CISCO IE-5000-16S12P Industrial Ethernet Switch: A High-Performance Platform for Rugged Networks

The Cisco IE-5000 series represents a rugged industrial-grade Ethernet switch family designed for demanding environments — manufacturing floors, utilities, outdoor sites, transportation, and similar industrial settings. The IE-5000-16S12P is one of the variants in this series, offering a combination of PoE+ copper ports and fiber (SFP) connectivity. Its blend of flexibility, durability and performance makes it ideal for industrial networks requiring both power delivery (to access points, cameras, IoT devices) and robust, high-throughput data communication.

Main Features and Overview
The IE-5000-16S12P delivers a total of 28 ports. As a result, it combines different types of connectivity to support a variety of devices and network topologies.

• 12 × 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ-45 copper ports with PoE / PoE+ support (downlinks) for powering devices such as IP cameras, wireless access points, industrial sensors or other PoE endpoints.
• 12 × SFP (fiber) ports (100 Mbps / 1 Gbps capable) to connect fiber-optics or fiber-based devices, providing flexibility for long-distance links or fiber-backbone segments.
• 4 × SFP uplink ports (1 Gbps) for uplinking to upstream switches or network backbone — enabling expansion or aggregation.

The default software edition for the switch is “LAN Base,” suitable for Layer 2 switching tasks. Additionally, administrators can optionally upgrade to a Layer 3 “IP Services” license if they need routing or advanced IP-layer features.

Performance & Capacity
The IE-5000-16S12P is built to deliver reliable, non-blocking switching performance for industrial networks:

• Switching capacity: 56 Gbps.
• Forwarding rate: 41.67 Mpps (with 64-byte packets) — sufficient for high-speed internal network traffic.
• MAC address table size: 16,000 entries — supports a large number of connected devices.
• VLAN support: up to 1,005 VLANs, enabling robust segmentation for security and traffic management.
• IGMP multicast groups: up to 1,000 — useful for multicast traffic (e.g., video streams, industrial control broadcast).

Hardware, Environmental & Power Specifications
The IE-5000-16S12P is engineered for industrial-grade resiliency and reliability:

• Memory: 1 GB DRAM, 256 MB onboard flash, plus support for a removable 1 GB SD flash memory card.
• Physical size & mounting: 1 RU rack-mountable (height 1.75 in, width 17.5 in, depth ~14.0–15.18 in depending on power-supply variant).
• Weight: about 13.7 lb (≈ 6.21 kg) without a power supply.
• Operating temperature range: –40 °C to +75 °C — suitable for harsh environments.
• Storage temperature: –40 °C to +85 °C; relative humidity up to 95% non-condensing.
• Power options: Supports field-replaceable redundant AC or DC power supplies, including high-voltage AC/DC or low-voltage DC supplies — which is useful for industrial sites with varied power infrastructure.
• PoE/PoE+ support: 12 copper ports support PoE (802.3af) and PoE+ (802.3at) — enabling simultaneous data connectivity and power delivery to endpoint devices.

Use Cases & Ideal Environments
Because of its rugged build, mixed copper/fiber ports, PoE+ support, and industrial-grade environmental tolerance, the IE-5000-16S12P is especially suitable for:

• Industrial automation networks (factories, plants) — connecting sensors, controllers, IP cameras, SCADA devices.
• Outdoor or semi-outdoor sites (transportation hubs, remote utilities, railway, tunnels) — where temperature extremes or dust/humidity are concerns.
• Surveillance and security deployments — PoE+ powered IP cameras, network video recorders (NVRs), access points.
• Distributed network architectures — where fiber connectivity is needed for long-distance links, while PoE copper ports power local devices.
• Network edge/access layer in enterprise or campus networks where a mix of fiber backbone and PoE endpoints is required.

Limitations / Considerations
While the IE-5000-16S12P is robust, some points to keep in mind:

• By default, it runs “LAN Base” software. However, for advanced routing or IP-service functionality (Layer 3), an additional license may be required.
• Uplink ports are 1 Gbps SFP (not 10 Gbps) on the 16S12P variant.
• In very high-bandwidth backbones or data-center-class networks, the 56 Gbps switching capacity isn’t enough. This model is better suited for industrial / edge / access layer rather than core-backbone.

5 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: How many total ports does the IE-5000-16S12P provide, and what types are they?
A1: The IE-5000-16S12P provides a total of 28 ports. These include 12 copper RJ-45 ports (10/100/1000 Mbps with PoE/PoE+), 12 SFP fiber ports (100 Mbps or 1 Gbps), plus 4 SFP uplink ports (1 Gbps) for upstream connectivity.

Q2: Does IE-5000-16S12P support Power over Ethernet (PoE)?
A2: Yes. The 12 RJ-45 copper ports support PoE and PoE+ (IEEE 802.3af / 802.3at) allow the switch to supply power to connected devices. These can include IP cameras, wireless APs, IoT devices, while carrying data.

Q3: Is the switch suitable for harsh industrial or outdoor environments?
A3: Yes. The operating temperature range is from –40 °C to +75 °C. Additionally it supports wide humidity range (0–95% non-condensing). This makes it appropriate for industrial, outdoor, or semi-outdoor deployments.

Q4: What is the switching capacity and forwarding performance of the IE-5000-16S12P?
A4: The switch offers a switching capacity of 56 Gbps and can forward up to 41.67 million packets per second (Mpps) for 64-byte packets. As a result, it ensures efficient data handling in high-traffic industrial or enterprise networks.

Q5: Can I use this switch for Layer 3 (routing) features or is it only Layer 2?
A5: Out of the box, IE-5000-16S12P runs with “LAN Base” software. Moreover, it supports Layer 2 switching (VLANs, STP, QoS, etc.). For Layer 3 routing or advanced IP-services, you would need to purchase an additional license to upgrade (for example, “IP Services” license) where available.

Conclusion
The Cisco IE-5000-16S12P is a versatile, rugged, and reliable industrial Ethernet switch. It has a flexible combination of PoE+ copper ports, fiber SFP ports, and uplink SFPs. Furthermore, it offers high switching capacity, environmental resilience, and industrial-grade build. As a result, it suits industrial automation, surveillance, remote site networking, and edge-layer infrastructure. For networks that require powering endpoints and providing stable data connectivity in harsh settings, IE-5000-16S12P offers a compelling solution.