Cisco Catalyst 2960 WS-C2960-48PST-L Cisco Catalyst switch

Brand: Cisco | Category: Network Switches

SKU: CSC-WS-C2960-48PST-L | Part #: WS-C2960-48PST-L | MPN: WS-C2960-48PST-L

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The Cisco Catalyst 2960 WS-C2960-48PST-L occupies a well-defined position in enterprise access layer deployments where power delivery to end devices matters as much as switching throughput. This is a managed Layer 2 switch purpose-built for environments that combine traditional Ethernet endpoints with networked devices requiring Power over Ethernet—VoIP phones, wireless access points, IP cameras, environmental sensors. The PST designation tells you this unit ships with a total PoE power budget of 370 watts distributed across its 48 access ports, each capable of delivering up to 15.4 watts per port under IEEE 802.3af standard. For network engineers and infrastructure teams evaluating access switches across GCC data centres and enterprise campuses, that combination of port count, PoE capacity, and reliability becomes the primary evaluation metric.

Cisco packaged the WS-C2960-48PST-L with realistic performance expectations for its segment. The switching fabric delivers 16 Gbps of total capacity and 6.5 million packets per second forwarding rate—figures that reflect the Layer 2 scope and the 10/100 Fast Ethernet access port design. This is not a device chasing wire-rate performance on every port simultaneously; instead, it's engineered to handle typical enterprise campus traffic patterns where simultaneous saturation across all 48 ports remains a rare event. The 8,000 MAC address table accommodates standard deployments across mid-sized buildings or distributed office environments. For teams managing multi-floor office complexes or retail locations with dozens of connected devices per floor, this address table size provides comfortable headroom. The switching fabric and buffer architecture support four egress queues per port, allowing basic quality-of-service differentiation—prioritizing voice traffic over file transfers, for instance—without requiring the complexity of more advanced QoS models.

Connectivity on the Cisco Catalyst 2960 model WS-C2960-48PST-L reflects a common access-layer topology. Forty-eight 10/100 Fast Ethernet RJ-45 ports serve as the access layer where devices connect. Two Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 uplink ports provide the path to core infrastructure, and two SFP slots share bandwidth with those Gigabit uplinks—allowing flexibility to run fiber optics back to a distribution layer switch if distance or environmental conditions demand it. This dual-path uplink design means you can bond the two Gigabit ports for redundancy or use one Gigabit port plus one SFP for separation of control and data traffic. Network engineers appreciate this flexibility because it avoids the cost of upgrading to a larger chassis while still providing some uplink resilience. The Cisco IOS LAN Lite feature set runs on 64 MB of DRAM and 32 MB of flash memory—modest by modern standards, but sufficient for VLAN management, spanning tree computation, and basic access control lists across a switch supporting up to 255 active VLANs. Cisco implemented IEEE 802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol and the faster IEEE 802.1w Rapid PVST+ to prevent bridging loops and enable rapid failover when redundant paths exist in the network design.

From a physical perspective, the WS-C2960-48PST-L ships as a 1RU rack-mounted appliance, fitting neatly into standard 19-inch network racks alongside other infrastructure. The published MTBF of approximately 188,780 hours (roughly 21.5 years of continuous operation) reflects Cisco's component selection and design margins for this product generation. In practice, this translates to reliable operation across enterprise deployments where the switch sits in a climate-controlled wiring closet or network rack room. The 370-watt PoE budget matters here: if you're deploying wireless access points consuming 20–25 watts each across ten floors, or adding PoE-powered security cameras to an office building, this unit can sustain that load without requiring additional power injectors. System administrators and network operations teams typically own the purchasing decision for access switches, often in consultation with facilities teams who understand the power distribution and cooling requirements of wiring closets.

Omnixon Global stocks the WS-C2960-48PST-L from our Dubai distribution centre, serving network infrastructure teams across the UAE, wider GCC region, India, and into Europe. If your enterprise or data centre environment requires managed access-layer switching with integrated PoE for campus connectivity, office deployments, or distributed endpoint scenarios, we invite you to submit an RFQ through our platform. Our team understands the specifications, application fit, and integration requirements for Cisco Catalyst products in regional markets.

Interface & PoE Specifications

• 48 ports of 10/100 Fast Ethernet with integrated PoE (IEEE 802.3af, 15.4 W per port maximum)
• Total PoE power budget of 370 watts for simultaneous powering of multiple endpoints
• 2 x Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 uplink ports plus 2 x SFP slots (shared bandwidth with Gigabit uplinks)
• 16 Gbps non-blocking switching fabric with 6.5 Mpps forwarding rate and 4 egress queues per port for QoS differentiation
• Support for up to 255 active VLANs with IEEE 802.1Q tagging and Rapid PVST+ spanning tree for loop prevention
• 8,000 MAC address table accommodating typical campus network scales
• 1RU rack-mount form factor with 64 MB DRAM, 32 MB flash, and Cisco IOS LAN Lite feature set