United States
Q
What is the Cisco Catalyst 2960-X series switch?
A
The Cisco Catalyst 2960-X series is a fixed, enterprise-class Gigabit Ethernet switch family offering advanced Layer 2 and basic Layer 3 features, high energy efficiency, and simple deployment for small to midsize networks.
Q
What key features does the Catalyst 2960-X offer?
A
The Catalyst 2960-X delivers up to 48 Gigabit Ethernet ports, optional PoE+, FlexStack-Plus stacking, Cisco IOS Software, robust security, QoS, and Energy-Efficient Ethernet for reliable, scalable access switching.
Q
Does the Catalyst 2960-X support Power over Ethernet (PoE)?
A
Yes. The Catalyst 2960-X series supports PoE and PoE+ on selected models, delivering up to 30W per port to power IP telephones, wireless access points, and cameras without external injectors.
Q
What is the maximum PoE budget on a Catalyst 2960-X switch?
A
The maximum PoE budget is 370W on PoE+ models, enabling full-power delivery across all 48 ports simultaneously when using an external power supply or redundant power module.
Q
How many switches can be stacked with FlexStack-Plus?
A
With FlexStack-Plus, you can stack up to eight Catalyst 2960-X switches into a single logical unit, simplifying management and scaling bandwidth up to 80 Gbps stack throughput.
Q
What uplink options are available on the 2960-X?
A
Uplink options include two or four 1G SFP ports on entry models and two 10G SFP+ ports on higher-end models, offering flexible fiber or copper connectivity to the network core.
Q
What throughput and forwarding rate does the Catalyst 2960-X support?
A
The Catalyst 2960-X delivers up to 216 Gbps of switching capacity and a forwarding rate of up to 170.95 Mpps, ensuring wire-speed performance for high-density deployments.
Q
Which operating system runs on the Catalyst 2960-X?
A
The Catalyst 2960-X runs Cisco IOS Software with LAN Base or LAN Lite feature sets, providing network services, security, and management tailored to enterprise access deployments.
Q
What security features are included in the 2960-X series?
A
Security capabilities include IEEE 802.1X authentication, DHCP snooping, IP Source Guard, Dynamic ARP Inspection, port security, and Access Control Lists (ACLs) to protect against unauthorized access and threats.
Q
How does QoS work on the Catalyst 2960-X?
A
QoS on the Catalyst 2960-X uses 8 hardware queues per port, classification, marking, policing, queuing and shaping features to prioritize voice, video, and mission-critical data traffic.
Q
What warranty and support options are available?
A
Cisco offers a limited lifetime hardware warranty with next-business-day replacement and optional Cisco SMARTnet Service for 24x7 support, software updates, and accelerated hardware replacement.
Q
How do I configure stacking on the 2960-X series?
A
Use FlexStack-Plus modules and stacking cables to connect switches, enable stacking in the IOS with the 'switch stack-member-number priority' command, and verify stack status via 'show switch stack-ports'.
Q
What differentiates the 2960-X from the 2960-S series?
A
Compared to the 2960-S, the 2960-X adds higher throughput, FlexStack-Plus stacking, enhanced PoE+, Energy-Efficient Ethernet, and improved Cisco TrustSec and resilience features.
Q
What licenses are available for Catalyst 2960-X switches?
A
Catalyst 2960-X supports LAN Base and LAN Lite IOS Software feature sets. Upgrading licenses is done via Cisco Smart Licensing to enable additional Layer 2 features or basic Layer 3 routing.
Q
Can the Catalyst 2960-X be deployed in enterprise and campus networks?
A
Yes. The Catalyst 2960-X is ideal for enterprise campus access and branch office deployments, offering consistent network policies, PoE, security, and management integration with Cisco DNA Center.
