The Cisco® Catalyst® Compact Switches easily expand your Ethernet and Multigigabit
Ethernet infrastructure outside the wiring closet to enable new workspaces, extend
wireless LANs, and connect PoE devices. These fanless, small form-factor switches are
ideal for space-constrained deployments where multiple cable runs would be
challenging. With speeds that reach 10Gbps, the Cisco Catalyst 3560CX Multigigabit
Ethernet Switches support current and next-generation wireless speeds and standards
(including 802.11ac Wave 2) on existing cabling infrastructure.
Figure 1.
Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX and 2960-CX Switch Family.
Product Overview
The Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX and 2960-CX Series Compact Switches help optimize network deployments.
These Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and Multigigabit Ethernet (mGig) managed switches are ideal for high-speed
data connectivity, Wi-Fi backhaul, and Power over Ethernet (PoE+) connectivity in places where space is at
a premium. With a single copper or fiber cable from the wiring closet, Cisco Catalyst compact switches
enable IP connectivity for devices such as IP phones, wireless access points, surveillance cameras, PCs,
and video endpoints.
With their quiet, fanless design and compact footprint, these switches can come out of the data closet and
be placed closer to the users. This means shorter cable runs and greater flexibility as you grow your
network.
Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX and 2960-CX Series Compact Switch Highlights
●
8 or 12 Gigabit Ethernet ports with line rate forwarding performance
●
6 Gigabit Ethernet plus 2 Multigigabit Ethernet (100 Mbps/1/2.5/5/10 Gbps) ports with line rate
forwarding performance (selected model)
●
Gigabit and Multigigabit (100 Mbps/1/2.5/5/10 Gbps) copper, small form-factor pluggable (SFP) or
10G SFP+ uplinks
●
Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE+) support with up to 240W of PoE budget
●
Power over Ethernet (PoE) pass-through enables the compact switch to draw Cisco Universal PoE
●
(Cisco UPOE™) power from the wiring closet and pass it to end devices (selected model) with the
additional option to be powered by auxiliary AC-DC or DC-DC power adapter
Small form factor; fanless
design; silent operation
The switch can be used in open workspaces and other areas that cannot tolerate equipment
noise and where multiple cable runs could be difficult, expensive, and intrusive.
Flexible mounting options
The switch can be mounted on the wall, under a desk, rack, DIN rail, or practically anywhere
they are needed.
Cisco Multigigabit
Ethernet
With the enormous growth of 802.11ac and new wireless applications, wireless devices are
driving the demand for more network bandwidth. This creates a need for a technology that
supports speeds higher than 1 Gbps on all cabling infrastructure. Cisco Multigigabit Ethernet
technology is a unique Cisco innovation that allows you to achieve bandwidth between speeds
of 100Mbps and 10 Gbps over traditional Cat 5e cabling or above. In addition, the Multigigabit
ports on the Cisco Catalyst Compact switch support PoE+, which is increasingly important for
next-generation workspaces and Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems. The Multigigabit
Ethernet ports can also be used as uplinks to connect to traditional access switches such as
the Cisco Catalyst 3850/4500 switches.
Cisco Multigigabit technology offers significant benefits for a diverse range of speeds, cable
types, and PoE power. The benefits can be grouped into three different areas:
●Multiple speeds: Cisco Multigigabit technology supports autonegotiation of multiple speeds on switch
ports. The supported speeds are 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 2.5 Gbps, and 5 Gbps on Cat 5e cable and up to
10 Gbps over Cat 6a cabling.
●Cable type: The technology supports a wide range of cable types, including Cat 5e, Cat 6, and Cat 6a
or above.
●PoE power: The technology supports PoE and PoE+ for all the supported speeds and cable types.
10-Gigabit SFP+ uplinks
Accommodates business growth and increased traffic, such as aggregate upstream gigabit
traffic loads from 802.11ac Wi-Fi access points.
Increased PoE+ Scale
Provides up to 240W of PoE+ budget (twice the power per switch than previous series).
Perpetual PoE
Provides uninterrupted power to a powered-down device even when the switch is booting.
This eliminates the need for a backup power source.
