Migrating to Smart Licensing Using Policy

To upgrade to SLP, you must upgrade the software version (image) on the product instance to a supported version.

Before You Begin

Ensure that you have read the Upgrades section, to understand how SLP handles various aspects of all earlier licensing models.

When migrating from traditional licensing model to SLP, license conversion takes place automatically. This Device Led Conversion (DLC) process is triggered when traditional licenses are detected on the device during an upgrade. DLC request is sent to CSSM as part of the license report and may take up to an hour to complete.

Upgrading the Switch Software

See the corresponding release note for the upgrade procedure. If there are any general release-specific considerations, these are called-out in the corresponding release notes.

Also refer to the sample show command outputs of the migration scenarios provided below. Sample outputs are provided for before and after migration, for comparison.

Smart Licensing to Smart Licensing Using Policy

The following is an example of a Cisco Nexus 3550-T, Release 10.2(3t) switch migrating from Smart Licensing to SLP. This is a High Availability setup with an active and a standby.

The show command outputs below call-out key fields to check, before and after migration.

Table 1. Smart Licensing to Smart Licensing Using Policy: Show Commands

Before Upgrade

After Upgrade

Not supported in Cisco NX-OS Release 10.1(2t).

show license summary (SLP) 

Device# show license summary 

License Usage:
License                    Entitlement tag                 Count   Status
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
NX-OS essentials licens... (NXOS_ESSENTIALS)                1       IN USE

The Status field shows that the licenses are now IN USE instead of registered and authorized.

Not supported in Cisco NX-OS Release 10.1(2t).

show license usage (SLP) 

License Authorization: Status: Not Applicable

(NXOS_ESSENTIALS):
Description:NX-OS essentials license for Nexus 3550-T
Count: 1
Version: 1.0
Status: IN USE
Enforcement Type: NOT ENFORCED
License Type: Generic

The license counts remain the same.

The Enforcement Type field displays NOT ENFORCED. (There are no export-controlled or enforced licenses on Cisco Nexus Switches).

Not supported in Cisco NX-OS Release 10.1(2t).

Show license status (Smart Licensing) 

Device# show license status 

Utility: 
    Status: DISABLED

Smart Licensing using Policy:
    Status: ENABLED

Data Privacy: 
    Sending Hostname: yes 
    Callhome Hostname Privacy: DISABLED 
        Smart Licensing Hostname Privacy: DISABLED 
    Version Privacy: DISABLED 

Transport: 
    Type: CSLU
Cslu address: cslu-local 

Policy: 
    Policy in use: Merged from multiple sources 
    Reporting ACK required: Yes
    Unenforced/Non-Export: 
        First report requirement (days): 90 (Installed)
        Ongoing reporting frequency (days): 365 (Installed)
        On change reporting (days): 120 (Installed)
    Enforced (Perpetual/Subscription): 
        First report requirement (days): 30 (Installed)
        Ongoing reporting frequency (days): 90 (Installed)
        On change reporting (days): 60 (Installed)
Export (Perpetual/Subscription): 
        First report requirement (days): 30 (Installed)
        Ongoing reporting frequency (days): 30 (Installed)
        On change reporting (days): 30 (Installed)
Miscellaneous:
    Custom Id: <empty>

Usage reporting:
    Last ACK received: Jul 29 11:32:24 2022 UTC
    Next ACK deadline: Jul 29 11:32:24 2023 UTC
    Reporting push interval: 30 days
    Next ACK push check: Aug 3 07:29:15 2022 UTC
    Next report push: Aug 28 11:22:24 2022 UTC
    Last report push: Jul 29 11:22:24 2022 UTC
    Last report file write: <none>

Trust Code installed: <none>

The Transport: field: A transport type was configured and therefore retained after upgrade.

The Policy: header and details: A custom policy was available in the Smart Account or Virtual Account – this has also been automatically installed on the product instance. (After establishing trust, CSSM returns a policy. The policy is then automatically installed.)

The Usage Reporting: header: The Next report push: field provides information about when the product instance will send the next RUM report to CSSM.

The Trust Code Installed: field: The ID token is successfully converted and a trusted connected has been established with CSSM.

Not supported in Cisco NX-OS Release 10.1(2t).

show license udi (Smart Licensing) 

Device# show license udi
 UDI: PID:N35-T-48X,SN:EXATRI-A-01828
HA UDI List:
 Active: PID:N35-T-48X,SN:EXATRI-A-01828

CSSM Web UI After Migration

Log in to the CSSM Web UI at https://software.cisco.com and click Smart Software Licensing. Under Inventory > Product Instances.

Registered licenses in the Smart Licensing environment were displayed with the hostname of the product instance in the Name column. After upgrade to SLP, they are displayed with the UDI of the product instance. All migrated UDIs are displayed. For example,

PID:N35-T-48X, UDI_SN:EXATRI-A-01828.

Only the active product instance reports usage, therefore PID:N35-T-48X,SN:EXATRI-A-01828 displays license consumption information under License Usage.

Figure 1. Smart Licensing to Smart Licensing Using Policy: Active and Standby Product Instances After Migration
Figure 2. Smart Licensing to Smart Licensing Using Policy: UDI and License Usage under Active Product Instance
Figure 3. Smart Licensing to Smart Licensing Using Policy: DCN NDB/RTU Licenses Showing up After Upgrade

Reporting After Migration

The product instance sends the next RUM report to CSSM, based on the policy.

If you want to change your reporting interval to report more frequently: on the product instance, configure the license smart usage interval command. For syntax details see the license smart (global config) command in the Command Reference for the corresponding release.