High-Performance Small Form-Factor Cisco Catalyst Switch with Flexibility and Investment Protection for Top-of-Rack Switching or Midmarket Collapsed Core and Aggregation Layer Deployment
Product Overview
The Cisco Catalyst® 4900M Switch (Figure 1) is designed for data center network top-of-rack switching and midmarket collapsed core and aggregation layer deployment. Optimized for ultimate deployment flexibility for the data center, the Cisco Catalyst 4900M can be deployed for 10/100/1000 server access with 1:1 uplink-to-downlink oversubscription and a mix of 10/100/1000 and 10 Gigabit Ethernet servers or all 10 Gigabit Ethernet server environments.
The Cisco Catalyst 4900M is a 320-Gbps, 250-million-packets-per-second (mpps), two-rack-unit (2RU) fixed-configuration switch with eight fixed wire-speed X2 ports on the base unit and two optional half-card slots for deployment flexibility and investment protection. Low latency, scalable buffer memory, and high availability with 1+1 hot swappable AC or DC power supplies and a field-replaceable fan tray optimize the Cisco Catalyst 4900M for any size of data center.
For the midmarket collapsed core and aggregation layer and in the branch office, the Cisco Catalyst 4900M provides an ideal solution for space-constrained deployments that require high-performance wire-speed services and high availability. With the unique semifixed architecture and support of the Cisco® TwinGig Converter Module, the Cisco Catalyst 4900M can be used in a collapsed core and aggregation layer LAN deployment, providing the flexibility to deploy Gigabit Ethernet now and cost-effectively migrate to 10 Gigabit Ethernet as requirements change.
The Cisco Catalyst 4900M configuration provides wire-speed connection, buffers to handle bursty traffic, and a comprehensive set of Layer 3 features required at the collapsed core and aggregation layer of the network. The Cisco Catalyst 4900M also supports a suite of ease-of-management features to simplify operations.
Figure 1. Cisco Catalyst 4900M
Features and Benefits
The Cisco Catalyst 4900M half cards provide a wide variety of combinations of Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet media types. The base unit can accommodate up to two of the half cards shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4 in any combination.
In addition to deployment flexibility, the half slots provide investment protection for further additions of Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet media.
Table 1 summarizes the features and benefits of the Cisco Catalyst 4900M.
Table 1. Features and Benefits
Feature
Benefit
Outstanding Scalability
16 MB shared buffers
Large buffers for microburst and high traffic control
Up to 320 Gbps and 250 mpps wire-speed performance with low latency
Delay-sensitive traffic forwarded without interruption
Wire-speed uplinks
Elimination of oversubscription bottlenecks between downlinks and uplinks across the switch with any combination of half cards
Configuration Flexibility
Choice of Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces
Granular configuration options for all-Gigabit Ethernet to 10 Gigabit Ethernet transition
Online insertion and removal of cards
In-service line card changes
Cisco TwinGig Converter Module support*
Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet interface support on the same card
Dual AC or DC power
High availability for nonstop operation
Investment Protection
Modular half slots
Migration to new media types through additional half cards
Field-replaceable power supplies and hot-swappable removable fan
Extended longevity of hardware
Use of existing software
Consistent operational model for all Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series Switches
* Supported only on 8-port (2:1) 10 Gigabit Ethernet (X2) half card
One System, Many Configurations
The Cisco Catalyst 4900M can be configured to meet the needs of many types of top-of-rack deployments. Table 2 summarizes the configuration options.
10/100/1000 access with 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks
8
40
0
10/100/1000 and 10 Gigabit Ethernet access with 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks
12 or 16
20
0
Gigabit Ethernet (SFP) access with 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks
8
0
32
Gigabit Ethernet (SFP) and 10 Gigabit Ethernet access with 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks
12 or 16
0
16
10 Gigabit Ethernet access with 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks
16 or 24
0
0
Gigabit Ethernet (SFP) and 10/100/1000 access with 10 Gigabit Ethernet uplinks
8
20
16
10 Gigabit Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet on the Same Half Card
The Cisco TwinGig Converter Module (Figure 5) converts a single 10 Gigabit Ethernet X2 interface into two Gigabit Ethernet port slots that can be populated with SFP optics, enabling customers to use Gigabit Ethernet SFPs on the same card in combination with 10 Gigabit Ethernet X2 optics. The Cisco OneX converter is supported on all 10 Gigabit Ethernet modules of the Cisco Catalyst 4900M. Cisco OneX converts an X2 interface into one SFP+ interface and uses the full range of Cisco SFP+ transceivers (Figure 6).