●
Cisco Instant Access mode to enable single point of management and simplify operation
(selected models)
●
Advanced Layer 2 (LAN Base) and Layer 3 (IP Base) support with an option to upgrade to IP services
●
Fanless design and silent operation
●
Enhanced Limited Lifetime Warranty (E-LLW)
Features and Benefits
Like the larger Cisco Catalyst switches typically used in wiring closets, the Cisco Catalyst Compact
switches are
a managed option for consistency across your LAN switching network. Unlike unmanaged switches and
hubs, they provide advanced networking features for flexibility, security, and scale.
Table 1 lists many of the Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX and 2960-CX switch features and benefits.
Table 1.Compact Switch Features and Benefits Summary
PoE pass-through gives the ability to power PoE end devices through drawing Cisco UPOE
from the wiring closet. The Cisco Catalyst WS-C3560CX-8PT-S has eight downlink ports with
two Cisco UPOE input ports that allow it to be powered by another switch. These switches do
not need a power supply and receive power over the uplink from an upstream PoE or Cisco
UPOE device, providing deployment flexibility and availability. These switches are ideal for
wiring-constrained and space-constrained applications.
Management and Operations
Cisco SDA Extended
Node
SDA Extended Node provides Cisco DNA Center Automation and Assurance for C3560CX
switches. It also extends Fabric Benefits (e.g. stretch subnet) to end points connected to the
switches, allowing consistent segmentation and policy-based access.
SDA Extended Node requires Cisco DNA-A license on the C3560CX switches, and a FabricEdge Capable switch at the upstream.
Cisco Network Plug ‘n
Play (PnP)
Network Plug-n-Play (PnP) is a secure, scalable solution that accelerates network device
deployments by automating the installation and configuration of Cisco IOS software. The
Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX and 2960-CX switches are ‘Network-PnP Ready’ and can be used as
part of the APIC-EM solution for automated switch deployments. This feature helps improve
productivity, cut costs, reduce downtime, and enhance the user experience.
Cisco Catalyst Smart
Operations
This comprehensive set of Cisco Catalyst technologies and Cisco IOS Software features
simplify LAN deployment, configuration, and troubleshooting.
●Cisco Smart Install enables the configuration of the Cisco IOS Software image and switch without
user intervention.
●Cisco Auto Smartports provides automatic configuration as end devices connect to the switch port,
allowing autodetection and plug-and-play of the device onto the network. Interface templates
containing configurations or policies that can be applied to ports are also supported.
●Cisco Smart Troubleshooting is an extensive array of debug diagnostic commands and system health
checks, including Generic Online Diagnostics (GOLD) and Onboard Failure Logging (OBFL).
●Embedded Event Manager (EEM), supported on the Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX, provides real-time
network event detection and onboard automation. You can adapt the behavior of your network devices
to align with business needs.
Cloud and System
Management
● Cisco Prime
®
Infrastructure provides comprehensive network lifecycle management with an extensive
library of features that automate initial and day-to-day management. Cisco Prime integrates hardware
and software platform expertise and operational experience into a powerful set of workflow-driven
configuration, monitoring, troubleshooting, reporting, and administrative tools.
● Cisco Network Assistant is a PC-based, centralized network management and configuration
application for small and medium-sized business (SMB) with up to 250 users. An intuitive GUI lets you
easily apply common services across Cisco switches, routers, and access points.
● Cisco Active Advisor is a cloud-based service that provides essential lifecycle information about your
network inventory. Available by itself or as a component of other Cisco network management
applications, it helps you reduce your network’s overall risk by keeping you up-to-date on the status of
your products.
●Remote Switch Port Analyzer (RSPAN) allows administrators to remotely monitor ports in a Layer 2
switch network from any other switch in the same network.
●For enhanced traffic management, monitoring, and analysis, the Embedded Remote Monitoring
(RMON) software agent supports four RMON groups (history, statistics, alarms, and events).
Security
Cisco TrustSec®
A suite of components that secures networks, data, and resources with policy-based access
control, identity, and role-aware networking with the following elements:
●Cisco TrustSec SXP support to simplify security and policy enforcement throughout the network. For
more information about Cisco TrustSec security solutions, visit cisco.com/go/TrustSec.
●Hardware on the Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX for IEEE 802.1AE MACsec for Layer 2, line-rate Ethernet
data confidentiality and integrity on host-facing ports. Protects against man-in-the-middle attacks
(snooping, tampering, and replay).
