Cisco CBS350 End of Life: 7 Essential Dates and the Best Catalyst 1300 Upgrade Path

Last updated: October 28, 2026 · By the Jazz Cyber Shield networking team

If your office still runs Cisco Business 350 switches, the Cisco CBS350 end of life notice changes how you should plan the next two years. This guide is written by Jazz Cyber Shield, a US-based reseller of networking and cybersecurity hardware, from the questions we hear from IT managers who are replacing these switches. You will get every key date, the exact Catalyst 1300 replacement for each model, and a step-by-step upgrade plan.

What does Cisco CBS350 end of life mean?

The Cisco CBS350 end of life means Cisco has stopped selling the switches and is winding down support in stages. Each stage removes something you may rely on today, from new orders to firmware fixes to warranty help.

Cisco does not retire a product line in one day. It publishes an End-of-Sale and End-of-Life announcement that lists milestones. The Cisco CBS350 end of life is split across several notices, because Cisco retired groups of models at different times and in different regions.

For US buyers, the most important document is notice EOL15389, the Cisco End-of-Sale and End-of-Life Announcement for the CBS350 Series (EOL15389). It covers the 8, 16, 24 and 48-port -NA models, including PoE, full PoE, multi-gigabit and 10G variants. Cisco last updated that page on April 12, 2026.

A second notice, Cisco notice EOL15391 for the CBS350 aggregation and 10G models, covers models such as the CBS350-12XS, CBS350-24XS, CBS350-12XT and CBS350-24XTS. Those reached their Cisco CBS350 end of life milestones about five months earlier.

The three Cisco CBS350 end of life stages in plain English

• End of sale: the last date to order the product through Cisco’s sales channels.
• End of software maintenance and security support: Cisco stops releasing firmware fixes, including fixes for newly found vulnerabilities.
• Last date of support: all support services end and Cisco treats the product as obsolete.

The middle stage is the one most offices overlook. A switch can work perfectly for years after that date, yet it no longer receives patches. That gap is why the Cisco CBS350 end of life deserves a plan, not a shrug.

Which Cisco CBS350 end of life dates matter most?

For the main -NA models, the date that matters most is October 29, 2025, when vulnerability and security support ended. The 2029 date matters for budgeting, but the security date matters for risk.

The table below lists the Cisco CBS350 end of life milestones exactly as Cisco published them in both notices. Check the label on your switch: the part number ends in -NA for units sold for the US market.

Today, both Cisco CBS350 end of life security dates have passed. If your switch is covered by EOL15389, it has now gone a full year without a new security release. Models under EOL15391 have gone even longer.

Why the Cisco CBS350 end of life security date matters more than 2029

Because a switch with no security updates becomes a fixed target. Any flaw found in the CBS350 firmware after the cutoff stays open on every unit still in service.

Many owners read “supported until 2029” and assume they have years to act. In practice, the Cisco CBS350 end of life notice already removed the most valuable part of support. What remains until 2029 is mainly hardware help under the terms of your warranty. Cisco notes that warranty coverage follows the warranty terms and is based on the product ship date.

Most of our customers schedule replacement somewhere between the two, starting with the switches that face the most traffic.

Which Catalyst 1300 model replaces each CBS350?

In its Cisco CBS350 end of life notices, Cisco lists a Catalyst 1300 migration part number for most models. The naming carries over closely, so a CBS350-24P-4G-NA maps to a C1300-24P-4G, and a CBS350-48FP-4X-NA maps to a C1300-48FP-4X.

The table below shows the most common -NA models and the migration part numbers from Cisco’s notices. These mappings come straight from the Cisco CBS350 end of life notices, not from our guesses, and you can confirm each one at the links above.

PoE budgets in the table come from the Cisco Catalyst 1300 Series data sheet, updated August 6, 2026. You can browse current Catalyst models in our managed network switches for business category.

Which CBS350 models have no direct replacement?

The Cisco CBS350 end of life notices list no migration model for several variants. For those, you need to choose a replacement by requirement rather than by part number.

• EOL15389: CBS350-8MP-2X, CBS350-8XT, CBS350-24NGP-4X and CBS350-48XT-4X.
• EOL15391: CBS350-12NP-4X, CBS350-24S-4G, CBS350-48NGP-4X and CBS350-8S-E-2G.

