Guide
What does a Cisco licence cost?
The Catalyst 9200 and 9300 switches require a subscription – Cisco DNA Essentials or Advantage (DNA-E and DNA-A in the part number). The price depends on tier, term and port count. The table shows our current prices for a 24-port Catalyst 9300, straight from our range.
Side by side
Comparison
| Feature | C9300 DNA Essentials 24 Port 3 Year Term License C9300-DNA-E-24-3Y | C9300 DNA Essentials 24 Port 5 Year Term License C9300-DNA-E-24-5Y | C9300 DNA Essentials 24 Port 7 Year Term License C9300-DNA-E-24-7Y | C9300 DNA Advantage 24 Port 3 Year Term License C9300-DNA-A-24-3Y | C9300 DNA Advantage 24 Port 5 Year Term License C9300-DNA-A-24-5Y | C9300 DNA Advantage 24 Port 7 Year Term License C9300-DNA-A-24-7Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our price |
Our price
€423
excl. VAT
|
Our price
€911
excl. VAT
|
Our price
€1,278
excl. VAT
|
Our price
€1,393
excl. VAT
|
Our price
€2,991
excl. VAT
|
Our price
€4,187
excl. VAT
|
| Add |
All prices are maximum prices – the quote is never higher, and often lower for larger volumes. Prices are excl. VAT, shipping extra. How the maximum price works
Short answer
The price of a Catalyst licence is driven by three things: tier (Essentials or Advantage), term (3, 5 or 7 years) and the switch's port count (24 or 48). Advantage costs several times more than Essentials. The licence follows the port count, not the port type, and is bought for every switch. Our current prices for a 24-port Catalyst 9300 are in the table above.
What affects the price?
- Tier: Essentials is enough for most office networks; Advantage is needed for e.g. SD-Access
- Term: 3, 5 or 7 years – compare the price per year in the table
- Port count: a 48-port switch has its own, more expensive licence item (…-48-…) than a 24-port (…-24-…)
- Series: 9200/9200L and 9300/9300L have their own part numbers; the 9400, 9500 and 9600 are licensed with their own items
Read more: Essentials or Advantage?
How do you calculate the total cost?
Always add hardware and licence together. On a 24-port Catalyst 9300, Advantage for 7 years can cost almost as much as the switch itself. Add the switch to the quote basket and switch between tiers and terms to see the total right away.
Read more: Catalyst 9200 or 9300?
What is not included?
The subscription gives software support but is not a hardware support contract – that is Cisco Smart Net. Meraki, routers, firewalls and access points have their own licences. Catalyst 1200 and 1300 have no licence at all.
Read more: How Cisco licensing works · Warranty and support contracts
Conclusion
How we would choose
Common licences with us:
C9200L Cisco DNA Essentials 24 port 5 Year Term license
24-port Catalyst 9200L with Essentials for 5 years – suits most offices.
C9300 DNA Essentials 48 Port 5 Year Term License
48-port Catalyst 9300 with Essentials for 5 years.
C9300 DNA Advantage 24 Port 5 Year Term License
24-port Catalyst 9300 with Advantage for 5 years, for SD-Access and advanced analytics.
Frequently asked questions
Questions we often get
Is the licence included in the switch price?
No. The subscription is required at purchase but is a separate line in the quote. When you add the switch to the quote basket you can choose the licence right away.
Does the licence cost the same for PoE and non-PoE models?
Yes. The licence follows the switch series and port count, not the port type – a C9300-24T and a C9300-24P use the same licence item.
Can we renew a licence that is expiring?
Yes. Send the switch's serial number and we will prepare the right renewal.