Cisco Switch 9148 License

Cisco MDS 9148S Fibre Channel Switch Licenses — Port Activation & Enterprise

Buy genuine Cisco MDS 9148S Fibre Channel switch port-activation licenses with instant e-delivery. The Cisco MDS 9148S is a 1RU 48-port Fibre Channel SAN switch supporting 2/4/8 Gbps auto-sensing on every port. It uses a port-on-demand (POD) licensing model — the base unit ships with a subset of ports active, and additional ports are unlocked in 8-port or 12-port license increments up to the full 48 ports. All licenses are permanent right-to-use (RTU), all $30 each. For other Cisco data center platforms, see our 4500X switch licenses.

8-Port 8Gbps

Unlock 8 additional FC ports at full 8 Gbps — M9148PL8-8G

12-Port Activation

Unlock 12 FC ports with basic fabric services — L-M9148S-PL12

12-Port Enterprise

12 ports + advanced SAN services (VSANs, IVR, FC-SP) — L-M9148S-PL12E

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The Cisco MDS 9148S is a compact 1RU 48-port Fibre Channel switch designed for entry-to-midrange SAN deployments. Every port supports auto-sensing 2, 4, and 8 Gbps Fibre Channel speeds with an aggregate switching bandwidth of 768 Gbps. The 9148S runs NX-OS and supports the full range of MDS 9000 fabric services — VSANs, zones, IVR (Inter-VSAN Routing), FC-SP security, and NPV (N-Port Virtualization).

The MDS 9148S uses a port-on-demand (POD) licensing model. The base switch ships with a set number of ports active (typically 12), and you activate additional ports in 8-port or 12-port license increments. Once activated, ports are permanently unlocked. There is also an Enterprise license option that bundles 12-port activation with advanced SAN fabric services. All licenses in this collection are $30 each with instant e-delivery.

Available License Types

  • M9148PL8-8G — 8-port 8 Gbps activation license. Adds 8 ports at full 8 Gbps line rate. Stack multiple licenses to reach your target port count.
  • L-M9148S-PL12 — 12-port activation license. Adds 12 ports with standard fabric services (basic VSANs, zoning, FSPF).
  • L-M9148S-PL12E — 12-port Enterprise license. Adds 12 ports plus advanced SAN features: full VSAN fabric isolation, IVR for cross-VSAN routing, FC-SP security (DH-CHAP, IPsec), and enhanced fabric management.

License Comparison Fibre Channel

Part number Ports activated Speed Features included Best for
M9148PL8-8G 8 ports 8 Gbps Basic FC switching · zoning · FSPF · standard fabric services Small expansion, filling specific port gaps, mixed-speed fabrics
L-M9148S-PL12 12 ports 2/4/8 Gbps auto Basic FC switching · VSANs · basic zoning · FSPF · NPV Standard SAN expansion — best per-port value for basic fabric
L-M9148S-PL12E 12 ports 2/4/8 Gbps auto All basic + IVR · FC-SP security · enhanced VSAN management · advanced diagnostics Multi-VSAN fabrics, secure SAN environments, cross-fabric routing

Frequently Asked Questions — MDS 9148S Licensing

What is the Cisco MDS 9148S port-on-demand licensing model?

The Cisco MDS 9148S is a 48-port FC switch that uses port-on-demand (POD) licensing. The base unit ships with a subset of ports active (typically 12 ports), and the remaining ports are physically present but software-disabled until you install a license key. Ports are unlocked in 8-port (M9148PL8-8G) or 12-port (L-M9148S-PL12 / PL12E) increments. Each license is permanent — install once, and those ports stay active forever. No Smart Account, no CSSM, no renewal. To fully populate all 48 ports, you would need three 12-port licenses (or a combination of 8-port and 12-port licenses) beyond the base activation.

What's the difference between PL12 and PL12E on the MDS 9148S?

Both activate 12 additional FC ports, but the Enterprise (PL12E) license also unlocks advanced SAN fabric services:

  • PL12 (standard) — Port activation + basic fabric services: VSANs, basic zoning, FSPF routing, NPV (N-Port Virtualization), basic diagnostics.
  • PL12E (Enterprise) — Everything in PL12 + IVR (Inter-VSAN Routing) for cross-VSAN communication, FC-SP security (DH-CHAP authentication, IPsec for FCIP), enhanced VSAN management, and advanced fabric diagnostics (SPAN, RSPAN on FC).

Choose PL12E if you're running multiple isolated VSANs that need controlled inter-VSAN routing, or if you have security/compliance requirements requiring FC-SP. If you only need more ports with basic fabric services, PL12 is sufficient.

Can I mix 8-port and 12-port licenses on the same MDS 9148S?

Yes. The MDS 9148S supports mixing different license types. For example, if your base unit has 12 ports active and you need 32 total ports, you could add one 12-port PL12 license + one 8-port M9148PL8-8G license = 32 ports. The licenses are cumulative and independent — the 8-port license operates at a dedicated 8 Gbps rate on its ports, while the 12-port licenses support full auto-sensing 2/4/8 Gbps. The only limit is the physical 48-port total.

Does the MDS 9148S support 16 Gbps Fibre Channel?

No. The MDS 9148S is a 2/4/8 Gbps Fibre Channel switch. It does not support 16 Gbps or 32 Gbps FC. If you need Gen 5 (16 Gbps) or Gen 6 (32 Gbps) speeds, you would need the newer MDS 9148T (32 Gbps) or MDS 9396T platforms. The 9148S is widely deployed and still fully capable for most mid-range SAN workloads — 8 Gbps per port with 768 Gbps aggregate bandwidth is sufficient for the majority of enterprise storage environments.

How quickly will I receive my MDS 9148S license after purchase?

Most MDS 9148S port-activation licenses are delivered within 2–12 hours of order confirmation and switch UDI submission. Provide the output of show license udi from your MDS 9148S. The license file (.lic) is sent by email — install via CLI with license install flash:license.lic. Ports are available immediately, no reload required. If you need expedited delivery, contact us before ordering.

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Disclaimer: This is an independent reseller. We are not affiliated with Cisco Systems. All licenses are genuine Cisco licenses issued through authorized channels. Cisco, MDS, NX-OS, Fibre Channel, and related marks are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. The MDS 9148S is end-of-sale (EOS) hardware — these licenses are for existing deployments and replacement scenarios.