●Flexible authentication that supports multiple authentication mechanisms including 802.1X, MAC
Authentication Bypass, and web authentication using a single, consistent configuration.
● Monitor mode that creates a user-friendly environment for 802.1X operations.
● RADIUS change of authorization and downloadable ACLs for comprehensive policy management.
● 802.1X supplicant with Network Edge Access Transport (NEAT) for extended secure access;
compact switches in the conference rooms have the same level of security as switches inside a locked
wiring closet.
Threat Defense
Advanced, integrated security features that provide threat defense capabilities for mitigating
man-in-the-middle attacks and protecting your critical network infrastructure.
●Superior Layer 2 capabilities for mitigating MAC, IP, and ARP spoofing risks. Also protects port
security, guards against DHCP snooping, and supports Dynamic ARP Inspection and IP Source Guard.
● Ipv6 first-hop security with Binding Integrity Guard, RA Guard, and DHCP Guard.
● Private VLAN provides security and isolation between switch ports.
● Multidomain Authentication allows an IP phone and a PC to authenticate on the same switch port
while placing them on appropriate voice and data VLAN.
● Secure Shell (SSH), Kerberos, and Simple Network Management Protocol Version 3 (SNMPv3) that
encrypt administrator traffic during Telnet and SNMP sessions to keep access credentials secure.
●Port-based Access Control List (ACL) to let the switch automatically allow or block packets based on
policies for source and destination IP addresses. Rules can be set up differently on a port-by-port
basis.
● Secure Boot to make sure that only signed and authorized images can load on the switch.
● Cisco AutoSecure to simplify security configurations with a single-line CLI.
Power Management and Energy Efficiency
Switch Hibernate Mode
Innovative technology that puts the switch in an ultra-low power mode during periods of
nonoperation such as nights and weekends. The switch can be configured to be in the
hibernate mode using the Cisco Energy Management Suite.
IEEE 802.3az or EnergyEfficient Ethernet (EEE)
Ports dynamically sense idle periods between traffic bursts and quickly switch the interfaces
into a low-power idle mode, reducing power consumption.
Provides uninterrupted power to a powered-down device even when the switch is booting.
This eliminates the need for a backup power source.
PoE pass-through
PoE pass-through gives the ability to power PoE end devices through drawing Cisco UPOE
from the wiring closet. The Cisco Catalyst 3560CX-8PT-S has eight downlink ports with two
Cisco UPOE input ports that allow it to be powered by another switch. These switches do not
need a power supply and receive power over the uplink from an upstream PoE or Cisco UPOE
device, providing deployment flexibility and availability.
Power Supply
80-Plus Silver Certified.
Traffic Management and QoS
Application Visibility
NetFlow Lite lets you maintain awareness of all application traffic on the network. It helps
capture and record specific packet flows. Exports flow data in the NetFlow Version 9 format
for analysis on a wide range of Cisco and third-party collectors.
Advanced Quality of
Service
Intelligent traffic management with flexible mechanisms for marking, classifying, and
scheduling traffic at wire speed. Includes:
● Up to eight egress queues per port and strict priority queuing so that the highest priority packets are
serviced ahead of all other traffic.
● Shaped Round Robin (SRR) scheduling and Weighted Tail Drop (WTD) congestion avoidance.
● Flow-based rate limiting and up to 256 aggregate or individual policers per port.
Model
Ethernet Ports
PoE
Output
Ports
Available
PoE
Power
Uplinks
Default Software
3560CX-8TC-S
8 x 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
NA 2 x 1G copper plus
2 x 1G SFP
IP Base (IP Services
with RTU License)
3560CX-12TC-S
12 x 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
NA 2 x 1G copper plus
2 x 1G SFP
IP Base (IP Services
with RTU License)
3560CX-8PC-S
8 x 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
8 PoE+
240W
2 x 1G copper plus
2 x 1G SFP
IP Base (IP Services
with RTU License)
3560CX-12PC-S
12 x 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
12 PoE+
240W
2 x 1G copper plus
2 x 1G SFP
IP Base (IP Services
with RTU License)
3560CX-12PD-S
12 x 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet
12 PoE+
240W
2 x 1G copper plus
2 x 10G SFP+
IP Base (IP Services
with RTU License)
Product Details
Switch Models
The Cisco Catalyst Compact Switches are available in nine switch models. They vary by whether they
support both Layer 2 and Layer 3 services or Layer 2 services only; whether they support Power over
Ethernet Plus (PoE+); by the number of Gigabit Ethernet and Multigigabit Ethernet ports; the aggregate
power provided, and the type of cabling connections they support.
