CISCO ISE 2.x Base license versus ISE 3.0 Essentials license

[Ditter]

Hi to all,

recently discovered about ISE 3.0 and i would like to proceed with a migration, but it seems that for users that have already purchased Base licenses , in case they migrate from 2.x to 3.0 their base licenses (which never expire) will eventually expire ( OCT 31, 2023) !

So if i have 1000 base licenses with ISE 2.7 which are perpetual licenses , if i upgrade to ISE 3.0 and later versions they will expire in 31, Ot 2023 and i will have to buy 1000 Essentials licenses which will also expire after either 3 or 5 or 7 years and then i will have to buy again? 

Is it correct?

Thanks,

Ditter.

[Damien Miller · Accepted solution]

Yes, that is correct, you will eventually require new subscription essentials (base) licenses. The Oct 31st 2023 date is also within a month of when the expected software support will end for ISE 2.7. The published lifecycle indicates that ISE versions will be supported for four years from the initial release, and ISE 2.7 released Nov 18th 2019. This means expect ISE 2.7 EOS/EOL to be announced for around Nov 18 2023. 

Keep in mind that most deployments also won't need quite as many base/essentials licenses as before. An endpoint using an advantage/premier license won't require an essentials license. 

[Ditter · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the reply.

From my point of view (and my company's point of view) it is quite unfair to have paid for perpetual licenses and finally ending up to pay subscription fees for these lisences. 

I know the ISE 3.0 is a new product but at least for basic 802.1x functionality, i would expect Cisco to follow the current model , that is perpetual base licenses with no fees.

Anyway, the solution would be for many customers to upgrade up to ISE 2.7 or lower and keep their base lisences but as i understand in case you have smart licensing even this is not a option?

Thanks,

Ditter.

[andy!doesnt!like!uucp]

Hi Damien

most of our customers have 10K+ Base licenses purchased. Utilization varies per customer with cases like 6K of maximum usage from 10K purchased, but this was mainly question of accurate licensing optimization per customer before license purchase (coz definitely after purchasing 10K Base-licenses & resulting in 6K maximum usage optimization is not n option at all).

At the moment neither customers nor we as supporters understand what is the benefit/compensation to customer for switching previously perpetual licenses to periodically paid those? I guess some explanation is behind your statement "Keep in mind that most deployments also won't need quite as many base/essentials licenses as before". But i dont understand it. Could u pls clarify?

tnx in advance

[craiglebutt]

Hi

Same here, I'm just updating, had to go to 2.7 because have to start paying for licences next year.

The customer wont understand it, and already looking at moving looking at alternatives products

cheers

[andy!doesnt!like!uucp]

Hi Craig

the problem is that with 2.7 u win few or nothing because "ISE 2.7 EOS/EOL to be announced for around Nov 18 2023" vs Oct 31st 2023 of Base-license to be switched to periodically payable in 3.0 :0(

[carlos.perez1]

Hi experts

I agree with all of you, I have a client where they have 40000 base licenses and a 3495 appliance, which we are going to migrate to 3695 and rehost their current base licenses. And I am surprised that ISE 3.0 will only support Base licensing (which will now be Essential) in subscription mode and will only be valid until October 2023.

I will have to update it to ISE in version 2.7 and see what actions the client will take if they want to migrate it to 3.0 knowing that their perpetual licenses will go to subscription mode or stay in 2.7 with their perpetual base licenses.

Regards

Carlos P.

[Damien Miller]

Yes, that is certainly a consideration that has to be made. The base licenses themselves will not expire, but they would have to stay on 2.7 to continue using them and 2.7 will eventually go end of support. 

If all they have are base licenses, then that's tough because it's a new cost.
If the customer had 40k base, and 40k plus, then there would be no difference. You would end up with 40k advantage that expire at the same time the plus would have needed renewal.