Figure 5. Cisco TwinGig Converter Module Converts 10 Gigabit Ethernet X2 Interface into Two Gigabit Ethernet SFPs
Figure 6. Cisco OneX Converter Module Converts an X2 Interface into One SFP+ Interface1
Operational Consistency and Control
The Cisco Catalyst 4900M includes a console port to manage all system features. Remote in-band management is available with Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), Telnet client, BOOTP, and Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP). Support for local or remote out-of-band management is delivered through a terminal or modem attached to the console interface.
The Cisco Catalyst 4900M supports file allocation table (FAT) file systems. System images can be updated directly through Microsoft Windows-based machines with compact flash memory readers.
Using CiscoWorks solutions, Cisco Catalyst switches can be configured and managed to deliver end-to-end device, VLAN, traffic, and policy management. The CiscoWorks LAN Management Solution (LMS) bundle offers tools such as CiscoWorks Resource Manager Essentials (SNMS) and CiscoWorks CiscoView (SNMS). These web-based management tools offer several services, including automated inventory collection, software deployment, easy tracking of network changes, views into device availability, and quick isolation of error conditions.
Software Configuration Options
Table 3 describes the software configuration options for the Cisco Catalyst 4900M Switch, and Table 4 describes the hardware options.
Table 3. Software Configuration Options for the Cisco Catalyst 4900M Switch
Software Image
Description
IP Base image
Standard Layer 3 image, including Routing Information Protocol Version 1 (RIPv1), RIPv2, static routes, and Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) stub
Enterprise Services image
Enhanced Layer 3 image, including Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), EIGRP, and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP); also includes all IP Base image features
Table 4. Cisco Catalyst 4900 Series Hardware Comparison
Feature and Description
Cisco Catalyst 4948
Cisco Catalyst 4948-10GE
Cisco Catalyst 4900M
Switching Capacity
96 Gbps
136 Gbps
320 Gbps
Throughput
72 mpps
102 mpps
250 mpps for IPv4
125 mpps for IPv6
IPv6 Support
In Software
In Software
In Hardware
Height
1RU
1RU
2RU
Modular Half-Card Slots
0
0
2
Maximum 10/100/1000 Ports
48
48
40
Maximum 10 Gigabit Ethernet Ports
0
2
24
Maximum Gigabit Ethernet (Fiber) Ports
4
0
32 (Cisco TwinGig Converter Module)
Cisco TwinGig Converter Module Support
No
No
Yes (half cards only)
Uplink Optic Types
4 SFP optics
Two X2 (10 Gigabit Ethernet) optics
Eight X2 (10 Gigabit Ethernet) optics
Multilayer Switching
IP Base and Enterprise Services options
IP Base and Enterprise Services options
IP Base and Enterprise Services options
Shared Buffer
16 MB
16 MB
16 MB
CPU
266 MHz
666 MHz
1.3 GHz
Synchronous Dynamic RAM (SDRAM)
256 MB
256 MB
512 MB
Active VLANs
4096
4096
4096
Multicast Entries
28K (Layer 3)
16K (Layer 2)
28K (Layer 3)
16K (Layer 2)
70K for IPv4
35K for IPv6
Per VLAN Spanning Tree (PVST) Protocol and VLAN IDs
4096
4096
4096
Spanning Tree Protocol instances
4094
4094
4094
Switched Virtual Interfaces (SVIs)
2000
2000
4096
Security and Quality-of-Service (QoS) Hardware Entries
32K
32K
128K
MAC Addresses
32K
55K
55K
Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN)
2 ingress and 4 egress
2 ingress and 4 egress
8 ingress and 8 egress
USB Port
No
No
Yes
Compact Flash Memory Support
No
No
Yes
System Reset Button
No
No
Yes
Minimum Software Requirement
Cisco IOS® Software Release 12.2(20)EWA or later
Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(25)EWA or later
Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(46)SG or later
Features at a Glance
Layer 2 Features
• Layer 2 switch ports and VLAN trunks
• IEEE 802. 1Q VLAN encapsulation
• Dynamic Trunking Protocol (DTP)
• VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) and VTP domains
• VTP pruning
• VTPv3
• Port security on trunk port
• Q-in-Q passthrough
• Support for 4096 VLANs per switch
• PVST+ and Per-VLAN Rapid Spanning-Tree Protocol (PVRST)
• Spanning Tree PortFast and PortFast guard
• Spanning Tree UplinkFast and BackboneFast
• IEEE 802.1s
• IEEE 802.1w
• IEEE 802.3ad
• Spanning Tree root guard
• Cisco Discovery Protocol
• Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) Versions 1, 2, and 3 snooping
• IP v6 Multicast Listener Discovery (MLD) snooping
• Cisco EtherChannel technology, Cisco Fast EtherChannel technology, and Cisco Gigabit EtherChannel technology across half cards and base unit
• Port Aggregation Protocol (PAgP)
• Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP)
• Unidirectional link detection (UDLD) and aggressive UDLD
• Jumbo frames (up to 9216 bytes)
• Baby Giants (up to 1600 bytes)
• Storm control (formally known as broadcast and multicast suppression)
• Forced 10/100 autonegotiation
• Bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) guard
• FlexLink and FlexLink with VLAN Load Balancing
• IEEE 802.1ab LLDP and 802.1ab LLDP-MED
• Resilient Ethernet Protocol (REP)
• IEEE 802.1q tunneling (QinQ) in hardware
• Layer 2 protocol tunneling
Layer 3 Features
• Jumbo frames on all ports (up to 9216 bytes)
• Hardware-based IP Cisco Express Forwarding routing at 250 mpps
• IP routing protocols: EIGRP, OSPF, BGP4, Routing Information Protocol (RIP), and RIP2
• Layer 3 hardware-based IP Cisco Express Forwarding routing at 250 mpps
• Layer 4 TCP and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) hardware-based filtering at 250 mpps
• Software-based learning at a sustained rate of 10,000 hosts per second
• 55,000 unicast MAC addresses
• 16,000 multicast MAC addresses
• 200,000 entries in routing table (shared between unicast and multicast)
• 4000 virtual ports (VLAN port instances)
• Bandwidth aggregation up to 16 Gbps through Cisco Gigabit EtherChannel technology.