Tables 2, 3, and 4 compare the available switch models and list the software package that ships by default
with each model and how much PoE power is available for the downlink ports.
Table 2.Cisco Catalyst 3560-X Compact Switch Models and Default Software
Basic Automation
Cisco Network Plug-and-Play application, LAN Automation
✓
✓
✓
Element management
Discovery, inventory, topology, software image, licensing, and
configuration management
✓
✓
✓
Basic Assurance
Health Dashboards – Network, Client, Application
Basic Switch & Wired Client Health Monitoring
✓
✓
✓
Advanced Automation
SD-Access*, Application Policy*, DNA Service for Bonjour*
✓
✓
✓
Note: All four uplink ports (two copper and two fiber) can be used simultaneously and also as downlinks.
Switch Software
Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX compact switches ship with the IP Base version of Cisco IOS® Software. The
3560-CX switches can be upgraded to use the IP Services version of IOS Software with a Right-To-Use
(RTU) License. The IP Base and IP Services feature set on Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX switches provides
baseline enterprise services in addition to all LAN Base features. They support Layer 3 networking features,
including support for routed access, Cisco TrustSec, Media Access Control security (MACsec), and other
advanced network services. The IP Services feature set provides full Layer 3 routing capabilities with Open
Shortest Path First (OSPF), Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), Enhanced Internal Gateway Routing Protocol
(EIGRP), Policy-Based Routing (PBR), Multicast Routing, and Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) Lite.
Cisco Catalyst 2960-CX Series compact switches ship with the LAN Base version of Cisco IOS Software.
These switches deliver advanced Layer 2 switching with intelligent Layer 2 through 4 services for the
network edge, such as voice, video, and wireless LAN services.
Licensing and Software Policy
Customers with Cisco Catalyst LAN Base and IP Base software feature sets will receive updates and bug
fixes designed to maintain the compliance of the software with published specifications, release notes, and
industry standards compliance as long as the original end user continues to own or use the product or for
up to one year from the end-of-sale date for this product, whichever occurs earlier. This policy supersedes
any previous warranty or software statement and is subject to change without notice.
Cisco DNA Licensing
Table 5.Cisco DNA Essentials, Advantage, and Premier Package Features
Cable guard for the 3560-CX and 2960-CX compact switches
CMPCT-MGNT-TRAY =
Magnet and Mounting Tray for 3560-CX and 2960-CX compact switches
Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX and 2960-CX Accessories
Part Number
Description
CMPCT-DIN-MNT=
DIN Rail Mount for 3560-CX and 2960-CX compact switches
RCKMNT-19-CMPCT=
19-Inch Rack Mounting Brackets for 3560-CX and 2960-CX compact switches
RCKMNT-23-CMPCT=
23- and 24-Inch Rack Mounting Brackets for 3560-CX and 2960-CX compact switches
Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX Software Licenses
Part Number
Description
L-C3560CX-RTU=
Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX IP Base to IP Services RTU electronic license
C3560CX-RTU=
Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX IP Base to IP Services RTU paper license
C3560CX-DNA-E-8=
Cisco DNA Essentials Subscription License for C3560CX 8 Port Switches
C3560CX-DNA-E-12=
Cisco DNA Essentials Subscription License for C3560CX 12 Port Switches
C3560CX-DNA-A-8=
Cisco DNA Advantage Subscription License for C3560CX 8 Port Switches
C3560CX-DNA-A-12=
Cisco DNA Advantage Subscription License for C3560CX 12 Port Switches
C3560CX-DNA-P-8=
Cisco DNA Premier Subscription License for C3560CX 8 Port Switches
C3560CX-DNA-P-12=
Cisco DNA Premier Subscription License for C3560CX 12 Port Switches
C3560CX2-DNAC1E=
Cisco DNAC1 Essential Subscription License for C3560CX Switches
C3560CX2-DNAC1A=
Cisco DNAC1 Advantage Subscription License for C3560CX Switches
C3560CX2-DNAC1P=
Cisco DNAC1 Premier Subscription License for C3560CX Switches
C2960CX-DNA-E-8=
Cisco DNA Essentials Subscription License for C2960CX Switches
Warranty Information
Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX and 2960-CX Series Switches come with an enhanced limited lifetime hardware
warranty that includes 90 days of Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) support and next-business-day
hardware replacement free of change (see Table 11 for details).
