United States
Q
What is the Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series Switch?
A
The Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series Switch is a modular, high-performance Layer 2/3 enterprise switch delivering up to 6.4 Tbps switching capacity, advanced security, and resilient stacking for campus and data center aggregation.
Q
What are the key features of the Catalyst 4900 Switch?
A
The Catalyst 4900 Switch offers high-density Gigabit and 10 Gigabit ports, 6.4 Tbps throughput, hardware-based security, flexible uplink modules, StackWise 640, Energy Efficient Ethernet, and comprehensive QoS for mission-critical networks.
Q
How many ports and uplink modules does the Catalyst 4900 support?
A
The Catalyst 4900 supports up to 48 fixed Gigabit Ethernet ports with optional PoE/PoE+, four integrated 10 Gigabit SFP+ uplinks, and two modular expansion slots for additional uplink or service modules.
Q
Does the Catalyst 4900 support Power over Ethernet (PoE)?
A
Yes. The Catalyst 4900 delivers up to 3700W of PoE/PoE+ per switch, automatically classifying and powering IP phones, wireless access points, and IP cameras with efficient power management.
Q
What stacking capabilities does the Catalyst 4900 offer?
A
Catalyst 4900 switches support Cisco StackWise 640 technology, enabling up to eight units to operate as a single logical switch with 640 Gbps stacking bandwidth, unified management, and sub-50 ms failover.
Q
What management options are available for the Catalyst 4900?
A
Manage the Catalyst 4900 via Cisco DNA Center for automation, IOS XE CLI, WebUI, SNMP, and NETCONF/RESTCONF APIs, providing full programmability and integration with existing network management tools.
Q
What high availability features does the Catalyst 4900 provide?
A
Catalyst 4900 offers nondisruptive software upgrades (NSU), redundant hot-swappable power supplies and fans, StackWise resilience, and in-service software upgrades to ensure minimal downtime.
Q
Does the Catalyst 4900 Series support IPv6?
A
Yes. Cisco Catalyst 4900 fully supports IPv6 routing protocols (OSPFv3, EIGRP for IPv6, BGP), DHCPv6, IPv6 ACLs, and management, ensuring seamless integration in dual-stack environments.
Q
What QoS capabilities are included in the Catalyst 4900?
A
Catalyst 4900 provides hardware-based QoS with flexible classification, traffic policing, shaping, low-latency queuing, WRED, and deep buffer support to optimize voice, video, and critical data flows.
Q
What security features are available on the Catalyst 4900?
A
Features include 802.1X port authentication, MACsec encryption, dynamic ARP inspection, IP Source Guard, DHCP snooping, control plane policing, and TrustSec segmentation for robust threat defense.
Q
Which software licenses does the Catalyst 4900 require?
A
The Catalyst 4900 uses Cisco Smart Licensing with feature-based tiers: Network Essentials, Network Advantage, and DNA Essentials/Premier, enabling flexible activation and in-field upgrades of advanced features.
Q
How do I upgrade the Catalyst 4900 firmware?
A
Upgrade via Cisco IOS XE using Cisco Prime Infrastructure or CLI (‘software install’). In-service software upgrades (ISSU) are supported to minimize downtime during maintenance windows.
Q
What are the environmental specifications of the Catalyst 4900?
A
It operates from 0°C to 45°C (32°F–113°F) and 5%–90% non-condensing humidity, and complies with Energy Efficient Ethernet, NEBS Level 3, FCC, CE, and RoHS standards.
Q
How do I configure VLANs on the Catalyst 4900?
A
Use IOS XE CLI or WebUI: issue ‘vlan [ID]’ to create, ‘switchport access vlan [ID]’ or ‘switchport trunk allowed vlan [ID]’ to assign ports, and verify with ‘show vlan brief.’
Q
How can I monitor performance and health on the Catalyst 4900?
A
Monitor via SNMP (MIB-II, RMON, sFlow), Cisco Prime Infrastructure or DNA Center for real-time analytics, and leverage Syslog and NetFlow telemetry for proactive visibility.
Q
What warranties and support are available for the Catalyst 4900?
A
Cisco provides a limited lifetime hardware warranty with next-business-day replacement and optional Smart Net Total Care for 24/7 technical support, software updates, and advanced hardware replacement.
Q
How do I troubleshoot common Catalyst 4900 issues?
A
Use ‘show interfaces status’ and ‘show log’ for diagnostics, enable debug for detailed analysis, consult Cisco TAC, and follow Catalyst 4900 troubleshooting guides for step-by-step resolution.
