Cisco Catalyst 4500 is a modular enterprise switching family built for campus access, distribution, branch aggregation, IP telephony, wireless connectivity, and other environments that need higher port density than a fixed switch can provide. Instead of buying one predefined switch, a Catalyst 4500 configuration is assembled from a chassis, supervisor engine, Ethernet line cards, power supplies, software level, and optional redundancy components.
Today, most Cisco Catalyst 4500 requests involve maintaining an installed network, replacing a failed supervisor or line card, matching an existing chassis, reviewing a software entitlement, or planning migration to Cisco Catalyst 9400. Cisco lists the 4500 Series as end of support, with the final support date reached on October 31, 2025.
Series Highlights
- Modular enterprise campus access and distribution switching
- 3-, 6-, 7-, and 10-slot Catalyst 4500E chassis options
- Gigabit, 10 Gigabit, PoE+, UPOE, and selected multigigabit connectivity
- Redundant supervisors on supported 4507R+E and 4510R+E chassis
- LAN Base, IP Base, and Enterprise Services feature levels
- Supervisor engines, line cards, power supplies, and accessories ordered separately
- Legacy platform with Catalyst 9400 as the main modernization path
Review Cisco Catalyst 4500 Price List and request a quote tailored to your licensing needs.
Cisco Catalyst 4500 At a glance
What it is: Modular enterprise campus access and distribution switch family
Product family: Cisco Catalyst License
Typical use: High-density campus access, aggregation, PoE endpoints, wireless infrastructure, and resilient switching
Main chassis: 4503-E, 4506-E, 4507R+E, and 4510R+E
Software levels: LAN Base, IP Base, and Enterprise Services
Ordering scope: Chassis, supervisor engine, line cards, software, power supplies, redundancy, optics, and accessories
Current status: End of support; migration planning is recommended
Series Overview
Catalyst 4500E uses a centralized forwarding architecture and was designed to let organizations expand port capacity by changing line cards rather than replacing the entire switch. The E-Series portfolio includes 3-, 6-, 7-, and 10-slot chassis and supports up to 388 ports depending on the configuration. PoE+, UPOE, 10-Gigabit uplinks, and resilient power options made the platform common in large campus access environments.
The 4507R+E and 4510R+E also support dual supervisor engines, providing higher availability for networks where a supervisor failure cannot take down the entire chassis.
Licensing and Part Number Guidance
Later Catalyst 4500E software supports three permanent feature levels within the broader Cisco License framework: LAN Base, IP Base, and Enterprise Services. LAN Base addresses access-layer requirements, IP Base adds broader Layer 3 functions, and Enterprise Services enables enhanced routing capabilities. Cisco IOS XE 3.10.0E also introduced DNA Essentials and DNA Advantage as add-on options for supported configurations.
Part-number selection is more involved than with a fixed-port switch. The chassis does not determine the complete configuration. Buyers must match the correct supervisor engine, supported line cards, port type, PoE requirement, software entitlement, power supplies, and redundancy design. This page focuses on the modular Catalyst 4500/4500E family. Catalyst 4500-X is a separate fixed-configuration platform with its own part numbers and lifecycle considerations.
Common Use Cases
| Use case | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Campus access | High-density user, phone, AP, and endpoint connectivity |
| Distribution switching | Layer 3 aggregation between access and core networks |
| PoE infrastructure | Power for phones, wireless APs, cameras, and other devices |
| Chassis expansion | Additional compatible line cards and port capacity |
| Hardware replacement | Supervisor, line card, power supply, or chassis replacement |
| Migration | Transition from Catalyst 4500 to Catalyst 9400 |
Models, Licenses, and Ordering Scope
| Area | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Chassis | 4503-E, 4506-E, 4507R+E, 4510R+E, or older model |
| Supervisor | Exact installed and required supervisor engine |
| Line cards | Copper, fiber, PoE+, UPOE, mGig, or 10G requirements |
| Software | LAN Base, IP Base, or Enterprise Services |
| Redundancy | Single or dual supervisor and power design |
| Accessories | Power supplies, fan trays, optics, rack kits, and spares |
| Lifecycle | Replacement availability and Catalyst 9400 migration |
What to Check Before Requesting a Quote
Start with the complete chassis and supervisor part numbers. Then confirm the required line card, port quantity, PoE level, software feature set, power configuration, redundancy requirement, and any optics or accessories. For replacement projects, compatibility is critical. Older supervisors and line cards are not automatically interchangeable with every 4500E chassis or software release.
Activation and Delivery Notes
Software entitlement is associated with the supported supervisor and IOS XE configuration rather than simply the empty chassis. Before replacing a supervisor, verify the current software release, license level, startup configuration, redundancy design, and hardware compatibility. Cisco ended sales of the C4500E Series on October 30, 2020, and the last date of support was October 31, 2025. Existing environments should now be treated as legacy infrastructure rather than candidates for new deployment.
Cisco Switch pricing depends on your switch series, license type, deployment model and support requirements.