Applies to Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX and 2960-CX Series compact switches.
Warranty duration
As long as the original customer owns the product.
EoL policy
In the event of discontinuance of product manufacture, Cisco warranty support is limited to
5 years from the announcement of discontinuance.
Hardware replacement
Cisco or its service center will use commercially reasonable efforts to ship a replacement
for next business day delivery, where available. Otherwise, a replacement will be shipped
within 10 working days after receipt of the RMA request. Actual delivery times might vary
depending on customer location.
Effective date
Hardware warranty commences from the date of shipment to customer (and in case of
resale by a Cisco reseller, not more than 90 days after original shipment by Cisco).
TAC support
Cisco will provide during business hours, 8 hours per day, 5 days per week basic
configuration, diagnosis, and troubleshooting of device-level problems for up to a 90-day
period from the date of shipment of the originally purchased Cisco Catalyst 2960 and 3560
product. This support does not include solution or network-level support beyond the
specific device under consideration.
Your formal warranty statement, including the warranty applicable to Cisco software, appears in the Cisco
information packet that accompanies your Cisco product. We encourage you to review carefully the
warranty statement shipped with your specific product before use. Cisco reserves the right to refund the
purchase price as its exclusive warranty remedy.
Adding a Cisco technical services contract to your device coverage provides access to the Cisco Technical
Assistance Center (TAC) beyond the 90-day period allowed by the warranty. It also can provide a variety
of hardware replacement options to meet critical business needs, as well as updates for licensed premium
Cisco IOS Software, and registered access to the extensive Cisco.com knowledge base and support tools.
For additional information about warranty terms, visit https://www.cisco.com/go/warranty.
Cisco and Partner Services
Enable the innovative, secure, intelligent edge using personalized services from Cisco and our partners.
Through a discovery process that begins with understanding your business objectives, we help you
integrate the next- generation Cisco Catalyst fixed switches into your architecture and incorporate network
services onto those platforms. Sharing knowledge and leading practices, we support your success every
step of the way as you deploy, absorb, manage, and scale new technology.
Choose from a flexible suite of support services (Table 12), designed to meet your business needs and
help you maintain high-quality network performance while controlling operational costs.
● Around-the-clock, global access to the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC)
● Unrestricted access to the extensive Cisco.com knowledge base and tools
● Next-business-day, 8x5x4, 24x7x4, and 24x7x2 advance hardware replacement and onsite parts replacement and installation
available
● Ongoing operating system software updates within the licensed feature set
● Proactive diagnostics and real-time alerts on Smart Call Home-enabled devices
Cisco Smart Foundation Service
● Next business day advance hardware replacement as available
● Business hours access to SMB TAC (access levels vary by region)
● Access to Cisco.com SMB knowledge base
● Online technical resources through Smart Foundation Portal
● Operating system software bug fixes and patches
Cisco Focused Technical Support Services
● 3 levels of premium, high-touch services are available
● Cisco High-Touch Operations Management Service
● Cisco High-Touch Technical Support Service
● Cisco High-Touch Engineering Service
● Valid Cisco SMARTnet or SP Base contracts on all network equipment are required
Table 12. Technical Services Available for Cisco Catalyst 3560-CX and 2960-CX Series Compact Switches
Cisco Capital
Flexible Payment Solutions to Help You Achieve Your Objectives
Cisco Capital makes it easier to get the right technology to achieve your objectives, enable business
transformation and help you stay competitive. We can help you reduce the total cost of ownership,
conserve capital, and accelerate growth. In more than 100 countries, our flexible payment solutions can
help you acquire hardware, software, services and complementary third-party equipment in easy,
predictable payments. Learn more.
Learn More
For more information, contact your Cisco sales account rep or visit