Understanding Cisco IOS v15 Licenses

1992-2013 Cisco Systems Inc. All Rights Reserved. Generated on 2013-08-19-07:001

Understating Cisco IOS v15 Licenses


Prior to IOS 15 , we used to have 8 IOS images Types (Feature set) , by the way it was 12before it comes 8.

any router was coming with IB Base feature set and according to your company needs youcan go for advance feature set and replace the IOS , check the below pic :

The following Picture explain each one and what features you will gain once you run thatfeature set :



Now with IOS 15 it become 4 instead of 8 Feature sets and these 4 Features set comes inone single IOS image ,now days we use the term (technology package ) when referring tofeature set.

What are the ISO v15 Feature sets (technology package) types we have now days withISR G2:

1. IP Base (ipbaseK9)come and running with any new ISR G2 routers (1900,2900,3900 Series) , its entrylevel for Cisco IOS functionality

2. DATA (dataK9)support MPLS.ATM. Multiprotocol support3. Unified Commuincations (ucK9) support VOIP & IP Telephony4. Security (securityK9) support Cisco IOS Firewall , IPS , IPsec , 3DES, VPN

The following picture summarize these Feature sets (technology package):



ISR Integrated Service Router G2 come with IPbase and to run the other three technologypackage we need to understand the concept of licenses which similar to ASA firewallslicenses by the way .

Licenses has two types:

Evaluation (Temporary) License

which mean will be available with all functionality for trial period would be 60 days

Permanent License

which mean you must get new license from cisco to run it for ever

Any License has Status :

any type could had one of two status



Active, In Use Inactive

Normally your Universal image come with ipbasek9 built -in with the following type andstatus

License Type: Permanent

License State: Active, In Use

So if we want to run one of the remaining three feature sets ,Licenses need to be activate itso you can use it whatever you will use it as Permanent or Evaluation.

Cisco give you the ability to activate the remaining three feature sets for Evaluation but ifyou like to use any of them Permanently you will need to get license from cisco.

Note 1 : The IP Base license is a prerequisite for installing the Data, Security, and UnifiedCommunications license.

Note 2 : if you want to run all feature set you will need license for each as the pic below :



How to get License from Cisco and how to install it in my Router ?

Complete the following steps to permanently activate a software package or feature on therouter:

1- Purchase the software package or feature that you want to install. You receive a PAK withyour purchase.

What is Product authorization key (PAK):



The PAK is provided to you when you order or purchase the right to use a feature set for aparticular platform.

The PAK serves as a receipt and is used as part of the process to obtain a license

2-Get the license file using one of these options:

Option 1 -Cisco License Manager, which is a free software application available at http://www.cisco.com/go/clm.

Option 2 -cisco license registration portal www.cisco.com/go/license

on any of these options what you will do is Convert the PAK to a license by enteringthe PAK and the unique device identifier (UDI) into the CLM or Cisco Product LicenseRegistration portal

Note : UDI has two main components: the PID and the serial

What is the unique device identifier (UDI)?

A. The UDI is a combination of the product id (PID), the serial number, and the hardwareversion. The UDI is printed on a label that is located on the back of every switch and alsoviewable from the command-line interface (CLI) (show license UDI) and management tools(using Simple Network Management Protocol [SNMP]). Only the PID and serial number areused for license creation



To know what is your UDI , type show license udi as the following pic showing you :

Also show version command will display the UDI

This information is also present on a pull-out label tray found on the device. See thefollowing two pictures :

After entering the appropriate information, you will receive an e-mail containing the licenseinformation that you can use to install the license



Copy the license file received from the Cisco Product License Registrationportal to the appropriate file system on the device.

or

Click the Install button on the web page.

What is the License Format ?

The license is in the form of a file with a .lic extension

A Software Activation License is an XML text file with a .lic extension and even can beopened by notepad or any text editor:

3- use the cisco cli to install and manage licenses

Licenses Commands Overview :

Displaying Licenses types and status

Router#show license all



R1#sh license detail will give you similar information like above one too

Displaying brief summary about each feature and installation status



R1#show license feature

Installing Evaluation License for feature set (technology-package)

Lets say we want to take the benefit of using securityk9 Feature set inEvaluation period to set our router as IOS firewall , we will type the followingcommand

Router(config)#license boot module c2900 technology-package securityk9

Then we will asked to type Yes To accept the Evaluation License agreement

Installing Permanent License for feature set (technology-package):

After doing the steps we talk about earlier to get the license file , we will copy it to our routerflash then type the following command :

R1# license install flash0:uck9-2900-SPE150_K9-FHH12250057.xml



R1# reload

Backing up the License command :

R1# license save flash:all_licenses.lic

Uninstalling the License command (two steps required for uninstalling licenses ) :

1- First we disable it

Router(config)# license boot module c3900 technology-package uck9 disable

Router(config)# exit

Router# reload

2- Then we clear it



Router#license clear uck9

Router#config t

Router(config)#no license boot module c3900 technology uck9 disable

Router(config)#exit

Router#reload

Note : some licenses such as built in licenses cannot be cleared. Only licenses that havebeen added by

using the license install command are removed. Evaluation licenses are not removed.

Finally I recommend you to understand the naming format for IOS 15 it self , example:

c2900-universalk9-mz.SPA.151-4.M4.bin



The main point here to undersatnd here is what is M & T?

in brief ,M release stay for 16 month and during this period we could see many release of Tincluding enhancement and advance functionality added .

More info :

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/iosswrel/ps8802/ps10587/ps10591/ps10621/qa_c67_561940.html

More resources about IOS v15 & Licenses :

Ciscos Integrated Services Routers Generation Two Licensing and Packaging



http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/routers/ps10616/white_paper_c11_556985_ps10536_Products_White_Paper.html

Configuring the Cisco IOS Software Activation Feature

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios/csa/configuration/guide/csa_commands.html

Tutorial for IOS V15

http://www.cisco.com/assets/prod/ios-nxos/ios_sw_releases_15/index.html

CLM eTutorial :

http://www.cisco.com/assets/prod/netmgtsw/Lic_mgr/index.html

An introduction to Cisco IOS version 15

http://www.ciscozine.com/2010/10/12/an-introduction-to-cisco-ios-version-15/

Yasser Auda

Certified Cisco Systems Instructor CCSI # 34215

Understanding Cisco IOS v15 Licenses

Documents

Transcript of Understanding Cisco IOS v15 Licenses