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Cisco employs two types of license models - Traditional or Classic Licensing and Smart Software Licensing. If you are an existing user who is using a device earlier than Cisco IOS XE Release 16.10.1a, you are most likely using Traditional Licensing such as an RTU license, paper license, or a PAK license. If you want to upgrade to the Cisco IOS XE Release 16.10.1a or later SL-only image, you must migrate to Smart Licensing. The following image specifies the high-level steps to migrate to Smart Licensing:
When you upgrade to IOS XE Release 16.10.1a or later, your existing licenses change to the evaluation (EVAL) state till the device registration is complete. However, existing features continue to function without interruption. After registration, the licenses change to the AUTHORIZED state.
Ensure that all the prerequisites are met before you migrate to Smart Licensing. See the Prerequisites section.
Load the 16.10.1a or later image. See the Load the 16.10.1a or Later Image section.
Generate a token ID using the CSSM Portal. See the Generating a New Token from Cisco Smart Software Manager section.
Register your device using the token that you generated. See the Registering Device using the id Token section.
Initiate DLC conversion. See the Initiate DLC section.
 Note |
For IOS XE, DLC is not supported on ASR 1000 Series RP2 platforms running non-universal K9 images. As a workaround. you can migrate to intermediate releases such as IOS XE 16.3, 16.6, or 16.9, before migrating to IOS XE 16.10.1a or later. Or, contact the Cisco TAC team by telephone to migrate from traditional licenses to smart licenses. |
The following sections describe the migration workflow in detail:
As the first step of migrating to Smart Licensing, you must load the Cisco IOS XE 16.10.1a or later image. When you upgrade to this image, Smart Licensing is automatically enabled.
Note |
You cannot execute the |
After you load the SL-only image, proceed to Generating a New Token from Cisco Smart Software Manager.
Device Led Conversion (DLC) is the process where a new device or a product instance is upgraded from Traditional to Smart Licensing when registered in Cisco Smart Software Manager (CSSM). All licenses on the device automatically convert from Classic or Perpetual Right-to-Use (RTU) License to Smart License without the need for any manual conversion.
Note |
You can perform the DLC operation only once during the life of the device. |
Important |
CSR does not support DLC in the Cisco IOS XE 16.10.1a release. You can either deposit licenses directly or you can convert licenses in CSSM and License Registration Portal (LRP). |
Note |
ASR does not support OTV, LISP, VPLS, and FPI licenses for DLC. |
To initiate the DLC operation, execute the license smart conversion start command. If the DLC operation is complete, the device displays a "Completed" status.
The following is an example of DLC completion. Note the Completed output in the DLC Status field.
Device#show platform software license dlc
Index 1 Feature: adventerprise
Permanent License: 0
EVAL RTU License: 1
RTU License: 0
Paper License: 0
DLC Status: Completed
Index 2 Feature:
Permanent License: 0
EVAL RTU License: 1
RTU License: 0
Paper License: 0
DLC Status: Completed
Index 3 Feature: fwnat_red
Permanent License: 0
EVAL RTU License: 1
RTU License: 0
Paper License: 0
DLC Status: Completed
To verify whether the operation was successful, run the show license all command. The system displays a "Success" status if the DLC operation is successful. The following example shows a successful
DLC operation:
Device#show license all | sec License Conversion:
License Conversion:
Automatic Conversion Enabled: False
Status: Successful on Nov 08 18:54:40 2018 IST
To convert broadband licenses using DLC for an ASR1000 device, execute the subscriber license dlc <sessions> command. This command sets the total number of broadband sessions that can be converted using DLC including paper licenses
and PAK licenses.
To consume the broadband licenses in the 16.10.1a or later image, use the subscriber license session command. If this command is not configured, the broadband module also supports the automatic procuring of licenses for every 2K session brought up in the device.
Any broadband licenses from traditional licensing are consumed as 2k sessions in SL-only mode in 16.10.1a or later. For example, if a customer has 10 licenses as broadband and 4k in traditional licensing, after migrating to SL-only image, these licenses are visible as 20 Licenses in feature broadband during the DLC conversion. Use the show platform software license dlc command to view the 20 licenses.
After the DLC conversion is successful, the smart licenses for your virtual account are authorized. You can verify the status of the migration by checking the message in the CSSM portal.
| Step 1 |
Log in to the CSSM portal. Click Inventory > Product Instances. If the migration is successful, the converted licenses are added in CSSM. |
| Step 2 |
Verify whether the DLC operation is successful by clicking the Convert to Smart Licensing tab, and clicking Conversion History You see the following in the portal:  It takes about an hour or more for the Conversion Status of the DLC to display as "Converted" on CSSM. This status means that the DLC is complete and that successful logs have been detected on the device. |
This verification topic is applicable only if you have configured Smart Licensing for Satellite.
| Step 1 |
Log in to the Satellite Server, and click the Licenses tab. If your device is registered successfully, the Licenses are in the In Use State. After you initiate DLC, the Licenses move to the Pending state.  |
| Step 2 |
After the DLC conversion is successful, click the Conversion History tab to verify whether the conversion status is updated to "Converted".   |
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