Cisco C9400-SSD-480GB | 480GB M.2 SATA SSD Module for Catalyst 9400

Q: Which Catalyst 9400 Supervisor engines are compatible with the C9400-SSD-480GB?
A: The C9400-SSD-480GB is compatible with all Cisco Catalyst 9400 Series Supervisor engines, including C9400-SUP-1, C9400-SUP-1XL, C9400-SUP-1XL-Y, C9400X-SUP-2, and C9400X-SUP-2XL models. The M.2 connector is standard across all Catalyst 9400 Supervisor modules.

Q: What are the primary use cases for this M.2 SATA SSD in enterprise environments?
A: The 480GB SSD is ideal for storing IOS-XE software images, system logs, telemetry data, crash information, and hosting container-based applications on the Supervisor engine. It provides the local storage needed for advanced network automation, programmability features, and application hosting capabilities in enterprise campus and data center deployments.

Q: Does the C9400-SSD-480GB require any special licensing or software version?
A: No special licensing is required for the SSD module itself. However, it requires Cisco IOS XE 16.6.1 or later for proper file system support. The switch automatically creates an EXT4 file system on the SSD and includes built-in S.M.A.R.T. monitoring for health and error tracking.

Q: Can I upgrade from a 240GB SSD to this 480GB model in an existing deployment?
A: Yes, the M.2 SATA SSD is field-replaceable. Ensure the switch is powered off before installation. Files can be copied between the old and new SSD using standard Cisco IOS commands. The system will automatically format the new SSD with an EXT4 file system upon first boot if no compatible file system is detected.

Q: Is this SSD compatible with other Cisco switch platforms?
A: No, the C9400-SSD-480GB is specifically designed and optimized for Cisco Catalyst 9400 Series Supervisor engines. It is not compatible with other Cisco switch platforms or non-Cisco devices due to the specialized M.2 connector and integration requirements of the Catalyst 9400 architecture.