United States$5,000,000+
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T
Trevor Nolan
5
Five-year upgrade improved capacity and operational visibility.
C9500-32QC-E-A-5
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C9500 32P40G, Essentials to Advantage Upgrade, 5 Years
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C9500-32QC-E-A-5
- Description:
- C9500 32P40G, Essentials to Advantage Upgrade, 5 Years
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- Brand:
- Cisco
- GTIN:
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- List Price:
$22,275.00
- Price:
$11,752.0047.2% off
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C9500-32QC-E-A-5 Overview
C9500-32QC-E-A-5-C9500 32P40G, Essentials to Advantage Upgrade, 5 Years is a network management software upgrade designed specifically for Cisco Catalyst 9500 series switches. This subscription-based license elevates the switch’s operational capabilities by transitioning from the Essentials feature set to the enhanced Advantage level, ensuring access to advanced network performance and security features.
Built for enterprise use and IT management, the upgrade is compatible with Cisco Catalyst 9500 hardware and delivered as a digital key via electronic software delivery. Its online activation process and fixed five-year duration make it an ideal solution for organizations seeking to extend and enhance their core network functionalities.
C9500-32QC-E-A-5 price is $11,752.00, a 47.2% saving from the Cisco list price of $22,275.00. C9500-32QC-E-A-5 is in stock and available for next-day dispatch. (terms applied)
Request bulk order quote for C9500-32QC-E-A-5 for additional pricing. Browse the full Cisco Catalyst 9000 Switch Licenses series or explore all Cisco products.
C9500-32QC-E-A-5 Specifications
- Product Type
- Software License
- Software Category
- Network Management
- License Type
- Subscription
- License Duration
- N/A
- Use Case
- Enterprise
- User Count
- N/A
- Device Count
- N/A
- Platform Compatibility
- N/A
- Delivery Method
- Digital Key
- Activation Type
- Online Activation
- Language Support
- English
- Bit Version
- N/A
- Cloud Integration
- N/A
- Software Format
- Downloadable
- Support Included
- Yes
- Product Name
- C9500-32QC-E-A-5-C9500 32P40G, Essentials to Advantage Upgrade, 5 Years
- License Key Included
- Yes
- ESD (Electronic Software Delivery)
- Yes
- Renewable
- No
- Compliance Certifications
- N/A
- Product Region
- Global
C9500-32QC-E-A-5 Use Case
High-Performance Campus Core with Dynamic Segmentation
In a large enterprise campus, deploying the C9500-32QC-E-A-5-C9500 32P40G, Essentials to Advantage Upgrade, 5 Years unlocks advanced routing (OSPF, BGP) and Cisco SD-Access dynamic segmentation. This real-world implementation delivers multi-gigabit throughput, automated policy enforcement, and granular security group tagging. Benefit: Simplified operations, accelerated user onboarding, and end-to-end microsegmentation that reduces breach risk by up to 60%.
Scalable Data Center Aggregation with EVPN and Telemetry
A cloud service provider uses the C9500-32QC-E-A-5-C9500 32P40G, Essentials to Advantage Upgrade, 5 Years to enable EVPN-VXLAN for multi-tenant overlay and real-time telemetry via Cisco Streaming Analytics. In practice, this solution scales L2/L3 fabrics across spine-leaf architectures and delivers hardware-based crypto for compliance. Benefit: 50% faster service provisioning, granular traffic visibility for proactive SLAs, and seamless tenant segmentation.
Secure Branch Connectivity with MACsec and Encrypted Traffic Analytics
A global retail chain upgrades to the C9500-32QC-E-A-5-C9500 32P40G, Essentials to Advantage Upgrade, 5 Years to enable MACsec link encryption and Encrypted Traffic Analytics on all 40G uplinks. This deployment secures in-transit data across distributed stores and automatically detects hidden threats in encrypted traffic. Benefit: Zero-trust security posture, full PCI DSS compliance, and a 40% reduction in incident response time.
Quality Certifications
To get the detailed certification, please go to the Compliance Center.
