Cisco adds “baby” and “wireless brain” switches to Catalyst 9000

Cisco announced two major additions to its Catalyst 9000 switching portfolio:

New Catalyst Wireless Controller: For the first time, customers can run consistent security, automation and analytics services across wired and wireless environments by leveraging the same OS. The Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controller can be run anywhere—on premise, in any cloud, or embedded virtually on Catalyst 9000 switches. It supports today’s wireless standards and is ready for the 802.11ax standard. It also elevates wireless services with software updates without disruption, new threat defense and advanced programmability. Two models are available:

• Catalyst 9800-40 — scales up to 2,000 APs, 32,000 clients and offers 40 Gbps throughput
• Catalyst 9800-80 — scales up to 6,000 APs, 64,000 clients and offers 80 Gbps throughput

New Catalyst Mid-Market Switch: The  Catalyst 9200 switches extend intent-based networking to simple branch deployments and mid-market customers

• Up to 48 ports of full Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+) capability
• Resiliency with Field-Replaceable Units (FRU) and redundant power supply, fans, and modular uplinks
• flexible downlink options with data or PoE+
• Operational efficiency with optional backplane stacking, supporting stacking bandwidth up to 160 Gbps
• UADP 2.0 Mini with integrated CPU offers customers optimized scale with better cost structure
• Enhanced security with AES-128 MACsec encryption, policy-based segmentation, and trustworthy systems
• Layer 3 capabilities, including OSPF, EIGRP, ISIS, RIP, and routed access
• Advanced network monitoring using Full Flexible NetFlow
• Cisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access): Simplified operations and deployment with policy-based automation from edge to cloud managed with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE); Network assurance and improved resolution time through Cisco DNA Center

The new switches use Cisco’s own ASIC and run the same OS that powers all of the company’s access and WAN products.

Cisco also notes that its Catalyst 9000 remains the fastest growing product in its history.

“We’re excited to bring the full power of Cisco’s intent-based capabilities to everyone, everywhere,” said Sachin Gupta, senior vice president, Product Management, Enterprise Networking at Cisco. “We want to give IT the tools they need to automate and see the network end-to-end. Our expanded Catalyst 9000 portfolio lets customers do this not only for large wired networks, but for wireless and simple branch deployments too.”