C9500-12Q-A – 12x40G QSFP+ Ports – 4x10G Breakout

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C9500-12Q-A Description

The C9500-12Q-A is a Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series fixed core and aggregation switch for distribution blocks that aggregate 40G fiber links. The switch has twelve 40G QSFP+ ports that map to up to 48 10G breakout ports, 960 Gbps of switching capacity and 720 Mpps of forwarding rate, and its two power supply slots ship with a 950W AC supply. The -A suffix carries Network Advantage, which adds BGP, VRF, VXLAN, MPLS and StackWise Virtual.

Quick Specs

Parameter

Specification

Product ID

C9500-12Q-A

Product type

Fixed core and aggregation switch

Network license

Network Advantage

Downlink ports

12 x QSFP+

Downlink speeds

40 Gigabit Ethernet

10G breakout support

48 configurable 10G ports with breakout cables

Switching capacity

960 Gbps

Forwarding rate

720 Mpps

Power supply slots

2 slots

Default power supply

PWR-C4-950WAC-R 950W AC

Fan modules

FAN-T4-R=

Operating temperature

0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F)

Minimum software release

Cisco IOS XE 16.6.1

Product Performance

Native 40G QSFP+ Port Count
Switching Capacity
Forwarding Rate

Key Features

Twelve 40G QSFP+ Ports

All twelve ports run 40 Gigabit Ethernet in a 1RU chassis, which suits a compact aggregation point that terminates 40G fiber from several buildings.

Breakout To 48 10G Interfaces

With breakout cables the native ports map to up to 48 10G interfaces, so 10G servers and switches can attach without a separate 10G platform.

Network Advantage Feature Set

The license adds full routing with BGP, segmentation with VRF, VXLAN and MPLS, and StackWise Virtual high availability, which a Layer 2 or routed-access design does not need.

Application Scenarios

Campus Core Aggregation

In a campus core, the switch terminates 40G fiber links from building distribution switches on its twelve QSFP+ ports and forwards traffic between them at 720 Mpps.

40G To 10G Server Row

A server row that still runs 10G NICs can connect through breakout cables, which turn the native 40G ports into up to 48 10G interfaces.

Segmented Distribution Layer

Distribution blocks that keep tenant or department traffic in separate VRFs and VXLAN segments rely on the routing and segmentation features carried by Network Advantage.

Product Comparison

Parameter

C9500-12Q-A

C9500-12Q-E

C9500-24Q-A

Port configuration

12 x 40G QSFP+

12 x 40G QSFP+

24 x 40G QSFP+

10G breakout ports

Up to 48

Up to 48

Up to 96

Switching capacity

960 Gbps

960 Gbps

1,920 Gbps

Forwarding rate

720 Mpps

720 Mpps

1,440 Mpps

Power supply slots

2

2

2

Default power supply

PWR-C4-950WAC-R 950W AC

PWR-C4-950WAC-R 950W AC

PWR-C4-950WAC-R 950W AC

Network license

Network Advantage

Network Essentials

Network Advantage

C9500-12Q-A and C9500-12Q-E are the same 12-port 40G QSFP+ switch with 960 Gbps and 720 Mpps, and the one parameter that separates them is the embedded license: Network Advantage on C9500-12Q-A, Network Essentials on C9500-12Q-E. A site that does not need the Advantage tier gives up that feature set by moving to C9500-12Q-E and ordering the matching Essentials subscription. When the aggregation layer needs more than 12 native 40G ports, C9500-24Q-A provides 24 ports, up to 96 configurable 10G breakout interfaces and 1,920 Gbps, still with two power supply slots and the PWR-C4-950WAC-R default.

Ordering Checklist

  • Subscription term: Add a Catalyst 9500 Advantage term of the same tier: C9500-DNA-L-A-3Y, C9500-DNA-L-A-5Y or C9500-DNA-L-A-7Y. The subscription must match the network license tier in the hardware PID.
  • Second power supply: The configurator preselects a second supply; select C9500-SPS-NONE to remove it. A redundant PWR-C4-950WAC-R uses the PWR-C4-950WAC-R/2 PID. A single-supply build is only ordered if the preselected supply is explicitly removed.
  • Power cord: Select a power cord to finish the configuration. The configuration cannot be completed without a cord for the destination.
  • RFID option: Select C9500-RFID or C9500-RFID-NONE on the order. RFID cannot be added after delivery.

