What is the CSX4000 Series?

The CSX4000 series is a Versa Networks Cloud Services Switch (CSX) appliance line – the CSX4300 and CSX4500 models – built for the LAN edge and access layer of large enterprise branches, campus sites, and data centers. Each appliance combines an Ethernet switch chipset with x86-based compute, running VOS to deliver line-rate switching, routing, and integrated security in one box.

Key takeaways

• CSX4000 series appliances pair an Ethernet switch chipset with x86 compute.
• Two models: CSX4300 (48 PoE++ ports) and CSX4500 (48 PoE++ ports, mixed rate).
• Both offer 25/10-Gigabit and 100-Gigabit uplinks for the LAN core.
• x86 compute runs VOS stateful services: NGFW, ZTNA, and routing.
• A TPM chip and secure boot protect device integrity and keys.

On this page: Why it matters · How it works · CSX4000 series models · CSX4000 series & Versa · FAQ

Why is the CSX4000 series important?

Large branches, campuses, and data centers need LAN switching capacity that ordinary access switches don’t provide – high PoE++ port density for phones, cameras, and access points, plus multi-rate uplinks that can absorb growth without a forklift upgrade. The CSX4000 series is built for exactly that layer: nonblocking, line-rate Ethernet switching sized for hundreds of endpoints per site, with 25/10-Gigabit and 100-Gigabit Ethernet uplinks to the LAN core.

What sets it apart from a conventional switch is the built-in x86 compute subsystem. Rather than forwarding packets and stopping there, a CSX4000 appliance runs the full Versa Operating System (VOS) stack – routing, SD-WAN, and next-generation security – inline on the same device that terminates the LAN. That consolidation removes a separate firewall or router tier at the access layer, and it lets Secure SD-LAN designs enforce one policy engine across switching and security at the site.

What is the CSX4000 series?

A CSX4000 series appliance combines an Ethernet switch chipset with an x86-based processor subsystem in a single 1RU chassis. The switch chipset delivers line-rate Layer 2 and Layer 3 forwarding across dense PoE++ access ports, while the x86 subsystem runs VOS to provide NGFW, UTM, ZTNA (including on-premises ZTNA), application-aware policy forwarding, scalable routing, multitenancy, and analytics – the same security and networking stack used across Versa’s appliance families.

Both CSX4300 and CSX4500 appliances share the same physical chassis, front-to-back cooling, hot-swappable redundant AC power supplies, a TPM 2.0 chip with hardware cryptographic acceleration, and secure BIOS with secure boot. A dedicated Gigabit Ethernet management port and RJ45 console port support out-of-band access, and Versa Director or Versa Concerto handle day-to-day configuration, provisioning, and monitoring, with Versa Analytics providing device, network, and security telemetry.

CSX4000 series models

The series has two models, physically identical but sized differently for port mix and storage. The CSX4300 offers 48 1-Gigabit Ethernet PoE++ (90W) ports for LAN edge and access, four SFP28 25/10-Gigabit Ethernet uplink ports, two QSFP28 100-Gigabit Ethernet uplink ports, and 64GB of SSD storage – suited to large enterprise branch or campus sites needing advanced switching, routing, and secure SD-WAN on-premises. The CSX4500 offers a mixed-rate access layer – 12 PoE++ ports at up to 10-Gigabit Ethernet plus 36 PoE++ ports at up to 2.5-Gigabit Ethernet – the same 25/10-Gigabit and 100-Gigabit uplink ports, and 128GB of SSD storage, positioning it for higher-performance branch, campus, or data-center deployments. See the CSX4000 series hardware guide for full specifications, and validated SFPs and cables for CSX4000 series appliances for supported transceivers.

CSX4000 series & Versa

Within the Versa hardware portfolio, the CSX4000 series sits in the Cloud Services Switch family alongside the smaller CSX2000 and larger CSX8000 series, forming the switching layer that Secure SD-LAN designs pair with Cloud Services Gateway appliances. A CSX4000 appliance is managed the same way as other VOS devices: Versa Director or Concerto provision and monitor it, and its uCPE-capable compute lets it host third-party virtual machines alongside native VOS services, consolidating what would otherwise be separate switch, firewall, and compute hardware at the site. Physical installation, connection to a management console, and cabling procedures are documented in Connect a CSX4000 series appliance.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the CSX4300 and CSX4500?

Both share the same chassis, uplinks, and 48 PoE++ access ports, but the CSX4500 splits those access ports across two speed tiers (up to 10-Gigabit and up to 2.5-Gigabit) and carries double the SSD storage – 128GB versus the CSX4300’s 64GB – positioning it for higher-performance sites.

What uplink speeds does the CSX4000 series support?

Both models provide four SFP28 ports for 25/10-Gigabit Ethernet and two QSFP28 ports for 100-Gigabit Ethernet, with breakout modes available to split a 100-Gigabit port into four 10- or 25-Gigabit Ethernet links for the LAN core.

Does a CSX4000 appliance run security services, or only switching?

It runs both. The x86 compute subsystem executes VOS, so a CSX4000 appliance delivers NGFW, UTM, and ZTNA alongside its Ethernet switching – one device enforces security policy at the point where LAN traffic enters the network.

How is a CSX4000 appliance managed?

Through Versa Director or Versa Concerto, which handle configuration, provisioning, and monitoring, with Versa Analytics providing device, network, and security telemetry. Local CLI access is also available over the console or management port for troubleshooting.

Where does the CSX4000 series fit among Versa’s switches?

It sits in the middle of the Cloud Services Switch family: above the CSX2000 series and below the CSX8000 series, which is built for campus aggregation, core, and data-center roles at higher switching capacity.

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