• Bandwidth aggregation up to 160 Gbps for 10 Gigabit Ethernet through 10 Gigabit EtherChannel technology
• Hardware-based multicast management
• Hardware-based ACLs
Management
• Console port to manage all system features
• Software configuration management, including local and remote storage
• Optional compact flash memory card to store software images for backup and easy software upgrades (Future)
• USB drive support (Future)
• FAT file system support
• Manageable through CiscoWorks Windows network-management software on a per-port and per-switch basis, providing a common management interface for Cisco routers, switches, and hubs
• Command-line interface (CLI) based management console to provide detailed out-of-band management
• Remote monitoring (RMON) software agent to support four RMON groups (history, statistics, alarms, and events) for enhanced traffic management, monitoring, and analysis
• Analysis support, including ingress port, egress port, and VLAN SPAN
• System status: Green (operational); red (faulty)
• Console: RJ-45 socket
• Reset (switch recessed for protection)
• Image management port: 10/100/1000BASE-T (RJ-45 socket) data terminal equipment (DTE); green (good), orange (disabled), and off (not connected)
• Air Flow Specifications (Average)
• Airflow at 25°C (77°F) is approximately 77 cubic feet per minute (cfm)
• Airflow at 55°C (131°F ) is approximately 150 to 160 cfm
Table 7 shows the air flow specifications by speed.
Table 7. Air Flow Specifications by Speed
Speed Level
RPM
Airflow (ft3/minute [m3/minute])
0
4953
77.7 (2.2)
1
7109
118.4 (3.4)
2
7752
127.6 (3.6)
3
9449
151.7 (4.3)
Power Supply Specifications
The Cisco Catalyst 4900M offers a choice of 1000-watt (W) AC or DC power supplies. The switch can operate with one power supply present. When two power supplies are installed, the switch shares the power load between the two power supplies (Table 8).
Table 8. AC and DC Power Supply Specifications
Item
1000W AC
1000W DC
Input current
14.12A root mean square maximum at 85 VAC input
31.60A maximum at -40.5 VDC input
Output current
Maximum 80.0A
Maximum 80.0A
Weight
4.5 lb (2.0 kg)
4.5 lb (2.0 kg)
Heat dissipation
Maximum use 818.88 British thermal units (BTUs) per hour
Maximum use 1091.84 BTUs per hour
Power Use by Configuration
• 40 10/100/1000 ports and 8 10 Gigabit Ethernet (X2) ports at normal operating temperature: 336 watts
• 16 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports at normal operating temperature: 318 watts
• 24 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports at normal operating temperature: 353 watts
Software Requirements
The Cisco Catalyst 4900M is supported only in Cisco IOS Software. The minimum software version for the Cisco Catalyst 4900M is Cisco IOS Software Release 12.2(46)SG
Environmental Conditions
• Operating temperature: 32 to 104ºF (0 to 40ºC)
• Storage temperature: -40 to 167ºF (-40 to 75ºC)
• Relative humidity: 10 to 90 percent, noncondensing
• Operating altitude: -60 to 2000m (-197 to 6562 ft)
Regulatory Standards Compliance
Table 9 summarizes Cisco Catalyst 4900M compliance with regulatory standards.
