1. Technical Specifications Face-Off
Feature | EX4500-40F | EX4300-24P |
---|---|---|
Switching Capacity | 480 Gbps (40G QSFP+ × 12) | 176 Gbps (24×1G SFP + 24×1G PoE+) |
Latency | 3.6μs (QSFP+ ports) | 8.2μs (1G ports) |
Forwarding Rate | 1.8 Bpps (optimized for 40G spine-leaf) | 0.65 Bpps (stackable design) |
Memory | 8GB DDR4 (expandable to 16GB) | 4GB DDR3 (non-expandable) |
Storage | 32GB SSD (supports 1M MAC entries) | 16GB eMMC (limited to 50k MAC entries) |
Redundancy | Dual power supplies, hot-swappable fans | Single power supply, fanless design |
2. Feature Breakdown
EX4500-40F
Native VXLAN/EVPN support for overlay networks
40G QSFP+ uplinks for spine-leaf architectures
Advanced analytics via Cisco Tetration
EX4300-24P
Built-in 802.3af/at PoE+ (up to 30W per port)
Compact 1U form factor for branch offices
Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) for rapid deployment
3. User Experience Insights
EX4500-40F:
Steep CLI learning curve but unmatched customization
24/7 monitoring via Cisco Prime Infrastructure
EX4300-24P:
Intuitive web GUI for non-experts
Limited visibility for complex troubleshooting
4. Price & Value Analysis
EX4500-40F: $14,500 (ideal for enterprises prioritizing scalability)
EX4300-24P: $3,900 (cost-effective for SMBs with basic needs)
5. Real-World Use Cases
EX4500-40F: Deployed in a fintech firm’s core network to handle 100k+ concurrent tunnels
EX4300-24P: Equipped a retail chain’s 50+ stores with unified IoT device management
6. Technical Specs Deep Dive
EX4500-40F:
2.4GHz quad-core CPU with 8GB cache
Supports 128K MAC tables and 32K IPv4 routes
EX4300-24P:
1.6GHz dual-core CPU
Limited to 32K MAC entries and 8K IPv4 routes
7. Eco-Friendly Features
EX4500-40F: 87W power draw (Energy Star certified)
EX4300-24P: 370W max (due to PoE+ overhead)
8. Compatibility Matrix
EX4500-40F: Integrates with Contrail SDN, Palo Alto firewalls
EX4300-24P: Works with Meraki controllers, basic SNMP monitoring
9. Final Verdict
Choose EX4500-40F if:
✅ You need a future-proof backbone for 40G/100G upgrades
✅ Your network demands ultra-low latency and massive scalability
Opt for EX4300-24P if:
✅ Your budget is capped under $5K
✅ You require quick deployment for edge locations