United States
Q
What is the Cisco Catalyst 8300 Series Edge Platform?
A
The Cisco Catalyst 8300 Series Edge Platform is a modular, high-performance branch networking solution that integrates routing, security, and SD-WAN to deliver resilient connectivity and advanced application performance at enterprise edges.
Q
Which deployment scenarios are ideal for the Cisco Catalyst 8300 Series?
A
The Catalyst 8300 Series is ideal for medium to large branch offices, retail locations, healthcare facilities, and financial institutions requiring secure, cloud-ready WAN connectivity, integrated security, and application-aware routing.
Q
What are the key performance specifications of the Catalyst 8300 Series?
A
The Catalyst 8300 Series offers up to 10 Gbps aggregate throughput, 300–1,000 Mbps of encrypted data throughput, support for up to 50,000 MAC addresses, and up to 40,000 ACL entries, ensuring high-performance routing and security.
Q
How does the Catalyst 8300 Series support SD-WAN?
A
The Catalyst 8300 Series natively integrates Cisco SD-WAN, enabling centralized policies, application-aware routing, dynamic path selection, zero-touch provisioning, and end-to-end visibility across all WAN links.
Q
What security features are built into the Cisco Catalyst 8300 Series?
A
Built-in security includes Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense, advanced malware protection (AMP), URL filtering, encrypted traffic analytics (ETA), and hardware-based crypto acceleration for secure, high-speed VPNs.
Q
Which interface options are available on the Catalyst 8300 platforms?
A
Models support modular interface adapters: 2/4-port 10G SFP+, 4-port 1G SFP, dual 10G RJ-45, PoE/PoE+ options, and built-in Gigabit Ethernet ports for flexible LAN/WAN connectivity.
Q
How scalable is the Cisco Catalyst 8300 Series?
A
The Catalyst 8300 Series scales from 2 to 8 WAN interfaces, supports up to 20 Gbps total throughput with future upgrades, and can chain up to four modules in a stack for increased capacity.
Q
Can I run virtual network functions on the Catalyst 8300 Series?
A
Yes. The Catalyst 8300 Series supports Cisco IOS XE Universal images, allowing deployment of containerized network and security functions such as Cisco Umbrella Roaming, ThousandEyes agents, and third-party VNFs.
Q
What power options and redundancy does the Catalyst 8300 Series offer?
A
Power options include AC and DC single or dual redundant power supplies. Intelligent PoE+ modules deliver up to 60 W per port with optional hot-swap support for high availability.
Q
How does Cisco DNA Center integrate with the Catalyst 8300 Series?
A
Cisco DNA Center provides centralized lifecycle management, automation, assurance, and security policy enforcement for Catalyst 8300 devices, simplifying deployment, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
Q
What licensing models are available for the Catalyst 8300 Series?
A
Licensing options include Cisco DNA Essentials, Advantage, and Premier for feature-tier selection, plus Cisco SD-WAN subscriptions (Essentials, Advantage, and Premier) to activate advanced WAN and security capabilities.
Q
How does the Catalyst 8300 Series deliver business ROI?
A
By consolidating routing, security, and SD-WAN in a single platform, the Catalyst 8300 Series reduces hardware costs, lowers operational overhead, accelerates application performance, and improves branch agility.
Q
Which models are included in the Catalyst 8300 Series portfolio?
A
The portfolio includes the 8300-1N1S-6T for small branches, 8300-2N2S-5T for medium sites, and the 8300-1X2X-4X for high-performance edge deployments, each offering tailored interface and throughput options.
Q
How do I perform zero-touch provisioning on the Catalyst 8300 Series?
A
Zero-touch provisioning is achieved by uploading device credentials and configuration templates to Cisco DNA Center or vManage; devices automatically download software, apply policies, and establish secure tunnels on first boot.
Q
What high-availability features are supported by the Catalyst 8300 Series?
A
High availability is provided through dual power supplies, Stateful Switchover (SSO) with redundant control planes, and redundant WAN links with dynamic path failover for uninterrupted services.
Q
How can I monitor network performance on Catalyst 8300 devices?
A
Monitor performance using Cisco DNA Center Assurance, Cisco vManage dashboards, SNMP telemetry, and syslog, with real-time insights into application latency, link utilization, security events, and device health.
