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Q
What is the Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series switch?
A
The Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series switch is a modular enterprise-class access and distribution switch offering high density, scalability and integrated services for campus and branch networks.
Q
What performance capabilities does the Catalyst 4500 deliver?
A
The Catalyst 4500 delivers up to 275 Gbps per slot switching capacity, hardware-based multicore forwarding and sub-microsecond latency to ensure wire-speed performance for business-critical applications.
Q
Which supervisor engine options are supported on Catalyst 4500?
A
Cisco offers Supervisor Engine 7-E, 6-E and 6L-E for the Catalyst 4500, each providing advanced QoS, high availability and unified access control to meet varied performance and security requirements.
Q
How do I achieve redundancy with Catalyst 4500 switches?
A
You can deploy redundant supervisor engines in active/standby configuration and redundant power supplies to eliminate single points of failure and ensure nonstop connectivity.
Q
Does the Catalyst 4500 support Power over Ethernet (PoE)?
A
Yes, Catalyst 4500 supports PoE and PoE+ on select line cards, delivering up to 30W per port to power IP phones, wireless access points and cameras without external power injectors.
Q
Can Catalyst 4500 switches be stacked or virtualized?
A
Catalyst 4500 supports Cisco StackWise Plus and VSS (Virtual Switching System) technologies to unify up to two chassis into a single logical switch for simplified management and increased throughput.
Q
What operating system runs on Catalyst 4500?
A
Catalyst 4500 runs Cisco IOS Software with advanced feature sets for routing, switching, security, QoS and network virtualization, all upgradeable via Cisco Smart Licensing.
Q
What security features are built into the Catalyst 4500?
A
Catalyst 4500 includes 802.1X authentication, MACsec encryption, TrustSec segmentation, control-plane protection and dynamic ARP inspection to safeguard access and data integrity.
Q
How do I manage Catalyst 4500 switches?
A
You can manage Catalyst 4500 using Cisco DNA Center, Cisco Prime Infrastructure, CLI, SNMP or REST APIs for automated provisioning, policy enforcement and real-time monitoring.
Q
Which line cards are available for the Catalyst 4500 Series?
A
The Catalyst 4500 offers Gigabit Ethernet, Multigigabit, 10/25/40/100GbE line cards with PoE/PoE+ options, service modules and high-density uplinks to address diverse application requirements.
Q
What is the maximum system forwarding capacity?
A
A fully populated Catalyst 4500E with Supervisor Engine 7-E supports up to 1.1 Tbps system forwarding capacity, ensuring ample bandwidth for large-scale enterprise deployments.
Q
How energy efficient is the Catalyst 4500?
A
Catalyst 4500 leverages Cisco EnergyWise and Unified Power over Ethernet to reduce power consumption by up to 60%, delivering environmental sustainability and cost savings.
Q
Can I upgrade from older Catalyst models to the 4500?
A
Yes, Catalyst 4500 maintains backward compatibility with existing power, fan and certain line cards, enabling non-disruptive upgrades from Catalyst 3750 and 3750-X platforms.
Q
What deployment scenarios suit the Catalyst 4500?
A
Catalyst 4500 excels as a campus distribution switch, branch aggregation device or data center access switch, supporting converged voice, video and data services at scale.
Q
When will Catalyst 4500 reach end-of-sale or end-of-support?
A
Cisco publishes end-of-sale and end-of-support dates on its website; most Catalyst 4500 variants remain fully supported with mainstream software updates through at least 2025.
Q
What warranty and support options are available?
A
Cisco offers a lifetime limited hardware warranty, optional Smart Net Total Care and Software Support services for 24×7 access to updates, advanced replacement and technical assistance.
Q
How does Catalyst 4500 integrate with Cisco DNA and SD-Access?
A
Catalyst 4500 integrates seamlessly with Cisco DNA Center and SD-Access to enable intent-based networking, policy automation, network segmentation and analytics for simplified operations.
