ISR 4000 Performance and Boost licenses?

[Sergey Tarasevich]

Hi all. I have a question. I have default throughput license for ISR4451 and I want to upgrade to the boost license. I have to buy the boost license only or two licenses at a time (performance+boost)?

[j.hammel]

Negative.  If you buy the boost license it puts you up at the boost level, bypassing the performance level.  You do not need to purchase performance AND boost licenses.  We have done exactly this (just buy the boost to get the entire throughput unlocked) on many ISR4331 routers.  Hope this helps...

[colinmsmith53]

What kind of throughput do you see with the license. I was thinking of getting a few rather than go to 4431's with the performance license for cost savings.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

See table 4 in: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/routers/4000-series-integrated-services-routers-isr/data_sheet-c78-732542.html

Of course, keep in mind your "mileage" might vary.

[casanavep]

Joseph,

Are there SLA/packet delivery implications to utilizing the boost features?  Cisco previously conveyed that licensing limitations and performance capping strongly protected one IOS-XE feature, service, micro-service, or daemon from impacting another, by putting strong resource protections in place.  This supposedly provided higher performance predictability when enabling features such as NAT, IPSEC, PBR, NetFlow/FnF, etc.  Are we as safe from an SLA guarantee perspective in an environment with these enhanced features enabled along side active boost licensing?

Pete 

P.S.  Colin, I hope all is going well my friend!  Keep in touch

[Joseph W. Doherty]

Ah, good question about SLAs!

You're lose SLA guarantees with a boost license. Basically, you're running the device like the prior gen of ISRs. Capacity/throughput can vary widely based on your traffic mix and configuration.

[DominikPecak]

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@j.hammel wrote:

Negative.  If you buy the boost license it puts you up at the boost level, bypassing the performance level.  You do not need to purchase performance AND boost licenses.  We have done exactly this (just buy the boost to get the entire throughput unlocked) on many ISR4331 routers.  Hope this helps...

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What about following parts of ISR 4000 datasheet:

"In addition to the Performance License, customers may now order a Booster (or Boost) License that allows the router to perform between five or more times than that of the throughput with Performance License."

"The Boost License provides a license tier above the Performance License allowing customers to completely remove the ISR4000’s performance limiters."

BOOST is not add-on to PERF license?

[kristy.self]

I have a questions regarding the boost license.  We currently have the perf license but want to upgrade to the boost.  Is there an upgrade license for perf to boost or do I just need to purchase the boost license and take a loss on the previously purchased perf license?

[casanavep]

Cisco has not provided a migration path.  That said, you can likely transfer the licensing to another router with Cisco's assistance.  This would allow you to move another ISR 4K of the "same model" to PERF to protect your investment. 

Pete