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Compact SFP switch delivered reliable fiber access performance.
WS-C3850-12S-S
Cisco Catalyst 3850 12 Port GE SFP IP Base
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Name:
WS-C3850-12S-S
- Description:
- Cisco Catalyst 3850 12 Port GE SFP IP Base
- Rating:
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In stock - Ready to Ship
- Brand:
- Cisco
- GTIN:
- 88265866043
- Condition:
- Warranty:
- 3
- List Price:
$17,967.00
- Price:
$6,429.0064.2% off
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1
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WS-C3850-12S-S Overview
WS-C3850-12S-S is a high-performance, stackable enterprise switch that combines robust routing capabilities with a compact design ideal for distributed access and branch office deployments. It features a modular architecture designed for scalability and performance, offering flexible power options via an AC power supply and 12 high-speed SFP ports that enable versatile fiber connectivity.
Built to support Layer 2 and Layer 3 functionalities, the WS-C3850-12S-S is engineered for stacking to simplify network management and expand capacity seamlessly. Its advanced switching capacity, non-PoE design, and optimized interface configurations make it suitable for core access, aggregation, and mission-critical network environments.
WS-C3850-12S-S price is $6,429.00, a 64.2% saving from the Cisco list price of $17,967.00. WS-C3850-12S-S is in stock and available for next-day dispatch. (terms applied)
Request bulk order quote for WS-C3850-12S-S for additional pricing. Browse the full Catalyst 3850 Switches series or explore all Cisco products.
WS-C3850-12S-S Specifications
- Product Type
- Switch
- Power Source
- AC Power Supply
- Layer Supported
- Layer 2 / Layer 3
- Form Factor
- Rack-mount
- Power Consumption
- 195W
- Number of Ethernet Ports
- 12–24 Ports
- Number of Downlink Ports
- 12 Ports
- Manageable
- Managed
- Ethernet Technology
- 10/100/1000
- Media Type Supported
- Fiber
- Redundant Power Supply Supported
- No
- Manufacturer Part Number
- WS-C3850-12S-S
- Uplink Configuration
- 1G
- IOS
- LAN Base
- POE Support
- Non POE
- SFP Ports
- 12 SFP Ports
- Memory
- 4 GB
- Rack Units
- 1 RU
- Interface Ports
- 10/100/1000
- Port/Expansion Slot Details
- 12 fixed SFP ports
- Flash Memory
- 256 MB
- Switching Capacity
- 160 Gbps
- Switching Capacity with Stacking
- 480 Gbps
- Product Name
- Cisco Catalyst 3850-12S-S
- Height
- 1.73 inches
- Width
- 17.5 inches
- Depth
- 11.8 inches
- Weight
- 12.6 lbs
WS-C3850-12S-S Use Case
Campus Distribution Layer with High-Density Fiber Uplinks
In a multi-building enterprise campus, IT architects deploy the WS-C3850-12S-S as the distribution-layer switch to terminate 12 GE SFP fiber uplinks from building-level access switches. This configuration delivers business-critical, non-blocking 10 Gbps aggregation, redundant uplink paths via StackWise-480, and unified policy enforcement with Cisco IOS IP Base. Outcome: 5× improved backbone throughput, sub-millisecond failover, and 99.99 % campus-wide network availability.
Data Center Top-of-Rack Leaf for High-Performance Clusters
In a modular data center, the WS-C3850-12S-S serves as a leaf-node switch for server racks running virtualization and container workloads. Leveraging 12 high-speed GE SFP ports and native IPv4/IPv6 routing in IOS IP Base, IT teams achieve low-latency east-west traffic, automated VXLAN segmentation, and simplified network fabric management with Cisco DNA Center. Outcome: 30 % reduction in application response times, seamless workload mobility, and streamlined network operations.
Branch Office Fiber WAN Consolidation and Security
A distributed retail chain uses the WS-C3850-12S-S at each branch to aggregate multiple fiber-delivered WAN circuits (MPLS, DIA, LTE failover) into a single router-on-a-stick architecture. Integrated Cisco TrustSec and advanced QoS in the IP Base image ensure secure segmentation and prioritized voice/data services. Outcome: 40 % lower WAN costs through link bundling, zero-touch provisioning with Cisco Plug-and-Play, and end-to-end policy compliance across 200+ locations.
Quality Certifications
To get the detailed certification, please go to the Compliance Center.
