Cisco MDS NX-OS Software Licenses
This section contains information related to licensing types, options, procedures, installation, and management for the Cisco MDS NX-OS software.
Licensing Terminology
The following terms are used in this document:
- Licensed feature
- Permission to use a particular feature through a license file, a hardware object, or a legal contract. This permission is limited to the number of users, number of instances, time span, and the implemented device.
- Licensed application
- A software feature that requires a license to be used.
- License enforcement
- A mechanism that prevents a feature from being used without first obtaining a license.
- Node-locked license
- A license that can only be used on a particular device using the device’s unique host ID.
- Host IDs
- A unique chassis serial number that is specific to each device.
- Software license claim certificate
- A document entitling its rightful owner to use licensed features on one device as described in that document.
- Product Authorization Key (PAK)
- The PAK allows you to obtain a license key from one of the sites listed in the software license claim certificate document. After registering at the specified website, you will receive your license key file and installation instructions through e-mail.
- License key file
- A device-specific unique file that specifies the licensed features. Each file contains digital signatures to prevent tampering and modification. License keys are required to use a licensed feature. License keys are enforced within a specified time span.
- Missing license
- If the bootflash has been corrupted or a supervisor module replaced after you have installed a license, that license shows as missing. The feature still works. You should reinstall the license as soon as possible.
- Evaluation license
- A temporary license. Evaluation licenses are time bound (valid for a specified number of days) and are tied to a host ID (device serial number).
- Permanent license
- A license that is not time bound is called a permanent license.
- Grace period
- The amount of time the features in a license package can continue functioning without a license.
- Support
- If you purchased Cisco support through a Cisco reseller, contact the reseller directly. If you purchased support directly from Cisco, contact Cisco Technical Support at this URL: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/support/tsd_cisco_worldwide_contacts.html
Licensing Model
The licensing model defined for the Cisco MDS product line has two options:
Feature-based licenses allow features that are applicable to the entire switch.
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This table describes feature-based licenses.
Feature License |
Features |
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Enterprise package (ENTERPRISE_PKG) |
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SAN Telemetry package SAN_TELEMETRY_PKG |
SAN Analytics The SAN Analytics feature is used to collect, store, and fetch the data of interest. This feature allows you to analyze data only on the switch.
The following provides information about the licenses that are supported on Cisco switches and the release from which it supports these licenses:
If you have purchased the SAN_TELEMETRY_PKG license, you can continue to use it only to analyze data on your switch in Cisco MDS NX-OS Release 8.3(1) or later releases. However, we recommend that you upgrade to the SAN_ANALYTICS_PKG license that is available from Cisco MDS NX-OS Release 8.3(1) to analyze data not only on the switch but also on the Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) or supported third party devices or apps. To upgrade from SAN_TELEMETRY_PKG used in Cisco MDS NX-OS Release 8.2(1) to SAN_ANALYTICS_PKG that is available in Cisco MDS NX-OS Release 8.3(1), perform these steps:
This feature supports the following license models:
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SAN Analytics package SAN_ANALYTICS_PKG |
SAN Analytics and SAN Telemetry Streaming The SAN Analytics and SAN Telemetry Streaming provides insights into your fabric by allowing you to monitor, analyze, identify, and troubleshoot performance issues. This solution allows you to analyze data not only on the switch but also on the Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) or supported third party devices or apps.
This solution is supported from Cisco MDS Release 8.3(1) and later releases and supports the following license models:
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Mainframe package (MAINFRAME_PKG) |
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DCNM-SAN License packages |
For DCNM related licensing information, see the Cisco DCNM Licensing Guide. |
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NDFC License packages |
For NDFC related licensing information, see the License Management chapter in Cisco NDFC Fabric Controller Configuration Guide. |
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On-demand Port Activation Licensing package (PORT_ACTIVATION_PKG) (M9220I-UPGK9=) (M9250IP20-16G=) (M9148T-PL8) (M9396T-PL16) (M9132T-PL8) (M9124V-PL8) (M9148V-PL8)
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Data Mobility Manager (DMM) (DMM_FOR_SSM_PKG) (M9250IDMMT6M) |
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License packages for Cisco DMM (Cisco Data Mobility Manager) and Cisco SME (Cisco Storage Media Encryption) are documented in the Cisco MDS 9000 Series Data Mobility Manager Configuration Guide. |
Licensing High Availability
As with other Cisco NX-OS features, the licensing feature also maintains the following high-availability standards:
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Installing any license in the device is a nondisruptive process.
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Installing a license automatically saves a copy of permanent licenses to the chassis.
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If you have enabled the grace period feature, enabling a licensed feature that does not have a license key starts a counter on the grace period. You then have 120 days to install the appropriate license keys, disable the use of that feature, or disable the grace period feature. If at the end of the 120-day grace period the device does not have a valid license key for the feature, the Cisco NX-OS software automatically disables the feature and removes the configuration from the device.
Devices with dual supervisors have the following additional high-availability features:
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The license software runs on both supervisor modules and provides failover protection.
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The license key file is mirrored on both supervisor modules. Even if both supervisor modules fail, the license file continues to function from the version that is available on the chassis.
License Transfers Between Devices
A license is specific to the physical device for which it is issued and is not valid on any other physical device. The license cannot be transferred.
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