Cisco Networking Subscription Data Sheet
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Cisco Networking Subscription streamlines management of Cisco software, hardware, services, and platforms. This licensing model supports your network investment today and protects it for the future.
With an active Cisco Networking Subscription, you have flexibility to:
● Aggregate and align renewal dates to your cost-center needs
● Add licenses to an existing subscription and keeping a consistent renewal date
● Upgrade entitlements mid-term and at end-of-term (renewal)
● Include different license tiers (Essentials or Advantage) in the same subscription
Additionally, the Cisco Networking Subscription includes unified product support, providing a consistent and reliable customer support experience with hardware and software coverage.
A Cisco Networking Subscription can include our new unified licenses: Cisco Wireless Essentials and Advantage, Cisco Switching Essentials and Advantage and Cisco WAN Essentials and Advantage. These licenses give you the flexibility to set up networks in different ways—whether that’s on-premises or in the cloud.
For a full list of feature please visit:
● Cisco Switching Licensing Feature Matrix
● Cisco Wireless Licensing Feature Matrix
● Cisco Routing* and WAN Licensing Feature Matrix
Note: For a new subscription, a standard minimum term length is 36 months.
Additionally, a Cisco Networking Subscription can also consist of Meraki subscription licenses for the Meraki line of products.
The following hardware models have the capability to choose whether to operate in the cloud or on-premises for ultimate flexibility:
● CiscoWi-Fi7accesspoints:CiscoWireless9172,9176,and9178series
● Cisco C9350 Series Smart Switches
● Cisco C9610 Series Smart Switches
Cisco Networking Subscription deployment options
Deployment Options for Cisco Wireless and Switching
Cloud: If you choose to manage your subscription in Meraki Dashboard, your Wi-Fi 7 and switching deployment can be cloud-managed, or a mixed mode (licensing and inventory management on Dashboard, with devices managed on-premises).
Meraki Dashboard license and inventory management: Manage inventory and licenses via a single dashboard, with no cloud management except for reporting consumed licenses to CSSM. Devices can still be managed through an on-premises platform or CLI console.
On-Premises: If you choose to manage your subscription in Cisco Smart Software Manager (CSSM), your Wi-Fi 7 and switching deployment can be on premises only, with no access to Meraki Dashboard functionality.
Deployment options for Cisco WAN
Cloud/On Premise – WAN licenses in CSSM can be managed by Catalyst SD-WAN manager, support for both Customer managed On-Premise/Cloud. Cisco Hosted and Managed service will be an add-on under Cisco Networking subscription.
With Cisco Networking Subscription, there are 2 wireless enforcement scenarios that apply:
1. Never Licensed
2. License Expiration
Never Licensed:
● Full device functionality restricted until licensed
● For Cisco Wireless: 2.4GHz only until licensed
License Expiration:
● Devices will continue to pass traffic
● Management and monitoring via Cisco network management platforms will be restricted
● On-device management (WebUI, CLI, API) available
● Software updates will be restricted, except for PSIRT and critical bug fixes
● Additional Cisco cloud-based services and features (e.g., Spaces, ISE, TE) included in the management license or sold as add-ons will be restricted
● Access to Cisco Support provided through the subscription will be denied
With Cisco Networking Subscription, there are 2 WAN licensing enforcement scenarios that apply:
1. Never Licensed
2. License Expiration
Never Licensed:
● Devices cannot be provisioned on Catalyst SD-WAN manager until associated with the appropriate license
License Expiration:
● Devices will continue to pass traffic
● Out of Compliance message appears on Catalyst SD-WAN manager if one or more devices has an expired licenses
● Access to Cisco Support provided through the subscription will be denied
● Software updates will be restricted, except for critical PSIRTs
● Management, Monitoring and Analytics via Cisco network management platform (catalyst SD-WAN manager) will be restricted
Switching Licensing Enforcement
For the on-device features, there will be no enforcement, so the OS functionality on your device will continue to operate even if the license expires.
To have uninterrupted access to the platform and its features (Meraki Dashboard and Catalyst Center) an active subscription license is needed. If your license expires or your device is never licensed, your access to the platforms will be limited, and management and monitoring capabilities will be restricted. Access to support through Cisco Networking Subscription will not be available.
Customers get reactive, unified hardware and software support included for Cisco Networking Subscription, with 24x7 access to Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC).
Customers seeking faster, proactive support for multi-product, multi-vendor environments to minimize downtime, you can upgrade to Cisco Support – Enhanced. Return Material Authorization (RMA) Upgrade service for hardware replacement can be added at the device level.
