Cisco Catalyst 9000 Series Switches

The Catalyst 9000 family is Cisco's current campus line and a genuine break from everything before it. These are IOS-XE platforms built on the UADP ASIC, and they are licensed on a subscription model rather than sold outright with a perpetual feature set.

Where each tier sits

• 9200 — entry access, fixed configuration
• 9300 — full-featured stackable access; the volume model in the family
• 9400 — modular chassis for distribution
• 9500 — fixed-configuration core and aggregation

Licensing is the thing to check, not the hardware

This is what separates buying a 9000 from buying an older Catalyst. Feature access depends on a Network Essentials or Network Advantage tier, and DNA licences are time-bound subscriptions that expire. A second-hand 9300 with a lapsed DNA subscription is still a working switch, but it is not the same product as one with a live entitlement, and the difference is not visible from the model number.

We state licence and firmware status on the unit rather than quoting what the platform is capable of in the abstract. Tell us the model and what you need it to do and we will confirm the actual entitlement on the actual switch before it ships.