Cisco IE-3300-8T2S-A Catalyst IE3300 Network Advantage Switch

IE-3300-8T2S-A: Cisco Catalyst IE3300 compact industrial switch with Network Advantage routing

The IE-3300-8T2S-A is the Network Advantage version of the compact IE3300 base: eight copper Gigabit ports, two SFP uplinks, no PoE, and a software license that adds dynamic routing, multicast routing and stronger link encryption. Seven Star LLC supplies IE-3300-8T2S-A in Oman and the GCC as an independent supplier based in Muscat, not affiliated with the manufacturer.

The hardware is identical to the -E unit, so the choice is made on software. With the -A suffix the switch behaves as a Layer 3 device at the edge of the industrial network, able to run OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, IS-IS and RIP, policy-based routing, VRRP and HSRP, and to route multicast using PIM. That allows a cell or area to be a routed segment instead of a flat Layer 2 domain.

Decoding the part number IE-3300-8T2S-A

The IE-3300-8T2S-A reads as a chain of port counts followed by a license letter. The table decodes each element against the hardware configuration table of the series datasheet.

IE-3300-8T2S-A technical specifications

How the IE-3300-8T2S-A behaves in the network

With Network Advantage the IE-3300-8T2S-A can terminate routed links, so the plant network can be divided into routed zones with their own address ranges. VRF-lite lets separate traffic classes, for example process control and CCTV, stay in separate routing tables on the same switch. The datasheet lists IPv4 indirect routes at 3000 and IPv6 at 512 for the platform, which is plenty for an edge device but not a core replacement.

MACsec-256 is part of Network Advantage, while Network Essentials covers MACsec-128. Where link-level encryption between cabinets is a requirement, that difference is a reason to choose the -A unit. All the Layer 2 and industrial protocol features of the -E unit are included, so REP, MRP, PROFINET and EtherNet/IP behave exactly the same.

Where IE-3300-8T2S-A fits: compatible and related parts

The IE-3300-8T2S-A takes the same expansion modules as the IE-3300-8T2S-E. For a PoE system with routing, the matching part is the IE-3300-8P2S-A, and for 10G uplinks with routing, the IE-3300-8T2X-A. Cisco Catalyst Center licenses, where used, need the Network Advantage switch license as a prerequisite for the Catalyst Center Advantage tier, according to the datasheet.

Selection and ordering checklist for IE-3300-8T2S-A

• Confirm which routing protocols are needed; static routing and inter-VLAN routing are already in Essentials.
• Check for MACsec-256, PIM or VRF-lite requirements, all of which need the -A license.
• If you may later add Catalyst Center Advantage, note that it requires Network Advantage on the switch.
• Confirm that no PoE is needed; otherwise use the IE-3300-8P2S-A.
• Select SFPs and the DIN rail supply as for the non-PoE -E unit.

Installation, commissioning and maintenance

Mount the IE-3300-8T2S-A on a standard DIN rail inside a cabinet. The platform is a convection-cooled design, so the cabinet air movement and the ambient limit you design to decide which temperature band of the datasheet applies; the quoted -40 to +75 °C band needs at least 200 LFM of airflow across the unit, while a sealed enclosure is rated to +60 °C. A DIN rail supply sized for the 23 W base plus any modules is enough.

Routing adds configuration work that a Layer 2 unit does not need. Plan the IP addressing, the routing adjacencies and the failover behavior with the network team before commissioning, and keep the configuration on the SD card so a replacement can restore it.

During commissioning, use the WebUI or the console to set the management address, confirm the ring protocol you intend to use (REP or MRP) and check the alarm contacts against the plant annunciator. Keep a copy of the running configuration on the optional SD card, because the SwapDrive feature lets a replacement switch of the same type come up with the stored configuration without a networking specialist on site. For routine care, review the syslog for link flaps, read the optical power on the fiber ports and keep the DC feeds free of ripple.

Typical applications in Oman and the GCC

The IE-3300-8T2S-A is used where an industrial area must be routed instead of bridged, for example when a gas plant wants each process unit on its own subnet and the plant firewall to see only routed traffic. The same unit can sit at a remote pump station and run OSPF back to the core.

In a power or desalination plant, the Advantage license is attractive where security policy requires encrypted links between cabinets or segmentation by VRF. The compact 3.6 in body keeps cabinet space free.

IE3300 base switches compared

Information to send with an RFQ for IE-3300-8T2S-A

A short enquiry lets us confirm the exact part number, the software license and current availability without a second round of questions. Please include:

• Part number IE-3300-8T2S-A and the quantity required, including the software license suffix (-E or -A) you expect
• Planned power supply type and input voltage at site, DC bus or AC through a DIN rail supply
• Number of copper and fiber links, and the SFP type and reach you intend to plug in
• Routing protocols and VRF requirements
• Whether MACsec-256 encryption is part of the security specification
• Delivery location and the project date you are working to

Documents and quotation

A datasheet for the Cisco Catalyst IE3300 Rugged Series is attached on this page. It lists the hardware configurations, power inputs, software feature sets and compliance tables that the specification table above summarises.

Seven Star LLC supplies IE-3300-8T2S-A in Oman and the GCC as an independent supplier based in Muscat, not affiliated with the manufacturer. Share your quantity, delivery location and project timeline, and we will reply with availability and lead time for the IE-3300-8T2S-A.