ISRWAAS & VWAAS License Features

[Samrat Bose]

Hello Experts,

I need a helpful advice regarding VWAAS-RTU-1300 and ISRWAAS-RTU-750 license. Recently I've purchased a Cisco ISR 4331 router, with which I have got these two licenses. Now I've done google several times about these license, but couldn't able to understand properly their usage and utilization in simple terms. Mostly what I understood is they are used for application optimization and etc. Can anyone among you guys please explain me in simple scenario or language with examples about what is the use of these two licenses and how can be benefited from them.

I have a network with some web-services applications runs in it and they are accessible from internet via my ASA5505 where I've done Static PAT (Port Forwarding) of those service. My internet connection is landed on the ASA5505.

My next doubt is if I place the 4331 in front of the ASA5505 and make the internet connection terminate in it, can I do the same port forwarding activity in it as I've done in the ASA5505?

Kindly help me with your suggestions.

Thanks.

Samrat Bose.

[Giuseppe Larosa · Accepted solution]

Hello Samrat,

the WAAS is the first generation of WAN optimization devices / features developed by Cisco and  the foundation basis for IWAN the first generation of Cisco SD WAN ( now Cisco has acquired VIPTELA).

 1

You have written you have bought licenses for an ISR 4331 router. You need also the technology package AppX to be able to install and use those licenses.

see the ordering guide

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/routers/3900-series-integrated-services-routers-isr/guide_c07-726864.html

However, to take advantage of a WAAS you need to deploy it in pairs:

in central site you can have a dedicated WAAS appliance

in remote sites you can have an ISR  like yours with appropriate licenses and features installed.

This is clearly explained in the first pages of the following design guides for WAAS in ISR routers

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/solutions/CVD/Dec2013/CVD-ApplicationOptimizationUsingCiscoISR-WAASDesignGuide-DEC13.pdf

>>The design models in this guide are specific to remote sites that use the Cisco ISR4451-X router. Both single-router and dual-router remote-site topologies are supported. A prerequisite for this guide is the Application Optimization Using Cisco WAAS Technology Design Guide. This guide assumes that Cisco WAAS has already been deployed at the primary WAN-aggregation site.

>>

The reason is that the WAN optimization is performed using methods that actually you can see as a smart evolution of compression.

Traffic can be optimized between two network devices that use the same methods and that have a communication path between them.

The same happened in old times if you wanted to use payload compression between two devices.

The idea is the same.

So if you haven't deployed a WAAS appliance in central site, the WAAS features on the ISR 4331 cannot be used.

If you have a WAAS appliance in central site you should read also the companion design guide

https://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/solutions/CVD/Dec2013/CVD-ApplicationOptimizationUsingCiscoWAASDesignGuide-DEC13.pdf

note: these design guides are not the last ones.

So optimization can be performed for some applications only between sites both using the WAAS feature.

You cannot optimize traffic going to the public internet but only traffic between your sites.

If you have the WAAS appliance in central site and you want to deploy WAAS services I agree that you should put the ISR4331 device directly connected to the internet.

>> My next doubt is if I place the 4331 in front of the ASA5505 and make the internet connection terminate in it, can I do the same port forwarding activity in it as I've done in the ASA5505?

Yes, I think this is possible the command syntax may change in the router, but PAT and port forwarding are supported.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

[Samrat Bose]

Hi Giuseppe Larosa,

Thanks for the very valuable reply. Let me clear my scenario. I don't have any other sites/branches other than the one where the router is going to be connected. So, it means I've only one office/location where the 4331 is going to be connected. Even though I've asked (and you replied that part as well) about the Static PAT facility in 4331, but I've decided to connect the 4331 after ASA5505, because other than Port Forwarding of internal applications, ASA 5505 is also configured with AnyConnect licenses for RA SSL VPN, which is not available inside the 4331 ISR.

However, I'm okay with that, but still I've some doubts on the terminologies IWAN and SD-WAN.

I forgot to mention, yes, I've purchased APP-X license as well.

Please tell me in this scenario, what good performance of network activity my new router can give. I've the internet connection directly connected to the ASA5505 and then the same device will connect with the 4331. How all these licenses will help me to forward traffic to internet or whether in this type of topology, the licenses will come to any help at all.

Remember, I've no branch to connect to. Also, is there any ways that these licenses and this router help me to achieve a good VoIP sessions through third party software like Teamviewer, Zoom Meeting etc?

I'm actually confused and not convinced about the performance of this router and its licenses.

[Giuseppe Larosa · Accepted solution]

Hello Samrat,

good news is that you have the AppX license installed.

The bad news is that you have a single site scenario.

As I have explained in my previous post WAAS works between pairs of devices in different sites.

I'm afraid that the WAAS licenses are useless in your scenario.

At this point having put the ISR 4331 behind the ASA is a right design choice.

Do not care  about IWAN and SD WAN they are just names of similar technologies. I have just tried to put WAAS in context in a bigger picture.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

[Samrat Bose]

Hi,

Thanks again for your inputs. Just for last clarification, would you please help me with these questions..

I understood whatever you said and also understood that having 4331 is useless in this scenario. But still, as I cannot return it back, can I use the device to perform ZBF? Especially, can I use it to upgrade my current VoIP usages? I've seen some factory default QoS configs inside the device related to VoIP traffic classification and handling, will they work in this scenario or do they need to work only with WAAS?

Also, can I configure ZBF to control P2P traffics like BitTorrents?

Thanks a lot for all your valuable inputs.

Cheers.

Regards.

Samrat Bose.

[Giuseppe Larosa · Accepted solution]

Hello Samrat,

easy question first

>> I've seen some factory default QoS configs inside the device related to VoIP traffic classification and handling, will they work in this scenario or do they need to work only with WAAS?

the QoS configuration should work even without WAAS configured. You should have an AutoQoS for VOIP enabled I guess.

>> can I use the device to perform ZBF?

Have you got the security technology license installed on the device?

We need to check on the ordering guide if it is needed. I would expect you need this license to use ZBF.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

[Samrat Bose]

Hi,

Yes, I've security license installed in it. Which means I can configure ZBF, right?

Well, I haven't noticed any AutoQoS command in the startup-config, but let me see it once again. Only I can remember is there's a long list of C3PL commands for QoS configurations related to multimedia traffic - lying inside the startup-config. But let me see the config once again to find out whether AutoQoS command is configured or not.

Regarding license, I've seen there was something mentioned as security (momentarily I'm not near to the device to see, but will do that by morning), so I believe I can do ZBF.

Thanks again.

Samrat Bose.