Most of these are multi-gigabit or fiber-heavy models. When a customer brings us one, we start with three questions: how many ports need 2.5G or 5G, how much PoE the access points draw, and how many fiber links the closet needs. The answers usually point to a Catalyst 1300 multi-gig model, a 1300X, or a different switch family.

Is a CBS350 still safe to run in 2026?

It still works, but it is no longer patched, so it carries rising risk. Whether that risk is acceptable depends on where the switch sits and what it touches.

A switch rarely faces the internet directly, which is why some owners treat the Cisco CBS350 end of life as low priority. But the management interface is reachable from inside your network. If an attacker gets onto one laptop, an unpatched switch can become the next step. Switches also carry the VLANs that keep guest Wi-Fi, cameras and payment systems apart.

There is also a compliance angle. If your business follows a security framework or answers cyber insurance questions, you may be asked whether network devices still receive vendor security updates. After the Cisco CBS350 end of life security cutoff on October 29, 2025, the honest answer for these models is no.

A simple risk ranking for your switches

Rank each switch by its role, then replace from the top down. This is the order we use when we help customers phase a Cisco CBS350 end of life project across two or three budget cycles.

1. Core or aggregation switches. These carry every VLAN and connect to the firewall. Replace first.
2. Switches serving sensitive systems. Point-of-sale, servers, door access or security cameras.
3. PoE switches feeding access points. Wi-Fi upgrades often need more PoE or multi-gig ports anyway.
4. General desk switches. Lowest risk, and a good place to reuse a CBS350 for a short time.
5. Spares on the shelf. Do not deploy an unpatched spare into a new role; buy a current model.

While older switches stay in service during a Cisco CBS350 end of life transition, limit the damage they could cause. Put management interfaces on a dedicated VLAN, restrict who can reach them, and make sure a modern firewall sits between user networks and that management VLAN. Our business firewalls for network segmentation page lists models that handle internal segmentation as well as internet traffic.

What changes when you move to the Catalyst 1300?

Day-to-day management feels familiar: a web interface, a CLI, Cisco Business Dashboard support and the Cisco Business mobile app. What changes are the capacity figures, the warranty wording and how stacking works.

The Catalyst 1300 is the line Cisco named as the successor in the Cisco CBS350 end of life notices, and it is aimed at small and midsize offices. Here are the figures for the replacement models our customers order most, taken from Cisco’s data sheet.

Features you keep or gain

• Stacking: up to 8 switches in one stack, managed as a single system with one IP address and up to 400 ports.
• Layer 3 basics: static routing (up to 990 routes and 128 IP interfaces on 1-gigabit models), RIP v2 and policy-based routing. OSPF is limited to the 1300X models.
• Security: IEEE 802.1X, web-based authentication, port security, DHCP snooping, dynamic ARP inspection and IP Source Guard.
• Scale: 16,000 MAC addresses on the 1-gigabit models and up to 4,094 VLANs, with IDs 4078 to 4094 reserved.
• Warranty: Cisco lists a limited lifetime warranty with return-to-factory replacement.

The stacking catch

Cisco’s data sheet states that stacking works only within the same product family. In practice, that means you cannot add a Catalyst 1300 to an existing CBS350 stack.

If the Cisco CBS350 end of life affects a stack of three switches, plan to replace all three in the same maintenance window. Trying to swap one unit at a time leaves you with two separate management domains, which is the setup most likely to cause loops and VLAN mismatches.

If you are weighing other brands at the same time, our HPE Aruba switches for small and midsize offices are the most common alternative customers compare against the Catalyst 1300.

How do you plan the upgrade, step by step?

A Cisco CBS350 end of life upgrade runs in this order: inventory first, then map models, then migrate configurations in a lab or staging step before the cutover. Most single-closet offices can finish the swap in one evening once the preparation is done.

Step 1: Build an accurate inventory

Record the full part number, serial number, firmware version and role of every switch. The region suffix matters, because each region has its own Cisco CBS350 end of life notice (-NA, -BR, -IN and others).

Step 2: Map each switch to its replacement

Use the Cisco CBS350 end of life tables above to find the migration model. For any model with no listed replacement, write down its real requirements: port count, PoE watts in use, uplink speed and fiber needs.

Step 3: Measure PoE draw before you order

Check the live PoE consumption on each CBS350, not just its rated budget. If a closet is near its limit, step up to a full PoE model such as the C1300-24FP-4X instead of the like-for-like C1300-24P-4G.