• Telecommunications Carrier Group (TCG) Checklist
• ATT TP76200 level 3 and TCG Checklist
• ETS 300 019-1-1, Class 1.2 Storage
• ETS 300 019-1-2, Class 2.3 Transportation
• ETS 300 019-1-3, Class 3.2 Stationary Use
Cisco IOS Software Packaging for the Cisco Catalyst 4900M
Cisco provides a Cisco IOS Software package for the Cisco Catalyst 4900M, creating a foundation for features and functions and offering consistency across all Cisco Catalyst switches. The Cisco IOS Software release is designated Release 12.2SG. The Cisco Catalyst 4900M software packages support different features, depending on the image:
• The IP Base image does not support the following routing-related features: BGP, EIGRP, OSPF and VRF-lite).
• The IP Base image supports EIGRP stub, RIP V1/2, and static routes for Layer 3 routing on all Cisco Catalyst 4900M switches.
The Enterprise Services image supports all Cisco Catalyst 4900M software features based on Cisco IOS Software, including enhanced routing. Table 3 earlier in this document provides a more detailed description of the feature differences between the IP Base and Enterprise Services images.
The Cisco Catalyst 4900M can be ordered as a fully configured system including all port cards and optics or as spares. Part numbers for spares have = at the end.
Service and Support
Using the Cisco Lifecycle Services approach, Cisco and its partners provide a broad portfolio of end-to-end services and support that can help increase your network's business value and return on investment (ROI). This approach defines the minimum set of activities needed, by technology and by network complexity, to help you successfully deploy and operate Cisco technologies and optimize their performance throughout the lifecycle of your network.
Warranty
The Cisco Catalyst 4900M is warranted for one year. The warranty includes hardware replacement with a 10-day turnaround from receipt of a return materials authorization (RMA).
Cisco Technical Support Services
Cisco Technical Support Services helps ensure that your Cisco products operate efficiently, remain highly available, and benefit from current system software to help you effectively manage your network service while controlling operational costs. (See Tables 11 and 12.)
Cisco Technical Support Services provides significant benefits that go beyond what is offered under the Cisco warranty. Services available under a Cisco SMARTnet® Service contract that are not covered under a warranty include the following:
• Latest software updates
• Rapid replacement of hardware with next-day, 4-hour, or 2-hour dispatch options
• Ongoing technical support through Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC)
• Registered access to www.cisco.com
Table 11. Technical Support Services Components
Feature
Benefit or Advantage
Software Support
Software support offers maintenance and minor and major updates for licensed feature sets. Downloading new maintenance releases, patches, or updates of Cisco IOS Software helps enhance and extend the useful life of Cisco devices. Through major software updates, it is possible to extend the life of equipment and maximize application technology investments by:
• Adding new functions that, in many cases, require no additional hardware investment
• Increasing the performance of current functions
• Enhancing network or application availability, reliability, and stability
Cisco TAC Support
With more than 1000 highly trained customer support engineers, 390 CCIE® experts, and access to 13,000 R&D engineers, Cisco TAC complements your in-house staff with a high level of knowledge in data, voice, and video communications networking technology. Its sophisticated call-routing system quickly routes calls to the correct technology personnel. Cisco TAC is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Cisco.com
This award-winning website provides 24-hour access to an extensive collection of online product and technology information, interactive network management and troubleshooting tools, and knowledge-transfer resources that can help customers reduce costs by increasing staff self-sufficiency and productivity.
Advance Hardware Replacement
Advance replacement and onsite field engineer options provide fast access to replacement hardware and field resources for installing hardware, minimizing the risk of potential network downtime.
Table 12. Technical Support Services Competitive Differentiators
Feature
Benefit or Advantage
Worldwide virtual lab
This extensive lab of Cisco equipment and Cisco IOS Software versions provides an invaluable engineering resource and knowledge base for training, product information, and recreation and testing of selected network concerns to help decrease time to resolution.
Cisco TAC training
• Boot camps
• Tech calls
• Tech forums
Cisco is committed to providing customers the latest in technology support. These TAC training programs assist customers in case avoidance and provide knowledge transfer of Cisco networking expertise.
Cisco Live
A powerful suite of Internet-enabled tools with firewall-friendly features, these secure, encrypted Java applets can turn a simple phone call into an interactive collaboration session, allowing a customer and Cisco TAC support engineer to work together more effectively.
Global logistics
This feature delivers award-winning, worldwide hardware-replacement support through 650 depots covering 120 countries with a $2.3 billion investment in inventory, taking advantage of 10,000 onsite field engineers.
Cisco IOS Software
Cisco IOS Software employs 100 discrete technologies with more than 2000 features. Each year, 400 new features are added. Cisco IOS Software is installed in more than 10 million devices and is running on more than 10,000 networks worldwide. It operates on the world's largest IPv6 and VoIP networks and in all major service provider networks worldwide.
