Fortinet FortiSwitch 2048F 48-Port 25GE Data Center Switch, Hardware Only (FS-2048F)

The FortiSwitch 2048F brings 4 Tbps of switching capacity into a single 1U chassis: 48 ports of 25GE SFP28 for server or leaf connectivity, two additional 10GE SFP+ ports for management or inter-switch links, and eight 100GE QSFP28 uplinks for north-south bandwidth to the core. At sub-microsecond latency with 32 MB of packet buffers, it’s built for the demands of data center leaf-spine architectures where consistent, low-latency forwarding across dense server racks is the priority. Dual hot-swap AC power supplies and front-to-back airflow align with standard data center rack practices.

What’s in the Box

Hardware only: the switch, rack-mount hardware, power cables, and a console cable. No SFP28 or QSFP28 transceivers are included. FortiCare support contracts are sold separately. See FC-10-S2F48-247-02-12 for 1-year Premium coverage.

Hardware Specifications

Where It’s Strong

High-density 25GE server connectivity is the primary use case. Modern hypervisors, storage arrays, and bare-metal servers often ship with 25GE NICs, and the 2048F gives you 48 of those ports in a single switch with enough uplink bandwidth; 8x 100GE; that aggregating all 48 server ports doesn’t saturate the northbound links. The 32 MB packet buffer handles traffic bursts without tail-drop that would trigger TCP retransmits, and the <1 µs latency keeps east-west traffic between adjacent racks snappy. FortiLink integration is available for environments where a FortiGate manages the security overlay, adding per-port policy enforcement and device visibility at the data center edge.

Hardware Only vs. Bundled Support

This listing is hardware only. The FS-2048F functions as a standalone data center switch or as a FortiLink-managed extension of a FortiGate. No per-switch FortiGuard subscription is required for FortiLink. FortiCare for the switch covers hardware replacement and TAC access: FC-10-S2F48-247-02-12 (Premium, 1-year) is the standard contract. For 4-hour replacement SLAs in production data centers, see FC-10-S2F48-211-02-12 (4-hour hardware delivery) or FC-10-S2F48-212-02-12 (4-hour hardware plus onsite).

Who Runs It

Data center architects building leaf-spine fabrics with 25GE server density reach for the 2048F when the server count per rack justifies a dedicated top-of-rack switch. It also suits campus network cores upgrading from 10GE distribution to 25GE aggregation, or IT teams consolidating multiple 10GE switches into a higher-capacity single unit. FortiGate-managed deployments benefit from Security Fabric extension: device identity and policy enforcement propagate from the FortiGate to each of the 2048F’s ports through FortiLink.

Moving Up

The FS-2048F is one of the highest-throughput 1U FortiSwitch models available. For environments requiring 32-port 100GE density at the aggregation layer, the FortiSwitch 3032E (FS-3032E) steps up to 32x 100GE QSFP28 ports; though availability on the 3032E should be confirmed at time of order. If the deployment requirement is simply more 25GE port density in a stacked configuration, multiple 2048F units can be managed together under a single FortiGate.

Buying from DataCenter360.ca

DataCenter360.ca has the FS-2048F in Canadian inventory, ready to ship next business day. As a Fortinet Select Partner, we source directly and can include FortiCare contracts or transceivers in the same order. The 2048F is a significant investment; if your project involves multiple units or a full leaf-spine buildout, contact us for volume pricing and a project quote before ordering.

Frequently Asked Questions