Table 1. Cisco Support - Enhanced
|
|
Cisco Support - Enhanced |
Cisco RMA Upgrade |
|
| Trusted support |
24x7 access to Cisco TAC support for software, hardware with 30-minute response time and priority case handling |
✓ |
|
| Software and OS updates |
✓ |
|
|
| Hardware RMA (available at the device level) |
Warranty1 |
Advance hardware replacement options: 2Hr/4Hr/NCD/NBD/Onsite |
|
| Third-party solution support: Support coordination for Cisco and Cisco Alliance Partner product teams, with prioritized case handling. |
ü |
|
|
| Cisco AI Assistant for Support: AI-powered assistant provides customers and partners with self-service guided experience for TAC engagements to get things done quicker. |
✓ |
|
|
| Digital insights |
Assets and license view: Inventory of Cisco products with installed location, coverage information, and other details for better planning and budgeting. |
✓ |
|
| Case management: Detailed status of support cases to track and improve case handling. |
✓ |
|
|
| Security advisories, field notices, and bugs: Relevant PSIRTs, field notices, and bugs notification identified in your network to help mitigate the impact of known product vulnerabilities.2 |
✓ |
|
|
|
|
Rapid problem resolution: Cisco engineers assist IT with troubleshooting with proactive diagnostics and automated remediation.2 |
ü |
|
| e-Learning |
e-Learning – powered by Cisco U.: Curated, use case-based training content for successful adoption and engagement of Cisco architectures and solutions. |
✓ |
|
Supported Switches:
| Cisco C9350 Series Smart Switches |
Cisco C9350-48HX, Cisco C9350-48TX, Cisco C9350-48U, Cisco C9350-24U, Cisco C9350-48P, Cisco C9350-24P, Cisco C9350-48T, Cisco C9350-24T |
| Cisco C9610 Series Smart Switch |
Cisco C9610R |
Supported Routers:
| Cisco 8000 Series Secure Routers |
C8570-G2, C8550-G2, C8475-G2, C8455-G2, C8375-E-G2, C8355-G2, C8235-G2, C8231-G2, C8161-G2, C8151-G2 |
Supported Access Points:
| Cisco Wireless 9178 Series |
CW9178I |
| Cisco Wireless 9176 Series |
CW9176I, CW9176D1 |
| Cisco Wireless 9172 Series |
CW9172I, CW9172H |
Supported Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs):
| Cisco 9800 Wireless LAN Controller Series |
C9800-80-K9, C9800-40-K9, C9800-L-C-K9, C9800-L-F- K9, C9800-CL |
| Cisco CW9800 Wireless LAN Controller Series |
CW9800H1, CW9800H2, CW9800M |
Unified Licensing SKUs:
| Cisco Wireless Essentials |
LIC-CW-E |
| Cisco Wireless Advantage |
LIC-CW-A |
| Cisco Switching Essentials |
LIC-CS-AC1-L-E LIC-CS-AC1-M-E |
| Cisco Switching Advantage |
LIC-CS-AC1-L-A LIC-CS-AC1-M-A LIC-CS-CO-MO-A |
WAN Licensing SKUs:
| Cisco WAN Essentials |
LIC-CSWAN-S-E LIC-CSWAN-M-E LIC-CSWAN-L-E LIC-CSWAN-XL-E |
| Cisco WAN Advantage |
LIC-CSWAN-S-A LIC-CSWAN-M-A LIC-CSWAN-L-A LIC-CSWAN-XL-A |
| Cisco Hosted/Managed Cloud service |
LIC-CSWAN-HCLD LIC-CSWAN-HCLDPRO |
| Advanced Security Add-ON SKUs |
LIC-SEC-XL-T LIC-SEC-XL-M LIC-SEC-XL-C LIC-SEC-L-T LIC-SEC-L-M LIC-SEC-L-C LIC-SEC-M-T LIC-SEC-M-M LIC-SEC-M-C LIC-SEC-S-T LIC-SEC-S-M LIC-SEC-S-C |
| Meraki Subscription Licenses |
MX
● LIC-MX-S-A
● LIC-MX-S-E
● LIC-MX-M-A
● LIC-MX-M-E
● LIC-MX-L-A
● LIC-MX-L-E
● LIC-MX-XL-A
● LIC-MX-XL-E
MS
● LIC-MS-100-S-A
● LIC-MS-100-S-E
● LIC-MS-100-M-A
● LIC-MS-100-M-E
● LIC-MS-100-L-A
● LIC-MS-100-L-E
● LIC-MS-200-M-A
● LIC-MS-200-M-E
● LIC-MS-200-L-A
● LIC-MS-200-L-E
● LIC-MS-300-M-A
● LIC-MS-300-M-E
● LIC-MS-300-L-A
● LIC-MS-300-L-E
● LIC-MS-400-M-A
● LIC-MS-400-M-E
● LIC-MS-400-L-A
● LIC-MS-400-L-E
MR
● LIC-MR-A
● LIC-MR-E
MV
● LIC-MV-E
● LIC-MV-SEN
● LIC-MV-CA7
● LIC-MV-CA30
● LIC-MV-CA90
● LIC-MV-CA180
● LIC-MV-CA360
MG
● LIC-MG-E
SM
● LIC-SM-E
Z
● LIC-Z-A
● LIC-Z-E
|
Minimum firmware requirements:
● Wireless on-premises: IOS-XE 17.15.2
● Switching: IOS-XE 17.18.1
● SD-WAN: IOS-XE 20.15.3
● Cloud: no Meraki firmware requirements
Flexible payment options make it easier than ever to get the Cisco technology you need.
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| New or revised topic |
Described in |
Date |
| Added unified licensing enforcement details |
Enforcement section |
December 16, 2024 |