Fortinet FortiSwitch 448E

The Fortinet FortiSwitch 448E is a Layer 2/3 member of the FortiSwitch Secure Access family, delivering outstanding security, performance and manageability for threat-conscious businesses of all sizes. It's a dense, non-PoE switch built for wired access, aggregation and core roles where 48 Gigabit ports and multi-10-gigabit uplinks are the priority.

FortiLink is Fortinet's proprietary management protocol that lets a FortiGate Next Generation Firewall seamlessly manage any FortiSwitch. It turns the 448E into a logical extension of the FortiGate, integrating it directly into the Fortinet Security Fabric so that network security and access-layer functions are enabled and managed through a single console — reducing complexity and management cost while enabling centralised, role-based policy control.

With 48x GE RJ45 ports and 4x 10GE SFP+ uplinks, hardware-based Layer 3 routing, and a 176 Gbps switching fabric, the 448E suits wiring-closet access layers and switch aggregation points that don't need PoE, while still benefiting from full FortiLink visibility and control when paired with a FortiGate.

Key features

• 48x GE RJ45 ports plus 4x 10GE SFP+ uplinks (SFP+ compatible with 1GE SFP)
• No PoE — a dedicated switching workhorse for core, aggregation or non-PoE access deployments
• FortiLink integration — becomes a logical extension of any FortiGate, managed from a single Security Fabric console
• 176 Gbps switching capacity at 262 Mpps forwarding
• 32K MAC address table and support for up to 4K VLANs, with 16 spanning tree instances
• 16K hardware route and host entries for wire-speed Layer 3 forwarding
• Redundant AC power supply support for high-availability deployments
• Limited lifetime warranty on the hardware

Works with

• FortiGate firewalls
• The Fortinet range

Frequently asked questions

How is the FortiSwitch 448E managed?

Via FortiLink from the integrated controller on any FortiGate, bringing the switch into the Fortinet Security Fabric under a single console. It can also run as a standalone managed switch, configured via CLI or web GUI.

What's the difference between FortiCare Premium and Elite support?

Both are paid support tiers for the 448E, available in 1, 3 or 5 year terms. Elite is priced above Premium at every term length, reflecting an enhanced service level; full SLA details are confirmed at quotation.

Does the 448E provide Power over Ethernet?

No — the 448E is a non-PoE switch. For PoE-capable versions of this platform see the FortiSwitch 448E-POE (250W-class budget) and FortiSwitch 448E-FPOE (higher-power budget) variants.

Sizing a network deployment? Call 0333 242 1314 or email sales@clisecure.com.