Cisco Catalyst C9500-40X-2Q-A 40-Port 10G SFP+ Data Switch, 2x40G QSFP+ Module, Network Advantage

No. The Cisco Catalyst C9500-40X-2Q-A is a bundle, not a single-piece switch. It is a 40-port C9500-40X switch shipped with a C9500-NM-2Q network module installed, which adds two 40G QSFP+ uplink ports. Cisco's ordering documentation and end-of-life bulletin both list it as a bundle. The distinction matters when reading specifications: switching capacity, forwarding rate, and ASIC are those of the C9500-40X baseboard, and the module ports are uplinks rather than additional baseboard ports.

No. The Cisco Catalyst C9500-40X-2Q-A carries no Power over Ethernet, and every port is data-only. No model in the Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series offers PoE of any type, so it cannot power devices such as wireless access points, IP phones, or IP cameras. The Catalyst 9500 is a core and aggregation platform, and powered devices are expected to connect to PoE access switches that uplink to it, such as the Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series.

The Cisco Catalyst C9500-40X-2Q-A has 40 SFP/SFP+ baseboard ports running 1 or 10 Gigabit Ethernet, plus two 40G QSFP+ uplink ports on the bundled C9500-NM-2Q module. The SFP+ slots do not support 25G SFP28 optics, and the QSFP+ uplinks do not support 100G QSFP28 optics. There are no copper RJ45 ports on this switch. Specific transceiver compatibility should be verified against the manufacturer's transceiver compatibility matrix at tmgmatrix.cisco.com. Transceivers are sold separately.

The Cisco Catalyst C9500-40X-2Q-A does not form a StackWise data-plane stack of the kind used on the Catalyst 9200 or 9300 Series. At the Network Advantage tier it supports Cisco StackWise Virtual, which pairs two chassis into one logical switch over a StackWise Virtual Link and carries Stateful Switchover and In-Service Software Upgrade across the pair. StackWise Virtual is a Network Advantage capability, so an Essentials switch such as the C9500-40X-2Q-E cannot form a StackWise Virtual pair.

The two switches share identical hardware and differ only in license tier. The -E model ships with perpetual Network Essentials, which covers Layer 2 plus routed access such as RIP, EIGRP Stub, OSPF for up to 1,000 routes, PBR, VRRP, and PIM Stub Multicast. The -A model ships with perpetual Network Advantage, which adds full OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, IS-IS, HSRP, BSR, MSDP, and PIM SM, SSM, and BIDIR multicast; network segmentation with VRF, VXLAN, LISP, BGP-EVPN, Cisco TrustSec, SGT, and MPLS; high availability with GIR, NSF, ISSU, and Cisco StackWise Virtual; PTP; and MACsec-256. On the Catalyst 9500, Cisco StackWise Virtual is gated to Network Advantage, so the tier choice decides whether the switch can form a StackWise Virtual high-availability pair.

No. The switch runs on its included perpetual base license indefinitely. Under Cisco's ordering model, new switch orders include a term-based Cisco DNA or Cisco Catalyst software subscription of the same tier as the network license; that subscription unlocks Cisco Catalyst Center and cloud-managed features. When the subscription term ends, the switch continues operating on the perpetual base license capabilities after a reload.

Cisco names the C9500-48Y4C as the replacement product for the C9500-40X-2Q-A in its end-of-life bulletin EOL15039. The C9500-48Y4C is built on the Cisco UADP 3.0 ASIC and carries the same Network Essentials and Network Advantage tier structure, so the license tier of an existing deployment maps across directly. Migration options are described in Cisco's bulletin.

Yes. Cisco published an End-of-Sale and End-of-Life bulletin, EOL15039, covering the C9500-40X-2Q-A. The end-of-sale date for the hardware was April 30, 2024, and the last ship date was July 30, 2024. Cisco lists the Last Date of Support as April 30, 2029, so switches under an active service contract remain supported until then. Cisco lists End of Vulnerability and Security Support as April 30, 2029. Cisco names the C9500-48Y4C as the replacement product.

The Cisco Catalyst C9500-40X-2Q-A is sold new and factory-sealed. It is covered by a Network Devices Inc. one-year warranty and a 30-day return policy.