Product Comparison Table 
| C9500-32QC-E-A-5 |  C9300-DNA-A-48-3Y |  C9300L-DNA-P-48-1Y |  C9500-DNA-E-7R |  C9300-DNA-E-24S | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Type | Software License | Software License | Software License | Software License | Software License |
| Software Category | Network Management | Network Management | Network Management | Network Management | Network Management |
| License Type | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription |
| License Duration | N/A | 3 Years | 1 Year | N/A | 1 Year |
| Use Case | Enterprise | Enterprise | Enterprise | Enterprise | Enterprise |
| User Count | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Device Count | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 Device | N/A |
| Platform Compatibility | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Cross-Platform |
| Delivery Method | Digital Key | Digital Key | Digital Key | Digital Key | Digital Key |
| Activation Type | Online Activation | Online Activation | Online Activation | Online Activation | Online Activation |
| Language Support | English | English | English | English | English |
| Bit Version | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Cloud Integration | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Software Format | Downloadable | N/A | N/A | Downloadable | Downloadable |
| Support Included | Yes | Yes | Yes | Vendor Support Required | Yes |
| Product Name | C9500-32QC-E-A-5-C9500 32P40G, Essentials to Advantage Upgrade, 5 Years | C9300-DNA-A-48-3Y-3YR C9300 DNA ADVANTAGE 48PORT TERM LICS | C9300L-DNA-P-48-1Y-C9300L Cisco DNA Premier, 48-port, 1 Year Term license | C9500-DNA-E-7R-Cisco DNA Essentials C9500 High 7Y, For Renewal Only | C9300-DNA-E-24S-C9300 DNA Essentials, 24-Port Fiber Term Licenses |
| License Key Included | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESD (Electronic Software Delivery) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Renewable | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Compliance Certifications | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Product Region | Global | Global | Global | Global | Global |
Reviews & Ratings
I
Isaac Coleman
4
Smooth transition with no service impact.
G
Gavin Porter
4
Handles dense workloads efficiently.
M
Mitchell Rogers
5
Solid mid-term enterprise solution.
J
Jordan Wallace
5
Reliable and scalable.
Questions & Answers
What is the Cisco C9500-32QC-E-A-5 upgrade?
The C9500-32QC-E-A-5 is a five-year license upgrade that moves a Catalyst 9500 32-port 40G switch from the Essentials feature set to the Advantage feature set, unlocking advanced routing, security and telemetry capabilities.
Which switch model is compatible with the C9500-32QC-E-A-5 license?
This upgrade applies exclusively to the Cisco Catalyst 9500-32QC switch chassis equipped with 32 fixed 40Gbps QSFP+ ports running IOS XE.
What additional features does the Advantage license provide?
The Advantage license adds MPLS, Segment Routing, BGP EVPN, advanced QoS, MACsec encryption, and extensive telemetry beyond the Essentials feature set.
How long is the support term for the C9500-32QC-E-A-5 upgrade?
The license includes five years of software feature entitlements, updates, and Cisco’s technical support and SMART Net services.
How do I purchase the C9500-32QC-E-A-5 upgrade license?
Order the SKU C9500-32QC-E-A-5 through an authorized Cisco partner or reseller, specifying your device’s serial number for proper license assignment.
What is the activation process for the Advantage license?
Register your device in Cisco Smart Software Manager, obtain the license token, and install it on the switch using the CLI command ‘license install <token>’ followed by ‘license activate’.
Can I revert back to the Essentials license after upgrade?
No. Once you apply the Advantage license, components specific to Essentials are absorbed. To revert, you must perform a full software reinstall with an Essentials entitlement.
Do I need a Cisco Smart Account to activate the license?
Yes. A Smart Account in Cisco Smart Software Manager is required to register the device, generate the license token, and manage subscription status.
What happens if license activation fails?
Check connectivity to Cisco’s licensing portal, verify the token and device serial number, then retry ‘license install’. Contact Cisco TAC if the issue persists.
Are software updates included with this upgrade?
Yes. You receive all IOS XE software updates released during the five-year term, covering critical fixes and new Advantage-level features.
Is there an additional support fee beyond the license cost?
No. The C9500-32QC-E-A-5 SKU bundle includes both the feature upgrade and SMART Net technical support for five years with no hidden fees.
Can I transfer my license to another Catalyst 9500 device?
Yes. You may rehost the license within your Smart Account to another qualified Catalyst 9500 model, subject to Cisco’s license transfer policy.
How can I verify my Advantage license status?
Use the CLI command ‘show license status’ or ‘show platform software license all’ to confirm installed entitlements and expiration dates.
How will the Advantage license enhance network security?
It enables MACsec encryption on uplinks, encrypted routing protocols, and advanced policy-based segmentation to protect data in transit.
What are the system requirements for applying this upgrade?
Ensure your Catalyst 9500-32QC runs an IOS XE version supported by the Advantage license and that you have valid SMART Net coverage and a Smart Account.
How do I renew the C9500-32QC-E-A-5 license after five years?
Contact your Cisco reseller 90 days before expiration to purchase a renewal term, then apply the new license token through your Smart Account and install it on the device.