Guide
Essentials or Advantage?
Every Catalyst switch requires a subscription. The choice between Essentials and Advantage affects the price considerably, especially over 5 and 7 years. Here is what differs and when the more expensive option pays off.
Short answer
Essentials is enough for the vast majority of office networks. VLANs, routing and QoS are already in the switch's perpetual licence; the Essentials subscription adds management through Catalyst Center and software support. Advantage is needed when you want to segment the network with SD-Access, run advanced analytics or automate configuration at scale.
How does the licence level relate to the switch?
A Catalyst switch has three parts: the hardware with a perpetual network licence, a mandatory subscription and – if you want – a support contract. The hardware comes in two versions, -E (Network Essentials) and -A (Network Advantage), and Cisco pairs them with the same subscription level. If you choose Advantage on an -E switch we therefore switch to the -A model for you, and the price updates right away.
C9300-48P-EC9300-48P-AHow long should the licence run?
The subscription is chosen for 3, 5 or 7 years (or as a Cisco Networking Subscription with a 3-year minimum and a shared end date for all devices). Compare the price per year between the terms – a longer term commits you for longer but runs for the whole period without renewal. In our experience 5 years suits most, since it roughly matches how long an access switch stays before it is replaced. Choose 3 years if you are unsure how the network will evolve, and 7 years if the switch sits in a stable core.
What is the total cost?
Always compare hardware plus licence, not just the hardware price. On a Catalyst 9300, Advantage over 7 years can cost about as much as the switch itself. Add the product to the quote basket and switch between the options to see the total right away.
Read more: What does a Cisco licence cost? · Warranty and support contracts
Frequently asked questions
Questions we often get
Can we upgrade from Essentials to Advantage later?
Yes, an upgrade can be bought, but it is normally more expensive than choosing Advantage directly. Get in touch and we will price both.
Is support included in the licence?
Partly. The subscription gives software support: updates and help from Cisco TAC. The hardware is covered by Cisco's lifetime warranty with a replacement part the next business day where available. For round-the-clock TAC on the hardware or faster replacement, choose a support contract – see the guide on warranty and support.
Does the same choice apply to Catalyst 1200 and 1300?
No. The smaller series have no subscription at all – the hardware price is the full cost.