Cisco Catalyst C6800-48P-TX-XL: High-Density 10/100/1000 Ethernet Module for Catalyst 6500/6800 Series

Product Overview

The Cisco Catalyst C6800-48P-TX-XL is a high-density 48-port 10/100/1000BASE-T module designed for the Catalyst 6500/6800 Series chassis switches. This enterprise-grade line card delivers Power over Ethernet (PoE+) capability across all ports, making it ideal for unified access deployments, IP telephony, and wireless access point aggregation.

Key Specifications

✔ Port Configuration:

• 48x RJ-45 ports (10/100/1000BASE-T auto-sensing)

• Full IEEE 802.3at PoE+ support (30W per port)

• 384W total PoE budget

✔ Performance Characteristics:

• 96Gbps switching capacity

• 72Mpps forwarding rate

• <10μs latency

✔ Power & Cooling:

• Dual power inputs for PoE redundancy

• Front-to-back airflow

• Typical power consumption: 150W (non-PoE)

✔ Compatibility:

• Requires Supervisor Engine 2T/6T

• Works with all 6500-E/6800-XL chassis

• Cisco IOS/XE software support

Advanced Features

Unified Access Ready

• Cisco UPOE (Universal Power over Ethernet) ready

• Energy Efficient Ethernet (802.3az)

• Auto-MDIX on all ports

Enterprise Security

• Port security with MAC limiting

• DHCP snooping

• IP Source Guard

Advanced QoS

• 8 queues per port

• Hierarchical QoS policies

• Policing and marking capabilities

High Availability

• Online insertion and removal (OIR)

• Non-stop forwarding (NSF)

• Stateful switchover (SSO)

Next-Generation Evolution: Cisco Catalyst C6800-48P-MG-XL (Projected 2026)

Key Upgrades & Innovations

Multi-Gigabit Connectivity

• 48x 100/1000/2500/5000BASE-T ports

• IEEE 802.3bt UPOE++ (90W per port)

• 1.92Tbps switching capacity

AI-Optimized Operations

• Machine learning-based power management

• Predictive device classification

• Automated PoE load balancing

Enhanced Security

• MACsec 256-bit encryption

• Post-quantum cryptography ready

• Hardware-based threat detection

Sustainability Features

• 60% improved power efficiency

• Dynamic PoE scheduling

• Carbon-aware networking mode

Why Upgrade to C6800-48P-MG-XL?

✔ 5x speed increase per port
✔ 3x PoE power capacity
✔ AI-driven power optimization
✔ Future-ready security
✔ Sustainable operations

Conclusion

The C6800-48P-TX-XL delivers reliable Gigabit Ethernet with robust PoE+ capabilities for today's enterprise access layer, while the C6800-48P-MG-XL represents the next-generation access switching with multi-gigabit speeds, UPOE++, and AI-driven operations. Together, they provide organizations with a complete evolution path for their access layer infrastructure while maintaining investment protection in the Catalyst 6500/6800 platform.