NXOS-AD-XF Perpetual License: Availability, Options, and How to Buy
Quick answer: Cisco’s current licensing guide still lists NXOS-AD-XF as the perpetual NX-OS Advantage license for supported XF-class fixed Nexus 9000 platforms. If the standard license channel cannot supply the perpetual option and instead proposes C1A1TN9300XF-3Y, Layer23-Switch can provide brand-new compatible Nexus 9300 hardware with verified permanent NXOS-AD-XF activation. The package includes an offline activation token, a pre-shipment activation test report, serial-number and label photos, a three-year hardware warranty, and free CCIE-level technical support. The activation is permanent on the supplied switch and does not require a three-year license renewal.
The first decision is not where to place the order. It is whether the target switch belongs to the XF license class, whether the design actually needs Advantage features, and whether the project requires an NX-OS-only perpetual license or a broader ACI and NX-OS entitlement. Once those points are clear, the correct purchase path is much easier to identify.
Is NXOS-AD-XF Still Available?
NXOS-AD-XF should not be treated as an end-of-sale license solely because some purchasing channels now lead with subscription SKUs. Cisco’s current NX-OS Licensing Options Guide lists NXOS-AD-XF in the table of perpetual tier-based NX-OS licenses for fixed Nexus 9000 platforms. It also documents perpetual DCN licenses, term subscriptions, and upgrade PIDs as separate ordering paths.
Much of the confusion comes from Cisco’s 2021 perpetual-license end-of-sale announcement. That notice covered older ACI Base, ACI Essentials, NX-OS Essentials, and LAN perpetual licenses. It listed NXOS-AD-XF as a migration option for several affected 10G+ Nexus 9300 licenses rather than identifying NXOS-AD-XF itself as the discontinued product.
Documentation status and transaction-level availability are still different questions. A distributor may be unable to configure the perpetual PID for a particular account, country, switch, or support package and may instead quote a three-, five-, or seven-year subscription. When that happens, the practical alternatives are to request the correct upgrade PID, accept the term subscription, or source compatible new Nexus 9300 hardware with permanent NXOS-AD-XF activation.
Does NXOS-AD-XF Fit Your Switch and Design?
Confirm the Platform Class
NXOS-AD-XF is the NX-OS Advantage perpetual license for the XF class. Cisco uses this class for supported fixed Nexus 9000 platforms in the 10G, 25G, 40G, and 100G range, but port speed alone is not enough to determine the correct suffix.
For example, Cisco places N9K-C93180YC-FX3, N9K-C93180YC-FX3S, and N9K-C93108TC-FX3 in the XF license class. The letters in the switch name can be misleading: an FX3 model can still use an -XF license. By contrast, the Nexus 9364C and selected Nexus 9300-GX and GX2 platforms belong to the XF2 class and use a different Advantage PID.
Before ordering, check the complete hardware PID in Cisco’s supported-platform table. Do not assume that all Nexus 9300 switches, all 100G switches, or all models carrying FX in the name use the same license class.
Confirm That You Need Advantage
Advantage includes the Essentials feature set, but many normal Nexus deployments do not need the additional tier. The correct question is which feature changes the design, not which license name sounds more capable.
| Design requirement | Essentials or Advantage? | Buying consequence |
|---|---|---|
| BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, PIM, VRRP, or standard Layer 2/3 operation | Commonly covered by Essentials | Do not buy Advantage only for basic routing |
| VXLAN BGP EVPN inside one fabric | Covered within the current Essentials package | Confirm platform and release support before adding a premium tier |
| VXLAN EVPN Multi-Site border gateway | Advantage | The border-gateway role can justify NXOS-AD-XF |
| Tenant Routed Multicast | Advantage | Confirm that the deployment actually uses this function |
| SR-MPLS or MPLS Layer 3 VPN | Advantage | Check both the license tier and hardware/software support |
Feature availability still depends on the exact switch and NX-OS release. The license grants the software tier; it does not add a capability that the hardware or running release does not support.
Confirm NX-OS or ACI Mode
NXOS-AD-XF is the NX-OS-only perpetual Advantage option. If the switch will operate in ACI mode, or if the project needs the flexibility to move between ACI and NX-OS, compare the DCN licensing options instead.
ACI-AD-XF is the perpetual DCN Advantage option for the XF class, while C1A1TN9300XF-3Y is a three-year DCN Advantage subscription. Both cover ACI and NX-OS within their documented scope. If the operating model has not been selected yet, make that architecture decision first using the Nexus 9300 NX-OS vs ACI mode guide.
