Cisco DNA Essentials C2960X 24P SMS-K Platform License
Cisco DNA Essentials for C2960X switches unlocks advanced network automation and visibility, ensuring your business network operates efficiently and securely.
- Feature Access: Gain entitlement to essential Cisco DNA Center features for network management and policy enforcement.
- Subscription Term: Benefit from a defined subscription period, ensuring continuous access to software updates and support.
- Network Visibility: Enhance understanding of your network traffic and device performance for proactive issue resolution.
- Simplified Management: Streamline network operations with centralized control and automated provisioning capabilities.
Product Overview
Product Overview
This Cisco DNA Essentials license provides essential software capabilities for managing Cisco Catalyst 2960X series switches. It enables key features for network automation, policy enforcement, and enhanced visibility, all delivered through a subscription model for predictable operational costs.
Designed for IT Managers and IT Professionals in SMB and mid-market organizations, this license integrates with existing Cisco infrastructure to simplify network operations, improve security posture, and ensure compliance without the overhead of enterprise-grade solutions.
- Essential Network Automation: Automate repetitive tasks like device provisioning and configuration updates.
- Centralized Network Management: Utilize Cisco DNA Center for a single pane of glass to monitor and manage your network.
- Policy-Based Automation: Define and enforce network policies consistently across your infrastructure.
- Enhanced Network Visibility: Gain deeper insights into network health, performance, and security events.
- Subscription-Based Licensing: Predictable costs and continuous access to software updates and features.
This Cisco DNA Essentials license is the ideal solution for businesses seeking to modernize their network management with essential automation and visibility tools.
What This Enables
Enable Network Automation and Provisioning
Enable teams to automate the deployment and configuration of network devices, reducing manual effort and potential errors. Streamline the onboarding of new switches and ensure consistent network policies are applied from day one.
organizations deploying new network hardware, teams managing distributed network locations, businesses standardizing network configurations
Enhance Network Visibility and Monitoring
Streamline network operations by providing a centralized dashboard for monitoring device health, performance, and traffic patterns. Automate the collection of network telemetry to proactively identify and resolve potential issues before they impact users.
businesses seeking to improve network uptime, IT departments managing complex network topologies, teams focused on performance optimization
Ensure Network Policy Compliance
Automate the enforcement of network access control and security policies across all connected devices. Enable teams to maintain a consistent security posture and meet regulatory compliance requirements with centralized policy management.
organizations with strict security mandates, companies undergoing compliance audits, IT environments requiring granular access control
Key Features
Cisco DNA Center Integration
Provides a single platform for managing network automation, policy, and assurance, simplifying complex network operations.
Network Automation
Reduces manual configuration tasks, minimizes errors, and speeds up device deployment, freeing up IT staff time.
Policy-Based Management
Ensures consistent application of security and network policies across the infrastructure, enhancing security and compliance.
Network Assurance
Offers insights into network health and performance, enabling proactive troubleshooting and improved user experience.
Subscription Licensing
Provides predictable costs and continuous access to software updates and new features, aligning IT spending with operational needs.
Industry Applications
Finance & Insurance
This sector requires robust network security and compliance, which Cisco DNA Essentials supports through policy automation and enhanced visibility to protect sensitive financial data.
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Reliable and secure network operations are critical for patient care and data privacy. DNA Essentials helps maintain network uptime and compliance with regulations like HIPAA through consistent policy enforcement.
Retail & Hospitality
Businesses in this sector often manage multiple locations and require efficient network management to support point-of-sale systems and customer-facing services. DNA Essentials simplifies deployment and ensures network stability.
Education & Research
Educational institutions need to manage large, dynamic networks supporting students and staff. DNA Essentials provides the tools to automate network tasks and maintain a secure learning environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cisco DNA Essentials?
Cisco DNA Essentials is a software subscription that provides essential features for network automation, policy, and visibility, designed to simplify network management for businesses.
What hardware does this license apply to?
This specific license, C2960X-DE-24-SMSK, is designed for the Cisco Catalyst 2960X series switches with 24 ports.
What is the benefit of a subscription license?
Subscription licensing offers predictable operational expenses and ensures continuous access to the latest software features, updates, and support without large upfront investments.
Deployment & Support
Deployment Complexity
Low — self-service
Fulfillment
Digital Delivery
License keys / portal provisioning
Support Model
Zent Networks Managed
Renewal, add-license, and lifecycle management included
Subscription Terms
Cancellation
Cancel anytime — no charge on next cycle
You may cancel this subscription at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. You will not be charged for the following billing cycle. Access remains active through the end of the paid term.
Returns
Subscription licenses are non-refundable
Digital software licenses and SaaS subscriptions cannot be returned once activated or provisioned. Contact a Zent Networks account manager if you have questions before purchasing.