that go beyond what is offered under the
Cisco warranty policy. Services available under a Cisco SMARTnet® service contract that are not covered under a
warranty include the following:

● Latest software updates

● Rapid replacement of hardware with next-day, 4-hour, or 2-hour dispatch options
● Ongoing technical support through the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC)
● Registered access to Cisco.com

Table 6. Cisco Technical Support Services Components

Feature Benefits

Software support Software support offers maintenance and minor and major updates for licensed feature sets. Downloading
new maintenance releases, patches, or updates of Cisco IOS Software helps enhance and extend the
useful life of Cisco devices. Through major software updates, organizations can extend the life of equipment
and get the most from application technology investments by:
● Adding new functions that, in many cases, require no additional hardware investment
● Increasing the performance of current functions
● Enhancing network or application availability, reliability, and stability

Cisco TAC support With more than 1000 highly trained customer support engineers, 390 Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert
(CCIE®) experts, and access to 13,000 research and development engineers, Cisco TAC complements your
in-house staff with a high level of knowledge about data, voice, and video communications networking
technology. Its sophisticated call-routing system quickly routes calls to the correct technology personnel.
Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Cisco.com This award-winning website provides 24-hour access to an extensive collection of online product and
technology information, interactive network management and troubleshooting tools, and knowledge-transfer
resources that can help customers reduce costs by increasing staff self-sufficiency and productivity.

Advance hardware replacement Advance replacement and onsite field engineer options supply fast access to replacement hardware and
field resources for installing hardware, reducing the risk of potential network downtime.

Smart Call Home Cisco Smart Call Home is a proactive, connected service capability of Cisco SMARTnet Service that is
available at no additional cost on Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Switches. Smart Call Home devices can
continuously monitor their own health using Cisco Generic Online Diagnostics (GOLD) technology and
automatically notify you of potential problems using secure transmissions. If a serious problem arises, Smart
Call Home automatically detects it and generates a Cisco TAC service request that is routed to the team
appropriate for a particular problem.

For More Information

http://www.cisco.com/go/4900

Printed in USA C78-598933-01 01/11

© 2011 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information. Page 9 of 9