United States$5,000,000+
Inventory Delivered By
L
Lawrence Kim
4
Network Advantage stack enhanced routing and scalability.
C9500-NW-1A
Original Stock
Ready to Ship
ELA C9500 NETWORK STACK ADVANTAGE
FEATURED DEAL
Name:
C9500-NW-1A
- Description:
- ELA C9500 NETWORK STACK ADVANTAGE
- Rating:
Added to cart 28 times recently
- Availability:
In stock - Ready to Ship
- Brand:
- Cisco
- Condition:
- Warranty:
- 3
- List Price:
$6,607.00
- Price:
$3,484.0047.3% off
Quantity:
1
Business price:
3 Year Extended Warranty
Same-day Shipping
14-Day Money Back Guarantee
Shipping:
Payment:
3 Year Extended Warranty
Same-day Shipping
14-Day Money Back Guarantee
Need Additional Discount on Product?
Request a quote below - Get Exclusive Pricing and Support.
Shipping:
Payment:
TRUSTED, TRIED, PROVEN
Officially Accredited
& Verified By
Next-Gen IT
Solutions Powered By
C9500-NW-1A Overview
C9500-NW-1A-ELA C9500 NETWORK STACK ADVANTAGE is a network management software license engineered specifically for the Cisco Catalyst 9500 series switches. This license falls within the Network Management category, is delivered as a digital key via email delivery, and is activated online, making it an optimal solution for enterprises requiring advanced network operating capabilities.
C9500-NW-1A-ELA C9500 NETWORK STACK ADVANTAGE is a perpetual license designed primarily for enterprise IT management use cases. It is intended for single-device deployment on specialized network hardware running Cisco’s IOS XE, supports robust network operations, and comes with vendor support. The license is officially documented for English language environments and is optimized to enhance performance in enterprise networking infrastructures.
C9500-NW-1A price is $3,484.00, a 47.3% saving from the Cisco list price of $6,607.00. C9500-NW-1A is in stock and available for next-day dispatch. (terms applied)
Request bulk order quote for C9500-NW-1A for additional pricing. Browse the full Cisco Catalyst 9000 Switch Licenses series or explore all Cisco products.
C9500-NW-1A Specifications
- Product Type
- Software License
- Software Category
- Network Management
- License Type
- Perpetual
- License Duration
- Lifetime
- Use Case
- Enterprise
- User Count
- N/A
- Device Count
- 1 Device
- Platform Compatibility
- Cross-Platform
- Delivery Method
- Digital Key
- Activation Type
- Online Activation
- Language Support
- English
- Bit Version
- N/A
- Cloud Integration
- N/A
- Software Format
- Downloadable
- Support Included
- Vendor Support Required
- Product Name
- C9500-NW-1A-ELA C9500 NETWORK STACK ADVANTAGE
- License Key Included
- Yes
- ESD (Electronic Software Delivery)
- Yes
- Renewable
- No
- Compliance Certifications
- N/A
- Product Region
- Global
C9500-NW-1A Use Case
Scalable Campus Core Upgrade with C9500-NW-1A-ELA
A global enterprise campus network migrates its legacy distribution layer to the C9500-NW-1A-ELA C9500 Network Stack Advantage, stacking nine 100GbE switches into a single logical chassis. The result: 20Tbps of throughput, sub-second failover, and 50% faster branch deployments, delivering enterprise-grade resiliency and simplified operations.
High-Density Data Center Leaf-Spine Fabric
A hyperscale data center implements the C9500-NW-1A-ELA C9500 Network Stack Advantage as leaf switches in a spine-leaf topology, leveraging 48×25GbE and 6×100GbE ports per unit. This configuration boosts east-west traffic performance by 40%, streamlines firmware and policy management across the fabric, and reduces power/cooling costs by 30% through unified stacking.
Secure Multi-Site SD-Access Segmentation
A multinational retail chain deploys the C9500-NW-1A-ELA C9500 Network Stack Advantage across 200 locations under Cisco DNA Center, creating a unified SD-Access fabric with role-based microsegmentation. This end-to-end solution enforces consistent security policies, cuts breach containment time by 60%, and accelerates application onboarding in under two weeks.
Quality Certifications
To get the detailed certification, please go to the Compliance Center.
