Cisco compresses Catalyst switches to compact size
(2022/06/28)
- Reference: 1656399494
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/06/28/catalyst_9200_compact/
- Source link:
Cisco has shrunk its Catalyst 9200 switches into three compact models.
Switchzilla reckons they exercise the newfound freedom to undertake remote work by letting organizations squeeze a proper enterprise switch into a wider variety of smaller and more exotic places.
The smallest of the models measures 4.4cm x 26.9cm x 16.5cm, and the other two add a little depth to emerge at 4.4cm x 26.9cm x 24.4cm. All are fanless, leading Cisco to suggest you bolt them under desks, nail them to walls, or even slide one into a home office.
[1]
As the table below shows, the devices have sufficient grunt to handle those scenarios.
Model
Downlinks
Uplinks
Power supply
C9200CX-12T-2X2G
12 ports data
2x 1G copper, 1x 1G CU PD 802.3bt Class 8, 2x 10G SFP+ fixed uplinks
80W External Power Adapter
C9200CX-12P-2X2G
12 ports full PoE+
2x 1G copper, 2x 10G SFP+ fixed uplinks
310W internal
C9200CX-8P-2X2G
8 ports PoE+
2x 1G copper, 2x 10G SFP+ fixed uplinks
310W internal
Cisco's schtick for the small switches is that work from home is great, but better when conducted on a platform that's consistent with the rest of an enterprise network and can be centrally managed. The new devices are therefore a call for those who already run Catalysts in the network core to buy more.
Whether it's possible to do so in a timely fashion is another matter.
[2]
[3]
A June 10 [4]letter [PDF] from Cisco to its customers and partners warned that the company is still struggling to find some supplies thanks to "Material shortages across the semiconductor industry as well as logistics challenges."
[5]Cisco quits Moscow
[6]If you're using older, vulnerable Cisco small biz routers, throw them out
[7]Datacenter networks: You'll manage them from the cloud, eventually, claims Cisco
The document warns of "extended lead times across most product families" adding that "lead-times are normally 2–4 weeks, but now have been extended as long as 18–40 weeks."
Cisco's trying its best to sort it out but admits "Fluctuations in material supply as well as supply visibility can cause estimated ship dates to be recommitted." The letter also states that Cisco is doing three things to speed up shipments:
Extending order coverage with suppliers for 52 weeks and increasing inventory investments;
Qualifying alternate components where technically possible and where there is alternative supply;
Partnering with suppliers for priority on materials and capacity, including in some cases paying expedite fees and accelerated freight costs.
Cisco is doubtless also passing on the cost of those fees and freight charges to customers. The Register hopes your Cisco bill leaves you enough cash to buy some new compact switches. If it doesn't, software to improve security of existing work from home hardware should be downloaded without delay. ®
Get our [8]Tech Resources
[1] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YrrRQ-h8LKVPznPtUzRBZwAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YrrRQ-h8LKVPznPtUzRBZwAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YrrRQ-h8LKVPznPtUzRBZwAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/partners/downloads/semiconductor-supply-constraints.pdf
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/24/cisco_quits_russia_and_belarus/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/16/cisco_critical_patches/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/14/cisco_cloud_datacenter_networks/
[8] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Switchzilla reckons they exercise the newfound freedom to undertake remote work by letting organizations squeeze a proper enterprise switch into a wider variety of smaller and more exotic places.
The smallest of the models measures 4.4cm x 26.9cm x 16.5cm, and the other two add a little depth to emerge at 4.4cm x 26.9cm x 24.4cm. All are fanless, leading Cisco to suggest you bolt them under desks, nail them to walls, or even slide one into a home office.
[1]
As the table below shows, the devices have sufficient grunt to handle those scenarios.
Model
Downlinks
Uplinks
Power supply
C9200CX-12T-2X2G
12 ports data
2x 1G copper, 1x 1G CU PD 802.3bt Class 8, 2x 10G SFP+ fixed uplinks
80W External Power Adapter
C9200CX-12P-2X2G
12 ports full PoE+
2x 1G copper, 2x 10G SFP+ fixed uplinks
310W internal
C9200CX-8P-2X2G
8 ports PoE+
2x 1G copper, 2x 10G SFP+ fixed uplinks
310W internal
Cisco's schtick for the small switches is that work from home is great, but better when conducted on a platform that's consistent with the rest of an enterprise network and can be centrally managed. The new devices are therefore a call for those who already run Catalysts in the network core to buy more.
Whether it's possible to do so in a timely fashion is another matter.
[2]
[3]
A June 10 [4]letter [PDF] from Cisco to its customers and partners warned that the company is still struggling to find some supplies thanks to "Material shortages across the semiconductor industry as well as logistics challenges."
[5]Cisco quits Moscow
[6]If you're using older, vulnerable Cisco small biz routers, throw them out
[7]Datacenter networks: You'll manage them from the cloud, eventually, claims Cisco
The document warns of "extended lead times across most product families" adding that "lead-times are normally 2–4 weeks, but now have been extended as long as 18–40 weeks."
Cisco's trying its best to sort it out but admits "Fluctuations in material supply as well as supply visibility can cause estimated ship dates to be recommitted." The letter also states that Cisco is doing three things to speed up shipments:
Extending order coverage with suppliers for 52 weeks and increasing inventory investments;
Qualifying alternate components where technically possible and where there is alternative supply;
Partnering with suppliers for priority on materials and capacity, including in some cases paying expedite fees and accelerated freight costs.
Cisco is doubtless also passing on the cost of those fees and freight charges to customers. The Register hopes your Cisco bill leaves you enough cash to buy some new compact switches. If it doesn't, software to improve security of existing work from home hardware should be downloaded without delay. ®
Get our [8]Tech Resources
[1] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YrrRQ-h8LKVPznPtUzRBZwAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YrrRQ-h8LKVPznPtUzRBZwAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/networks&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YrrRQ-h8LKVPznPtUzRBZwAAAJQ&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/partners/downloads/semiconductor-supply-constraints.pdf
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/24/cisco_quits_russia_and_belarus/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/16/cisco_critical_patches/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/06/14/cisco_cloud_datacenter_networks/
[8] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: None of those are "home office"
A Non e-mouse
And what home workers need a 10Gb/s uplink? Many would love a 100Mb/s uplink to the Internet.
Re: None of those are "home office"
Mike 137
" another 80-100W to their power bills "
Maybe a bit excessive? Here, a 16 port 1 Gb managed edge switch (not Cisco), KVM switch and VDSL router draw a total of 27 watts combined. Cisco kits is well known to be power hungry.
NSA at the edge devices
Anonymous Coward
You can always rely on Cisco for unauthorised root access.
sanmigueelbeer
8- or 12-port switches maybe aimed at "home office" users but Cisco is late-to-the-party when they offered 4-port table-top switches, [1]Catalyst Micro Switches .
The Micro Switches run on IOS.
And these switches run on Cisco Smart License! Hoor- ... oh, wait.
[1] https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/catalyst-micro-switches/nb-06-cat-micro-switch-series-ds-cte-en.html?oid=dstswt024490
None of those are "home office"
While I do of course have core and edge switches at home, normal people do not do this.
Normal people only have one work PC, which they connect to their ISP-provided home router. Most likely via WiFi.
They also would not be willing to add another 80-100W to their power bills for the benefit of their employer.
These look more like branch office or portacabin switches to me.