Step 4: Export and convert the configuration

Back up the running configuration from every CBS350 first. Cisco offers an IOS CLI Migration Assistant for Catalyst 1200 and 1300 switches, opened from the switch web UI under Administration > IOS Configuration Conversion.

Be careful here. Cisco says the tool is optimized for Catalyst 1000 configuration files and advises a thorough review when you translate files from other models. Treat its output for a CBS350 file as a draft. Check VLANs, trunk ports, port security, ACLs and management access line by line, and note any commands the tool marks in red as unsupported.

Step 5: Stage, cut over and verify

Load the reviewed configuration onto the new switch before it goes into the rack. Label every cable, move connections port for port, then test each VLAN, PoE device, uplink and management login. Keep the old switch powered off but racked for a day in case you need to roll back.

Step 6: Retire the old hardware properly

Reset the CBS350 to factory defaults so it does not leave your building with passwords or network details. Cisco’s notices point to its Takeback and Recycle program for surplus equipment. For a broader view of retiring older gear, see our guide to end-of-life Cisco switches and how long they last.

What mistakes should you avoid?

The most expensive mistakes come from treating the Cisco CBS350 end of life as a simple part swap. Here are the ones we see most often.

• Waiting for 2029. Security support has already ended for the -NA models covered by EOL15389. Waiting only stretches the unpatched period.
• Ordering by port count alone. Two switches with 24 ports can have very different PoE budgets and uplinks. Match watts and uplink speed, not just ports.
• Mixing generations in one stack. The Catalyst 1300 stacks only with its own family, so a mixed stack is not an option.
• Trusting a converted config blindly. Cisco designed its conversion tool around Catalyst 1000 files. Review every line from a CBS350 export.
• Ignoring the no-replacement models. Multi-gig and fiber models without a listed successor need a requirements-based choice and more lead time.
• Redeploying unpatched spares. A spare CBS350 on the shelf carries the same unpatched firmware as the units you are retiring.

If you want a refresher on the switch types before you choose, our explainer on Cisco managed vs unmanaged switches covers when a managed model is worth it. For background on the outgoing line, see our overview of the Cisco Business 350 Series switches.

Frequently asked questions

When did the Cisco CBS350 reach end of sale?

Under the Cisco CBS350 end of life notice EOL15389, most US -NA models reached end of sale on October 29, 2024, with a last ship date of January 27, 2025. The 10G and aggregation models under EOL15391, such as the CBS350-24XS, reached end of sale earlier, on May 30, 2024.

Does my CBS350 still get firmware updates?

No new security updates are planned. Cisco ended software maintenance releases and vulnerability support on October 29, 2025, for EOL15389 models and on May 30, 2025, for EOL15391 models. You can still install the last firmware Cisco released.

What is the replacement for the Cisco CBS350?

Cisco lists the Catalyst 1300 series as the migration path for most models. For example, the CBS350-24P-4G maps to the C1300-24P-4G and the CBS350-48FP-4X maps to the C1300-48FP-4X. A few models, including the CBS350-24NGP-4X, have no listed replacement.

Can I stack a Catalyst 1300 with my CBS350 switches?

No. Cisco’s Catalyst 1300 data sheet states that stacking works only within the same product family. Plan to replace a CBS350 stack in one maintenance window.

Can I copy my CBS350 configuration to a Catalyst 1300?

You can use it as a starting point. Cisco’s IOS CLI Migration Assistant is optimized for Catalyst 1000 files, and Cisco advises a thorough review of translations from other models. Check VLANs, ACLs and management settings before going live.

How long can I keep using a CBS350?

Under the Cisco CBS350 end of life notice EOL15389, the last date of support is October 31, 2029. The switch may keep working after that, but it has received no security fixes since October 29, 2025. Replace core and sensitive switches first and plan the rest before 2029.

Where can you get replacement switches?

The Cisco CBS350 end of life is a good reason to review your whole switching layer, not just swap boxes. Start with your inventory, map each unit to its Catalyst 1300 successor, and replace the core and sensitive switches first.

Sources

• Cisco: End-of-Sale and End-of-Life Announcement for the CBS350 Series (EOL15389), updated April 12, 2026
• Cisco: End-of-Sale and End-of-Life Announcement for CBS350 Select Models (EOL15391), updated April 12, 2026
• Cisco: Catalyst 1300 Series Switches data sheet, updated August 6, 2026
• Cisco: IOS CLI Migration Assistant for Catalyst 1200 and 1300, published April 29, 2026