Product Comparison Table 
| C9500-NW-1A |  CAT-DNA-P-ADD-5Y |  C9200-DE-48-SMSK |  C9500-32C-E-A-5 |  C9200L-DNA-A-24-1R | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Perpetual | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription |
| License Duration | Lifetime | N/A | 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 | 1 Device | N/A | 1 Device | N/A | 1 Device |
| Platform Compatibility | Cross-Platform | N/A | Web-Based | N/A | Web-Based |
| 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 | Multilingual | 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 | Downloadable | Downloadable | Downloadable |
| Support Included | Vendor Support Required | Yes | Vendor Support Required | Yes | Vendor Support Required |
| Product Name | C9500-NW-1A-ELA C9500 NETWORK STACK ADVANTAGE | CAT-DNA-P-ADD-5Y-Cisco DNA Premier Catalyst Add-on, 5 Year Term License | C9200-DE-48-SMSK-Cisco DNA Essentials C9200 48P SMS-K | C9500-32C-E-A-5-C9500 32P100G, Essentials to Advantage Upgrade, 5 Years | C9200L-DNA-A-24-1R-Cisco DNA Advantage C9200L 24P 1Y, For Renewal Only |
| License Key Included | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ESD (Electronic Software Delivery) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Renewable | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Compliance Certifications | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Product Region | Global | Global | Global | Global | Global |
Reviews & Ratings
T
Trevor Adams
5
Reliable performance with advanced features enabled.
N
Noah Franklin
5
Easy to apply and manage.
E
Elliot Brooks
4
Improved flexibility across the core.
P
Peter Wallace
5
Strong enterprise networking capabilities.
Questions & Answers
What is the C9500-NW-1A ELA C9500 Network Stack Advantage?
C9500-NW-1A is Cisco’s perpetual Network Stack Advantage license for Catalyst 9500 switches, unlocking advanced Layer 3 routing, automation, security and telemetry features for high-performance enterprise networks.
Which Cisco Catalyst 9500 models require the C9500-NW-1A license?
Any Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series switch—from the 12-port 9500-12Q to the 48-port 9500-48YC—requires C9500-NW-1A to enable advanced network stack features beyond the Essentials tier.
What advanced features are included in Network Stack Advantage?
Network Stack Advantage delivers BGP EVPN, MPLS L3VPN, VXLAN routing, segment routing, advanced QoS, encrypted traffic analytics, full-stack telemetry and SD-Access fabric connectivity.
How does C9500-NW-1A differ from the Network Essentials license?
Network Essentials covers basic Layer 2/3 functionality. C9500-NW-1A adds full Layer 3 routing protocols, segmentation, SD-Access fabric, advanced security and telemetry—ideal for large enterprise deployments.
Can I upgrade from Network Essentials to Network Stack Advantage?
Yes. You can purchase a license upgrade SKU (C9500-NW-1A-UPG) to convert an existing Network Essentials license to Network Stack Advantage without hardware replacement.
Is C9500-NW-1A a perpetual or subscription license?
C9500-NW-1A is a perpetual, device-bound software license. It includes a lifetime entitlement to the enabled feature set, with optional Smart Net Total Care for ongoing support.
How do I purchase the C9500-NW-1A license?
Buy C9500-NW-1A through Cisco-authorized resellers or the Cisco Commerce Workspace. Provide your Catalyst 9500 serial number to generate the license PAK and entitlement certificate.
What is the process to install C9500-NW-1A on my switch?
After receiving the PAK and activation key, use the CLI command 'license install <activation-key>' on the Catalyst 9500. Reload the switch to activate the Network Stack Advantage features.
Does the Network Stack Advantage license include software updates?
Perpetual licenses include entitlement to the licensed features. For software updates, bug fixes and OS upgrades, you need an active Cisco Smart Net Total Care or Software Support Service contract.
What level of technical support is provided?
Basic license acquisition does not include support. Pair C9500-NW-1A with Cisco Smart Net Total Care for 24/7 hardware replacement, software updates and access to Cisco TAC engineers.
Does C9500-NW-1A support IPv6 routing?
Yes. Network Stack Advantage includes full IPv6 support for OSPFv3, EIGRP for IPv6, BGP unicast and multicast, VRFs and IPv6 VXLAN routing.
Are advanced security features included in this license?
Yes. It delivers encrypted traffic analytics, secure group tag (SGT) enforcement, MACsec encryption and advanced access control policies within the SD-Access fabric.
Can I transfer the C9500-NW-1A license to another switch?
License transfers require Cisco approval and a support contract. You submit a RMA request through Cisco Smart Net Total Care, then apply the activation key to the new Catalyst 9500.
How does Network Stack Advantage improve network performance?
By enabling segment routing, hardware-accelerated VXLAN routing, policy-based QoS and telemetry, C9500-NW-1A delivers predictable, low-latency paths and real-time network insights.
What are the telemetry capabilities with C9500-NW-1A?
It supports streaming telemetry, model-driven programmability (NETCONF/RESTCONF), gRPC, Cisco IOS XE analytics and on-box data aggregation for proactive monitoring and automation.
Does C9500-NW-1A include SD-Access functionality?
Yes. Network Stack Advantage integrates directly with Cisco SD-Access, providing fabric border nodes, control-plane policing, identity services and automated network segmentation.
How is the C9500-NW-1A license keyed and managed?
Licenses are managed via Smart Licensing. You register your switch in the Cisco Smart Software Manager portal, assign the C9500-NW-1A entitlement and synchronize using the 'license smart sync' CLI.