Description
The Cisco Catalyst WS-C3850-48XS-E switch is a high-performance enterprise aggregation and distribution platform built for environments that require dense 10 Gigabit fiber connectivity, advanced Layer 3 intelligence, and dependable campus backbone scalability. It features 48 x 1/10 Gigabit SFP/SFP+ fiber ports along with 4 x 40 Gigabit QSFP+ fixed uplink ports, delivering the bandwidth needed to connect access switches, servers, storage links, and other high-speed infrastructure where low-latency optical transport is essential. Cisco positions the 48XS as one of the highest-capacity fiber-focused models in the Catalyst 3850 family, with up to 1280 Gbps of switching capacity in a compact 1RU platform.
With IP Services (E) licensing, the switch enables full Layer 3 routing, advanced multicast services, policy-based routing, and expanded enterprise traffic management capabilities for sophisticated control across aggregation layers. The WS-C3850-48XS-E platform is also widely regarded as a proven long-term enterprise fiber distribution switch because of its stable IOS-XE software support, high-density 10G port layout, and reliable use in production backbone deployments where sustained 10G/40G throughput is critical—making it an excellent choice for organizations building scalable high-bandwidth infrastructure with strong routing depth and operational flexibility.