Optional Add-ons

Model

Description

PWR-C4-950WAC-R

950W AC power supply for supported Catalyst 9500 Series switches

PWR-C4-950WDC-R

950W DC power supply for supported Catalyst 9500 Series switches

FAN-T4-R=

Type 4 cooling fan for C9500-12Q-A, C9500-24Q-A, C9500-40X, and C9500-16X-A switches

Specifications

Parameter Specification Parameter Specification
Product ID C9500-12Q-A Product type Fixed core and aggregation switch
Base PID C9500-12Q-A Network license Network Advantage
Cisco DNA term SKUs C9500-DNA-L-A-3Y, C9500-DNA-L-A-5Y, C9500-DNA-L-A-7Y Downlink ports 12 ports
Downlink media QSFP+ Downlink speeds 40 Gigabit Ethernet
10G breakout port density 48 configurable 10G ports with breakout cables Switching capacity 960 Gbps
Forwarding rate 720 Mpps Power supply slots 2 slots
Supported PSU mix Two AC, two DC, mixed AC/DC, or one AC-input or DC-input power supply Power supply options PWR-C4-950WAC-R, PWR-C4-950WDC-R
Fan modules FAN-T4-R= Rack units 1 RU
Dimensions 1.73 x 17.5 x 21.5 in. (4.4 x 44.5 x 56.7 cm) Weight 11.68 kg (25.75 lb), chassis with 2 power supplies and built-in fan
Operating temperature 0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F) Operating altitude Up to 6000 ft (1800 m)
Acoustic noise No greater than 70.4 LwAd dB Minimum software release Cisco IOS XE 16.6.1
Optics reference Cisco Transceiver Modules Compatibility Information

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Questions & Answers

  • What AC input range does the PWR-C4-950WAC-R supply in C9500-12Q-A accept?

    PWR-C4-950WAC-R accepts 90-264 VAC input at a 950W maximum rating. Input current is 10A at 115VAC and 5A at 230VAC. On a 115V rack feed, the circuit and PDU outlet need to be sized for the 10A figure, since the supply draws the larger current there.
  • Which power supply bay must hold the supply when C9500-12Q-A runs with only one?

    Bay 1 must hold the supply in a single-supply build. The empty second bay takes the PWR-C4-BLANK cover listed in the Catalyst 9500 ordering guide. Adding PWR-C4-950WAC-R/2 later gives a 1+1 load-sharing pair, with each supply carrying about half the load.
  • How many switches can C9500-12Q-A join in a StackWise Virtual pair, and from which release?

    Two switches. StackWise Virtual joins exactly two switches into one logical switch and uses fixed front-panel ports as the StackWise Virtual Link. It was first supported in IOS XE 16.8.1 and 16.9.1 on the Catalyst 9500, and C9500-12Q-A carries the Network Advantage license it requires.
  • How is an ISSU upgrade run on a StackWise Virtual pair of C9500-12Q-A?

    ISSU runs only on a StackWise Virtual pair. Run it as three steps, install add, install activate issu and install commit, or use the single-command form. An abort timer rolls the upgrade back if the standby switch fails to come up.
  • Which SDM template is the default on C9500-12Q-A and what does the Core template change?

    Distribution is the default template on C9500-12Q-A. The Core template cuts IPv4 and IPv6 host routes to 32,000 and 16,000 and MAC addresses to 16,000. Any template change takes effect only after a reload.
  • Which multicast protocols does C9500-12Q-A run?

    C9500-12Q-A runs PIM sparse mode, SSM and Bidir, with MSDP and Auto-RP or BSR for rendezvous points. It also supports IGMP and MLD snooping and multicast VRF-lite. The default Distribution template holds 16,000 IPv4 and 8,000 IPv6 multicast routes.
  • Does C9500-12Q-A support MACsec-256 and WAN MACsec?

    Yes. 256-bit MACsec requires the Network Advantage license, which C9500-12Q-A carries, and WAN MACsec at 256-bit also needs Network Advantage on this model. Network Essentials limits MACsec to 128-bit keys, so designs that need 256-bit link encryption depend on this license.
  • How do you enable Guestshell on C9500-12Q-A?

    Guestshell provides on-box Python in a CentOS 7 container and is disabled by default. Enable it with the guestshell enable command. From IOS XE 16.8.1 the app-hosting vnic configuration must also be added before it starts.
  • Does an SMU patch on C9500-12Q-A require a reload?

    It depends on the patch type. A cold SMU patch needs a reload and interrupts traffic, while a hot SMU patch needs no reload. Graceful Insertion and Removal isolates the node with a single command, shutting down routing protocols first and Layer 2 afterwards, which suits scheduling a cold patch.

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