Cisco Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure Software Configuration Guide, Release 26.2 and Later

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Cisco Network Function Virtualization Infrastructure Software Configuration Guide, Release 26.2 and Later

Configure Cisco smart licensing for Cisco NFVIS

Updated: June 29, 2026

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Describes how to configure Cisco Smart Licensing for Cisco NFVIS, which operates in two distinct modes: Smart Mode and CSLU Mode for license management and activation.

Smart Licensing for Cisco NFVIS operates in two modes:

  1. Smart Mode

  2. CSLU Mode

Smart mode

Smart mode is a licensing operation mode that

  • enables Cisco BEx7K/CE1400V appliances based out of UCS-C series servers to connect directly to Cisco Smart Software Manager (CSSM) using Cisco NFVIS

  • requires specific configuration inputs including CSSM tokens and transport settings, and

  • reports license usage periodically to the CSSM server after successful trust handshake.

Smart mode configuration requirements

The Cisco BEx7K/CE1400V appliances based out of UCS-C series servers requires these inputs to operate in smart mode:

  1. A unique token for customer virtual account on CSSM.

    Note

    Generate a unique token using your Cisco Virtual Account on the Licensing Server (CSSM). For more information, see How can I create a token to register my device?

  2. Provide the generated token as the input to the Cisco BEx7K/CE1400V appliances based out of UCS-C series servers. The CSSM token is your password for the user account on CSSM. This input is mandatory for the Smart Mode to function and has no default values.

  3. Transport Mode

    The Transport Mode specifies the type of connection existing between the device and CSSM (whether the device is directly connected/ Connected through CSLU). For the Smart Mode, the Transport Mode is called as Smart Transport. The default value for the transport mode is CSLU Mode.

  4. Transport URL

    The Transport URL specifies the URL to reach a CSSM/CSLU server from the device. The default transport URL for Smart Mode is https://smartreceiver.cisco.com/licservice/license. The default transport URL for CSLU mode is available on online search engines.

  5. Time interval between two licence usage announcements

    The Resource Usage Measurement (RUM) is sent periodically from the device to CSSM/CSLU which presents the License Usage pertaining to the NFVIS License Entitlement to the CSSM server. You can specify the periodic time interval as an input. The default value is 30 days.

Use these methods to provide inputs to the Cisco BEx7K/CE1400V appliances based out of UCS-C series servers using Cisco NFVIS:

  • Using the Cisco NFVIS CLI

  • Using NETCONF/Rest APIs

When the device is provided with the above listed inputs for the smart mode of operation, the device initiates the Trust Handshake with the CSSM server. Once Trust Handshake is successful, the device starts reporting license usage according to the time interval specified.

Configure smart mode using the CLI

configure terminal 
license smart transport smart   smart-url 
license smart transport smart   token 
license smart transport smart   usage

Verify smart mode using the CLI

Use the show license opdata command to verify the success of smart mode.

show license opdata 
license opdata operational-status OK
license opdata usage-reporting last-ack-received None
license opdata usage-reporting usage-interval 1
license opdata usage-reporting next-ack-deadline "Oct 01 20:32:19 2023 UTC"
license opdata usage-reporting last-report-push None
license opdata usage-reporting next-report-push None

CSLU mode

CSLU mode is a Smart Licensing transport mode that

  • provides reachability between Cisco BEx7K/CE1400V appliances based out of UCS-C series servers and a Cisco Smart Licensing Utility (CSLU) application

  • operates as the default transport mode without requiring token input, and

  • reports license usage at 30-day intervals by default.

CSLU mode characteristics

Note

Cisco NFVIS supports SSM On-Prem in CSLU transport mode.

CSLU mode has these characteristics:

  • Ensure that you've logged into CSLU using your Cisco Smart Account on the CSSM.

  • The license reporting in the CSLU mode happens at an interval of 30 days by default.

  • The CSLU is the default Transport Mode and no token is required as an input.

  • The default Transport URL for CSLU mode is http://CSLU-local:8182/CSLU/v1/pi

  • If you require any change in the inputs other than the defaults, configure the inputs for CSLU mode.

  • The CSLU Mode doesn't require any inputs and the CSLU Mode is the default mode of operation for the Cisco NFVIS on Cisco BEx7K/CE1400V appliances based out of UCS-C series servers.

Note

  • There are no specific operations in terms of Cisco NFVIS Licensing with regards to the device reboot and upgrade. The Cisco NFVIS continues to operate with respect to the interactions established through the modes of operations.

  • The licensing configuration and Smart Licensing Database aren't cleared from the device in case of a Factory Default Reset.

    License usage reporting to CSSM/CSLU resumes when the device regains network connectivity through a reconfig operation after a Factory Default Reset.

  • To initiate an RMA for a device, manually release the licenses associated with the device from the CSSM, or use the Cisco NFVIS action command license smart release. The command frees up the license entitlements used by this device on CSSM. If the device continues to operate with Cisco NFVIS even after the license release, it will, after a set time interval, resend the usage report (RUM) to CSSM. This report indicates the correct number of license units consumed, which is reserved again on CSSM.

  • While performing a device data backup, Cisco NFVIS backups the config to a file and sends the forced License Usage report to CSSM .