How to activate a smart license in Cisco catalyst 9200

[Beaurr]

Hello,

I would like to know to add licence on catalyst 9200. We purchased 2 C9200-48P-A.

with 3YR SNTC 8X5XNBD Catalyst 9200 48-port PoE+, Network Advantage and C9200 Cisco DNA Advantage, 48-Port, 3 Year Term License.
Before, we didn't have DNA and we used 2960. I looked on google and on this forum, but everything seems complicated to me.

I'm going to call my cisco resellers to help me but I would like to have information before

A step by step guide

[Flavio Miranda]

Hi

 Licensing cisco device became complicate I agree.  And probably because of that, they start creating news ways to licensing, trying to make easier and actually make more and more complicate because in the past all you needed  was a PAC file and now you dont know what to do.

 For you that already have DNAC, I suggest you use it. But, there are also alternatives in case you cant do this way.

If you intend to perform the licensing using DNAC you need to have Smart Account and Virtual Account and you are going to use Smart Licensing.

You can integrate your DNAC with Virtual Account, if you DNAC can access the internet.  For this path, I suggest you take a look on the video below. This guy goes through the process you need all the way around:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-uttij-l10 

But, there are, of course, differents approches. For example, you can allow internet access on the switch. You can license using PLR which is similar to the old PAC. etc, etc. The resellers  also is able (should be) to provide you guidance on this process. As it involves money and not only technical skills, it is a good idea explore the possibilities talking with them.

Hope that helps.

[Beaurr]

Hello,

thanks.

I saw with my resellers. We've created the smart account, and I'm waiting for them to attach the licenses. But they asked me if I was going to use the DNA. Honestly, I don't know what to answer. I read advertising brochures and videos on the internet, and I still do not know exactly what is really and concretely what it can bring me.

[Flavio Miranda · Accepted solution]

Hi

  DNAC is an orchestration tool in order to manage network devices. I believe it has a lot to improve but the idea is to have one single point to manage all your wireless and wired campus network using fabric. You can upgrade your switches all at once, theorically, you can deploy config all around the network with templates.

 But, honestly, in my opinion, you need to have a huge network in order to make sense.  And you need to buy DNAC center, of course, and it is not cheap.

[Beaurr]

ok, thanks for those details. I appreciate
We weren't using this before DNA Center), not sure we'll be using it later.
We have 30 offices with switches, approximately 800 PCs, but the switch configurations are not changed very often once in production.

I turned on one of the new 9200 switches and I did a #show license all

Spoiler

Switch#sh license all
Smart Licensing Status
======================

Smart Licensing is ENABLED

Export Authorization Key:
Features Authorized:
<none>

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: <empty>
Proxy:
Not Configured

Miscellaneous:
Custom Id: <empty>

Policy:
Policy in use: Merged from multiple sources.
Reporting ACK required: yes (CISCO default)
Unenforced/Non-Export Perpetual Attributes:
First report requirement (days): 365 (CISCO default)
Reporting frequency (days): 0 (CISCO default)
Report on change (days): 90 (CISCO default)
Unenforced/Non-Export Subscription Attributes:
First report requirement (days): 90 (CISCO default)
Reporting frequency (days): 90 (CISCO default)
Report on change (days): 90 (CISCO default)
Enforced (Perpetual/Subscription) License Attributes:
First report requirement (days): 0 (CISCO default)
Reporting frequency (days): 0 (CISCO default)
Report on change (days): 0 (CISCO default)
Export (Perpetual/Subscription) License Attributes:
First report requirement (days): 0 (CISCO default)
Reporting frequency (days): 0 (CISCO default)
Report on change (days): 0 (CISCO default)

Usage Reporting:
Last ACK received: <none>
Next ACK deadline: Aug 15 12:50:13 2022 UTC
Reporting push interval: 30 days
Next ACK push check: <none>
Next report push: May 17 12:52:13 2022 UTC
Last report push: <none>
Last report file write: <none>

Trust Code Installed: <none>

License Usage
=============

network-advantage (C9200-NW-A-48):
Description: C9200-48 Network Advantage
Count: 1
Version: 1.0
Status: IN USE
Export status: NOT RESTRICTED
Feature Name: network-advantage
Feature Description: C9200-48 Network Advantage
Enforcement type: NOT ENFORCED
License type: Perpetual

dna-advantage (C9200-DNA-A-48):
Description: C9200-48 DNA Advantage
Count: 1
Version: 1.0
Status: IN USE
Export status: NOT RESTRICTED
Feature Name: dna-advantage
Feature Description: C9200-48 DNA Advantage
Enforcement type: NOT ENFORCED
License type: Subscription

Product Information
===================
UDI: PID:C9200-48P,SN:FOC255307Z6

Agent Version
=============
Smart Agent for Licensing: 5.0.9_rel/68

License Authorizations
======================
Overall status:
Active: PID:C9200-48P,SN:FOC255307Z6
Status: NOT INSTALLED

Purchased Licenses:
No Purchase Information Available

so, if I leave things as is, everything will work normally? On the other hand, if in 6 months or more , I am finally asked to set up this DNA center system? Because I see time limits expressed in days (90 or 360), what is it?

[Flavio Miranda · Accepted solution]

Yes, will work normal.  DNAC is optional. You can manage licensing from DNAC as well, but you can also do this  using other methods just like you did.

[Beaurr]

ok 

i found this sandbox, to see what DNAC looks like :

https://sandboxdnac.cisco.com/

(devnetuser / Cisco123!), not bad  but i'm not sure I'll use that yet, maybe later. We already monitor our equipment with centreon. But it's true that this DNAC makes it possible to centralize evrything in the same place.

Thank you very much for your help.

[Flavio Miranda]

  I do believe Cisco will improve it a lot on the versions coming. But yes, not bad at all.  For monitoring, it is still not a good option. I see value in devices upgrade and device config in large scale. Also, it makes easier to enforce security using Cisco ISE trustsec with SGT.