Compare Perpetual, Subscription, and Upgrade Options
These PIDs can lead to the same Advantage feature tier, but they are not interchangeable purchase models.
| Option | License scope | Term | Best fit | Key buying check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
NXOS-AD-XF | NX-OS Advantage | Perpetual | Long-lived standalone NX-OS deployment on an XF-class switch | Confirm platform class and permanent device activation |
C1A1TN9300XF-3Y | DCN Advantage for ACI and NX-OS | Three years | Project that requires subscription procurement or ACI/NX-OS flexibility | Plan for renewal at the end of the term |
ACI-AD-XF | DCN Advantage for ACI and NX-OS | Perpetual | Project that needs a permanent entitlement with both operating modes | Confirm the switch and intended mode are supported |
NXOS-UPG-ES-AD-XF= | Essentials to NX-OS Advantage | Perpetual upgrade | Existing XF deployment that already owns Essentials | Verify the installed entitlement before ordering |
NXOS-UPG-L-AD-XF= | LAN to NX-OS Advantage | Perpetual upgrade | Older XF deployment that already owns the LAN tier | Confirm the legacy entitlement and upgrade eligibility |
Choose NXOS-AD-XF when the switch will remain in NX-OS mode, needs Advantage features, and the project values a permanent license without recurring term renewal. Choose the subscription when term-based procurement or ACI/NX-OS coverage is the priority. Choose an upgrade PID when the switch already owns a qualifying lower-tier entitlement.
The permanent NXOS-AD-XF activation supplied by Layer23-Switch is not a three-year subscription. It remains permanently activated on the supplied Nexus switch, so the buyer does not need to renew the license after three years.
Which Purchase Path Applies to Your Project?
Order a Standard Perpetual License or Upgrade
If your Cisco channel can configure NXOS-AD-XF for the exact switch and account, request a written quotation that names the license PID, target platform, delivery method, and support scope. For a switch that already holds Essentials or LAN rights, check the upgrade PIDs before paying for a complete new Advantage license.
This path is most suitable when the organization already controls the hardware, Smart Account, and existing entitlement records.
Use a Term Subscription
C1A1TN9300XF-3Y is appropriate when the procurement policy requires a subscription or the project needs DCN Advantage coverage for both ACI and NX-OS. It is not simply a renamed NXOS-AD-XF: the term, operating-mode scope, renewal requirement, and commercial structure are different.
Buy New Nexus 9300 Hardware with Permanent Activation
When a standalone perpetual license is difficult to obtain through the standard order path, Layer23-Switch can provide brand-new compatible Nexus 9300 hardware with verified permanent NXOS-AD-XF activation.
| What Layer23-Switch provides | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Brand-new compatible Nexus 9300 hardware | Provides the correct platform for the required NX-OS Advantage deployment |
Permanent NXOS-AD-XF activation | Avoids recurring three-year license renewal |
| Offline activation token | Supports deployment without relying on a new subscription order |
| Pre-shipment activation test report | Lets the buyer review the license state before delivery |
| Serial number and label photos | Identifies the exact physical unit before shipment |
| Three-year hardware warranty | Provides a defined hardware replacement and support period |
| Free CCIE-level technical support | Covers hardware verification, license checking, and deployment questions |
Layer23-Switch can also confirm current stock, activation availability, price, and international shipping for the selected hardware. Cisco TAC or Smart Net remains a separate Cisco support entitlement; the free CCIE-level support described here is provided directly by Layer23-Switch.
What Proof Will You Receive Before Payment and Shipment?
A useful pre-shipment package connects the license output to one identifiable switch. Layer23-Switch provides the serial number and label photos for the selected unit, then prepares an activation test report showing the hardware, NX-OS release, license entry, activation state, commands used, and test date.
| Evidence supplied | What the buyer can confirm |
|---|---|
| Product-label photo | Exact hardware PID and serial number |
| Serial number in the report | The test report belongs to the selected physical switch |
| NX-OS version | The release used during activation and verification |
| License output | The NXOS_ADVANTAGE_XF entry and current status |
| Offline activation token | The activation material supplied with the solution |
| Test date | When the unit and license state were checked |
| Warranty statement | The three-year hardware warranty scope |
The core verification commands are:
show license summary
show license usage
show license status
The exact output varies with the NX-OS release and licensing workflow. For a broader explanation of Smart Accounts, online reporting, and disconnected deployments, see the Cisco Smart Licensing guide.
Request an NXOS-AD-XF Quote
To check compatible hardware, permanent activation availability, and current pricing, send Layer23-Switch only these three project details:
- The complete Nexus switch PID.
- The current and target NX-OS version.
- Whether the switch will run in NX-OS or ACI mode.
Layer23-Switch will use those details to confirm the platform class, the correct license path, compatible hardware, activation availability, price, warranty, and delivery options.
Review the current NXOS-AD-XF or send a project inquiry to request a quotation. For the Layer23-Switch hardware solution, the supplied NXOS-AD-XF activation is permanent and includes the offline activation token, pre-shipment activation test report, three-year hardware warranty, and free CCIE-level technical support.
