Cisco Catalyst 9400 vs Cisco Catalyst 9500- Which 9K series is better?
While they share a lot in common, the Cisco 9400 and Cisco 9500 are two very distinct product lines within the Catalyst family of Cisco switches. Take a look as we review and compare both collection to determine which one is better.
The 9000 series is an extensive collection of devices, all of which are designed to serve the ever evolving demands of networking operations. With these gadgets on your network, the
If you are not familiar with Cisco’s DNA software, it is a valuable addition to their devices which is tailored to help users with buying, managing and upgrading the infrastructure within the network. While both the Cisco 9400 and 9500 are enabled with the CDNA software, they are two very different collections of switches. Take a look at our comparison review for Cisco Catalyst 9400 vs. Cisco Catalyst 9500 for more.
Table of Contents
What are the differences between the Cisco Catalyst 9400 and the Cisco Catalyst 9500?
Cisco Catalyst 9400 |
Cisco Catalyst 9500 |
|
Type |
Modular switches |
Modular Switches |
Stacking tech |
Stack wise virtual |
Stack wise virtual |
Switching capacity |
– |
Up to 6TB |
Forwarding rate |
– |
2Bpps |
Cisco Catalyst 9400 vs Cisco Catalyst 9500- How they compare
Type
While both these devices are part of Cisco’s Catalyst 9K edition, they carry very different switching solutions. The 9500, contains a product line of switches while the Catalyst 9400 is made up modular switches that require modules and cards to operate. This makes the 9500 set up significantly easier as it is available as a single unit, unlike the 9400 that required addition of module cars.
Performance
Overall, the 9500 features better performance compared to the 9400. Going off of switching capacity and forwarding rate, the 9500 features high speeds that promise fast and reliable connections within networks. Both the 9500 and 94000 collections share the Cisco Stackwise virtual stacking technology which is efficient in stacking the devices on a virtual plane.
Cisco Catalyst 9400
Cisco’s 9400 series offers a network fabric that provides advanced protection against security threats while evolving to meet the exponential expansion of the internet of things. The series offers switches that can form your foundation for ideal network management.
Features
Cisco 9400 network switch is very easy to set up and use. It features Cisco DNA software which streamlines buying, configuring, managing and upgrading your infrastructure software and network. The DNA software offers investment protection, lowers cost of entry, as well as expanding access to upgrades and new Cisco technology. You can manage your entire structure with a single optimized tool to help streamline wired and wireless policies on your network.
An included dual set of supervisors and different power supply options allow the run without disruption, improving redundancy within the operation. Available multigigabit ports with a superior throughput backplane ensure data flows uninterrupted within the network. This streamlined data flow is . It also offers expandability and programmability which allow users to optimize their switch to suit their specific needs while enjoying impressive output.
This switch is entrepreneur-optimized, and features up to 384 access ports with POE or UPOE support. It also offers advanced routing and infrastructure; network system virtualization and SD access capacity which makes the model suitable for small to medium-sized campus placement.
Cisco Catalyst 9400 Series Chassis
This 9400 Chassis collection is a 3 member series that offers a wide range of line card options. With this chassis, users can scale up the by 4000 ports. Moreover, they are equipped with the high performance StackWise Virtual technology that allows for stacking 2 modular switches into a single unit.
The three members of the family include the C9404R chassis, the C9407R and the 9410R. These offer 4, 7 and 10 slots respectfully. There are elaborate features incorporated into this chassis that allow for superior function within networks. The switching speeds, forwarding rates and other performance specs are determined depending on the model chassis.
Fan trays incorporated into the design on these models help with cooling and redundancy on these Switches.
Cisco Catalyst 9500
Cisco describes this collection as one of their leading purpose built fixed core and aggregation switching platforms. This is an industry’s first with the models on this collection designed for enterprise campus deployment. Many unmatched features and capabilities are incorporated into this collection which allow
Features
The Cisco 9500 is a newer collection of devices designed with a powerful set of functions. This collection is meant to replace the 3850, another highly functional collection of Switches. Since these are built to deliver advanced security. This series class core and aggregation layer switch that guarantees full serviceability and programmability. They are based on a x86 CPU, and are built for enhanced security. It offers a 4-core 2.4GHz CPU as well as 16 GB internal storage and 16GB DDR4 memory.
This series is designed for smart operation for easy use. These devices offer extensive connectivity which is offered over the Cisco 9500’s arsenal of Gigabit Ethernet ports. Features such as convenient Bluetooth connectivity, allows you to utilize a Bluetooth dongle to wirelessly manage, troubleshoot and configure your web-UI. It also offers an embedded GUI-based management tool that simplifies deployment and management. The Web-UI already features the default image and is ready to use. The 9500 also features RFID tags and a blue beacon LED to help you detect individual switches for easier management.
This unit is designed for optimal security. It features encrypted analytics, AES, trustworthy solutions protocol, image signing, secure boot and a trust anchor module alongside other tools to help keep users, devices and content safe.
Cisco 9500-24Q
The Cisco Catalyst 9500 features 24 nonblocking 40-Gigabit Ethernet QSF P ports. It features Cisco’s high performance IOS which accommodates automated device positioning, granular visibility, API-driven configuration as well as seamless upgrading and patching. Additionally, this device delivers high availability and resiliency across the network. Technology such as the Cisco StackWise virtual, users are allowed streamlined connection to other switches.
Control and manageability tools such as the NBAR2 tool help the administrator identify, monitor and control end user application for optimized performance. The 9500 features Cisco’s integrated security features that work well together to not only secure the information within the operation but deliver extensive advanced network security capabilities. Designed for smart operation, this model even features Blue beacon and RFID for easy inventory management and switch access.
Other advanced capabilities/advantages available with its use include high performance IP routing, advanced IP routing support and seamless independent integration. It features an impressive bandwidth output of 960 Gbps and a forwarding rate of 1440 Mpps.
Now, Lets compare the Cisco Catalyst 9400 Series Chassis to the Cisco 9500-24Q
Cisco Catalyst 9400 Series Chassis |
Cisco 9500-24Q |
|
Stacking tech |
StackWise Virtual technology |
Cisco StackWise virtual |
Port |
Depends on the chassis |
40-Gigabit Ethernet QSF P ports |
Switching capacity |
Depends on the chassis |
960 Gbps
|
Forwarding rate |
Depends on the chassis |
1440 Mpps |
Conclusion
Both the 9400 and 9500 Series offer high performance switching solutions. These series are well equipped to manage a wide variety of networks with high demand needs. Although quite different, you can rely on either of these collections to serve scalable networks with high demand needs.
