Cisco 9200 Switch vs Cisco 9200L Switch Comparison

Aug 13 , 2024 979

Cisco 9200 Switches Overview:

Debuting in 2018, the Catalyst 9200 Series switches are the Catalyst 9000 family designed for small and medium-sized businesses and branch offices. They inherit the core features of the Catalyst 9000 family, including programmability, security, and simplified management capabilities.The introduction of the Catalyst 9200 series marks a significant step forward for Cisco in supporting the digital transformation of enterprise networks.

The following are key features of the Cisco 9200 switch:

1. High performance: The Catalyst 9200 series provides up to 160 Gbps of stacked bandwidth to support high-performance network environments.

2. Security: Integrated Cisco TrustSec and MACsec encryption provide enterprise-class security protection.

3. Simplified Management: Supports Cisco DNA Center for centralized network management and automated operations and maintenance.

4. Modular design: Provides a variety of modularization options to support flexible network configuration and expansion.

5. Provides POE support: Suitable for environments where power needs to be supplied to access points and IP phones.

The Catalyst 9200 Series switch has become the product of choice for enterprises due to its flexible modular design, excellent management capabilities, and high security and reliability. However, there are still some special needs people who want to get more cost-effective equipment, so the Cisco 92ooL switch is gradually introduced.

Cisco 9200L Switch Overview:

Building on the Catalyst 9200 series, Cisco introduced the 9200L model to address specific market needs.The Catalyst 9200L serves as a streamlined version of the 9200 series, providing a more cost-effective option that still retains most of the 9200's core features.

Key features of the Cisco 9200L:

1. Fixed Configuration: Unlike the 9200, the 9200L is a fixed-configuration switch with no modularization options, suitable for scenarios with limited budget but high performance requirements.

2. PoE Support: The 9200L also offers PoE+ support for environments that require power for access points and IP phones.

3. Cost-effective: The 9200L provides a cost-effective solution for SMBs and branch offices through a simplified hardware design and lower price.

As the fundamental building block of Cisco's digital network architecture, the Catalyst 9200L switch helps customers simplify complexity and reduce operating costs.

Performance Comparison

With the rapid development of science and technology, the right switch will bring you a fast Internet experience. The Cisco 9200 switch and the Cisco 9200L switch are both good choices for businesses.

Overall, the port speeds of both the Cisco 9200 switch and the Cisco 9200L switch are capable of supporting Gigabit Ethernet (1G) and 10G uplinks, but the Cisco 9200 switch supports a maximum switching capacity of 160 Gbps and the Cisco 9200L switch supports a maximum switching capacity of 128 Gbps, which means that although they have the same port speeds, the Cisco 9200 switch will give enterprises higher network performance, security, and scalability. This means that although the port speeds are the same, the Cisco 9200 switches will give organizations higher network performance, stronger network security, and scalability.

In terms of modular design and redundancy comparison, Cisco 9200 switches support scalable modular uplinks, and users can choose different uplink modules (such as 1G, 10G, etc.) according to their needs, whereas Cisco 9200L switches provide a fixed-module design, where the type and number of ports can't be changed by replacing or adding a module, which means that Cisco 9200 switches can provide enterprises with a more flexible expansion mechanism.

In terms of fan configurations, the Cisco 9200 switches come with dual fans and support redundant configurations, while the Cisco 9200L switches have fixed fans. The redundant design means that even if one fan fails, the other fans will still function properly. This prevents the switch from overheating or shutting down due to the failure of a single fan, thus improving the overall reliability and stability of the device. This demonstrates that the Cisco 9200 switch has more consistent device reliability.

Application Scenario Comparison:

Cisco 9200 Switch: Ideal for enterprise-class networks that require flexible configuration and high reliability, and for medium- to large-sized enterprise networks that require high performance and scalability.

Cisco 9200L Switch: Suitable for small and medium-sized enterprise networks, especially those in cost-sensitive environments that do not require high network flexibility.

The following is a table of commonalities and differences between Cisco 9200 switches and Cisco 9200L switches:

The Cisco 9200 and 9200L Series switches are both designed to meet the needs of modern networks, but their positioning and functional characteristics make them suitable for different application scenarios. Choosing the right switch should be based on an organization's specific needs, network size, and budget.

The comparison shows that the Cisco 9200 series offers higher performance and flexibility, while the 9200L series offers a better price/performance ratio, making it an affordable choice for SMBs.