ESA Licensing

[Manwë Sulimo]

Hey everyone,

Our ESA feature keys are about to expire and we are going to renew it. here is my issue, we need to use traditional licensing with PAK file. We can not use Smart licensing for various reasons, so first of all, I want to make sure we still can use PAK system for our ESA. 

It would really helpful if anyone can share a document that shows Traditional/legacy (PAK system) licensing still supported for Cisco Email Security.

Thanks for your time.

Current AsyncOS 11.1.1

[balaji.bandi]

Sure you can still buy PAK license associated with Serial number device,  Cisco license team automatically associated with Serial number

Once that is done, you simply click feature keys

It automatically update if they are associated,

If not you get Email with Features keys, you can manually enter Feature Keys.

[Manwë Sulimo]

Really appreciate your help, @balaji.bandi 

would you please share an official link/document that explain we can still use PAK system on ESA or all Cisco products?

Thanks in advance.

[balaji.bandi]

11.x code you running as per the OP,  until manually convert smart License config - it will be still (i manmage couple of them 11.X  12.X  code use still PAK code)

you may find documentation offically here :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/security/email-security-appliance/products-release-notes-list.html#anchor819

[Ken Stieers]

14.x still allows feature key licensing.
They haven't forced it to Smart Licensing yet.

[Manwë Sulimo]

Thank you @Ken Stieers for your input

Would you please share any document/Link that show they haven't forced it to Smart Licensing yet?

Thanks for your time.

[balaji.bandi]

as mentioned earlier and provided the information regarding the guide forLicense (did you get chance to looking ?)

As Long as you using Classic License not uggrade to smart License until 14.X (now the latest code) you are good to activate License., Once you move to Smart License you can not go back to Classic License (this give you some idea how this works ?) - not sure why you stressed about the documentate which prove (what ?) nothing.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/security/email-security-appliance/214614-smart-licensing-overview-and-best-practi.html

[dmccabej]

Hello,

As others have mentioned, there is currently no mandate to utilize Smart Licensing. You can review the AsyncOS user guides that show you configuration and installation steps for traditional (classic) licensing and Smart Licensing.

Thanks!

-Dennis M.

[Ken Stieers]

The ESA 14.0 admin guide still covers Feature Keys...

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/esa/esa14-0/user_guide/b_ESA_Admin_Guide_14-0/b_ESA_Admin_Guide_12_1_chapter_0100010.html#con_1304615