Cisco Catalyst 9600-SUP-1: Foundation Supervisor Engine for Catalyst 9600 Series

Jun 19 , 2025 7

Cisco Catalyst 9600-SUP-1: Foundation Supervisor Engine for Catalyst 9600 Series

Product Overview

The Cisco Catalyst 9600-SUP-1 is the first-generation supervisor engine for the Catalyst 9600 Series modular switches, designed to provide control plane intelligence, system management, and high-performance forwarding for enterprise and campus networks. It serves as the central brain of the Catalyst 9600 chassis, enabling scalable, secure, and programmable operation in large-scale deployments.

Key Features & Specifications

✔ 480Gbps per-slot capacity (supports 1G/10G/25G/40G/100G line cards)
✔ Quad-core 2.2GHz CPU with 32GB DDR4 memory
✔ 64GB internal flash storage for OS and configurations
✔ 2 x 1G/10G SFP+ management ports + 1 x 1G RJ45 console port
✔ Cisco IOS XE software with SD-Access and DNA Center support
✔ 1:1 supervisor redundancy (NSF/SSO for high availability)
✔ Hot-swappable design for non-disruptive maintenance

Deployment Scenarios

• Enterprise campus core/distribution

• High-density Wi-Fi 6/6E backhaul

• IoT and smart building networks

• Converged data, voice, and video networks

Next-Generation Evolution: Catalyst 9600-SUP-2 (Current Generation)

Major Enhancements

960Gbps per-slot capacity (2x improvement)
8-core 3.0GHz CPU with 64GB DDR4 memory
128GB NVMe flash storage (supports larger configurations)
AI-driven network analytics (predictive QoS & congestion control)
Enhanced security with post-quantum cryptography-ready MACsec
25% lower power consumption

Why Upgrade?

Higher performance for Wi-Fi 7 and Multi-Gig endpoints
Better automation with model-driven programmability
Future-proof for 400G-ready networks
Improved visibility with streaming telemetry

Conclusion

The Catalyst 9600-SUP-1 established the foundation for high-performance campus switching, while the 9600-SUP-2 delivers twice the capacity, AI-driven intelligence, and next-gen security. The upgrade ensures scalability, automation, and efficiency for modern digital workplaces and smart campuses.