Product Comparison Table 
 WS-C3850-12S-S |  WS-C3850-48U-S |  WS-C3850-24U-L |  WS-C3850-24XU-S |  WS-C3850-24T-E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depth | 11.8 inches | 12.1 inches | 18.05 inches | 16.9 inches | 16.1 inches |
| Ethernet Technology | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 |
| Flash Memory | 256 MB | 256 MB | 256 MB | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Form Factor | Rack-mount | Rack-mount | Rack-mount | Rack-mount | Rack-mount |
| Height | 1.73 inches | 1.75 inches | 1.73 inches | 1.73 inches | 1.73 inches |
| IOS | LAN Base | IP Services | LAN Base | IP Services | IP Services |
| Interface Ports | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 | 10/100/1000 |
| Layer Supported | Layer 2 / Layer 3 | Layer 2 / Layer 3 | Layer 2 / Layer 3 | Layer 2 / Layer 3 | Layer 2 / Layer 3 |
| Manageable | Managed | Managed | Managed | Managed | Managed |
| Manufacturer Part Number | WS-C3850-12S-S | WS-C3850-48U-S | WS-C3850-24U-L | WS-C3850-24XU-S | WS-C3850-24T-E |
| Media Type Supported | Fiber | Combo | Twisted Pair | Twisted Pair / Fiber | Twisted Pair |
| Memory | 4 GB | 512 MB | 512 MB | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Number of Downlink Ports | 12 Ports | 48 Ports | 24 Ports | 24 Ports | 24 Ports |
| Number of Ethernet Ports | 12–24 Ports | 24–48 Ports | 12–24 Ports | 12–24 Ports | 12–24 Ports |
| POE Support | Non POE | Non POE | Non POE | Non POE | Non POE |
| Port/Expansion Slot Details | 12 fixed SFP ports | 48 x 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports, 4 x 1G SFP uplink ports | 24 x 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports, 4 x 1G SFP uplink ports | 24 fixed 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports and 4 fixed 10 Gigabit SFP+ uplink ports | N/A |
| Power Consumption | 195W | 335 W | 250 W | 335 W | 155W |
| Power Source | AC Power Supply | Redundant Power Supply / AC Power Supply / N/A | AC Power Supply | AC Power Supply | AC Power Supply |
| Product Name | Cisco Catalyst 3850-12S-S | Cisco Catalyst 3850-48U Switch | Cisco Catalyst 3850-24U-L Switch | Cisco Catalyst 3850-24XU-S | Cisco Catalyst 3850 24 Port 10/100/1000 Ethernet Switch |
| Product Type | Switch | Switch | Switch | Switch | Switch |
| Rack Units | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU | 1 RU |
| Redundant Power Supply Supported | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| SFP Ports | 12 SFP Ports | 4 SFP Ports | 4 SFP Ports | 4 SFP Ports | 4 SFP Ports |
| Switching Capacity | 160 Gbps | 128 Gbps | 128 Gbps | 128 Gbps | 160 Gbps |
| Switching Capacity with Stacking | 480 Gbps | 480 Gbps | 480 Gbps | 480 Gbps | 480 Gbps |
| Uplink Configuration | 1G | 1G | 1G | 10G | 1G |
| Weight | 12.6 lbs | 14 lbs | 25.5 lbs | 22.5 lbs | 16.5 lbs |
| Width | 17.5 inches | 17.5 inches | 17.32 inches | 17.1 inches | 17.5 inches |
Reviews & Ratings
B
Bruce Dalton
5
LAN Base features met our access requirements well.
C
Caleb Monroe
5
Stable operation with simple configuration.
D
Dylan Pierce
4
Cisco reliability in a small footprint.
E
Evan Brooks
4
Good choice for fiber-based access deployments.
Questions & Answers
What is the Cisco WS-C3850-12S-S?
The Cisco WS-C3850-12S-S is a Cisco Catalyst 3850 series switch with 12 Gigabit Ethernet SFP uplink ports and the IP Base feature set for enterprise access deployments.
How many SFP ports does the Catalyst 3850 12 Port GE SFP IP Base have?
The WS-C3850-12S-S includes 12 fixed Gigabit Ethernet SFP uplink ports for fiber connectivity to distribution or aggregation layers.
What is the forwarding performance of the WS-C3850-12S-S?
It delivers up to 176 Gbps of switching capacity and a forwarding rate of 77.37 Mpps to support high-bandwidth enterprise applications.
Which feature set is included with the WS-C3850-12S-S?
The switch ships with the IP Base feature set, offering Layer 2 switching, static routing, OSPF, EIGRP stub, and limited advanced features.
Can the Catalyst 3850 12S-S be stacked with other switches?
Yes, it supports Cisco StackWise-480 technology, allowing up to nine Catalyst 3850 switches to operate as a single logical unit.
What operating system runs on the WS-C3850-12S-S?
It runs Cisco IOS XE, a modular, Linux-based operating system that enables programmability, automation, and advanced analytics.
Does the WS-C3850-12S-S support Power over Ethernet (PoE)?
No, the WS-C3850-12S-S model does not support PoE; it is optimized for fiber uplinks without integrated PoE ports.
What power supplies are compatible with the WS-C3850-12S-S?
It supports dual redundant AC power supplies (Cisco RPS or internal PS) with optional 715-W or 1100-W units for high availability.
Which transceiver modules are compatible?
You can use Cisco SFP modules including GLC-LH-SM for single-mode and GLC-SX-MMD for multimode fiber up to 1 km.
What is the warranty and support for WS-C3850-12S-S?
Cisco offers a limited lifetime hardware warranty with 90-day software support; optional SMARTnet service extends support and updates.
How do I upgrade from IP Base to Enterprise Services?
You can upgrade by purchasing a Cisco IOS XE Enterprise Services license (e.g., DNA Advantage) and applying the license activation key.
What deployment scenarios suit the Catalyst 3850 12 Port GE SFP IP Base?
It is ideal for campus access, data center leaf, and small-to-medium enterprise aggregation requiring high-density fiber uplinks.
How is the stack bandwidth allocated?
StackWise-480 provides 480 Gbps of switching bandwidth per stack, evenly distributed across active and standby uplink ports.
How much power does the WS-C3850-12S-S consume?
Typical power consumption is approximately 50–60 W under normal load, varying with traffic and transceiver usage.
Can the switch run third-party network applications?
With Cisco IOS XE programmability, you can deploy Docker containers and open APIs for custom network services.
What layer-3 features are supported with IP Base?
The IP Base license supports static routing, RIP, OSPF, EIGRP stub, PIM-lite, and IPv6 basic routing.