Cisco 9300 - Network Essentials Multicast

[simoesmarco8626982]

Hi everyone,

I'm a little confused with the Cisco licenses that I hope you can elucidate.

I have a network with Cisco Catalyst 9300 where two have the Network Advantage and 5 have the network essentials license. The network is running OSPF with around 70 routes (not much), and we want to have Multicast in place just in case is necessary to be used.

I configured in all the switches Auto RP and they are all using PIM Sparse Mode in the interfaces. I was able to configure everything in both the Cisco with the Essentials license and Advantage. 

Now, I was checking the leaflet from Cisco and it's mentioned that AutoRP is only available in the Advantage License, but I was able to configure in the essentials and I can see all the tunnels created and the RP correctly elected. I'm confused...

Will multicast work correctly in both Essentials and Advantage licenses? 

Thank you

[balaji.bandi]

As per I know Essential supports Multicast (but there is a limit of 1000 routes - last I saw)

I would also check the License again, is there any eval license installed on switches?

Only need network advantage if you looking AutoRP Enhancement ( as I am aware)

https://cfnng.cisco.com/

[simoesmarco8626982]

Thank you @balaji.bandi , 1000 routes I think should be enough.

I don't have much experience in multicast, just to confirm, imagine I have 100 devices, and all devices join the same group 232.1.1.1 let's suppose, this would be considered one route or it would be considered 100? 

Wasn't aware of this website https://cfnng.cisco.com/, but it's extremely useful

The license scheme from Cisco as been really confusing for us specially the smart licensing. We are forced to buy DNA when we are not going to use it. Then the activation process is a nightmare, the switch gets linked to an account that I don't have access to... so I can't activate the switch using smart since I have literally no access, so the switches are running in it's perpetual license but bot activated using SMART.

The license in the switch is as per below:

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

network-essentials (C9300L 24P Network Essentials):
Description: C9300L 24P Network Essentials
Count: 1
Version: 1.0
Status: IN USE
Export status: NOT RESTRICTED
Feature Name: network-essentials
Feature Description: C9300L 24P Network Essentials
Enforcement type: NOT ENFORCED
License type: Perpetual

dna-essentials (C9300L 24P DNA Essentials):
Description: C9300L 24P DNA Essentials
Count: 1
Version: 1.0
Status: IN USE
Export status: NOT RESTRICTED
Feature Name: dna-essentials
Feature Description: C9300L 24P DNA Essentials
Enforcement type: NOT ENFORCED
License type: Subscription

But there's one thing that further confuses me, I can change the license to boot in Advanatage using the command below:

license boot level network-advantage addon dna-advantage 

This would mean that the switch will always work as Advantage from now on? Or it will run for a certain period and then revert back to essentials? 

Thank you

[balaji.bandi]

regarding routes , yes or no depends how you deploying  - you need to deploy and monitor.

yes - license boot level network-advantage addon dna-advantage 

this change to next level - but do you have License for that, if not cisco complaince issue.

[simoesmarco8626982]

For this switches they were bought with Network Essentials, but just tried passing one to Advantage and it worked. This would mean that the switch was not compliant and the switch would revert to essentials afterwards? Cisco would cancel the account? I honestly have no clue how the licensing scheme works, since I can't activate anything on the Cisco website. 

[balaji.bandi]

it works for time, when that expires features will be roled back to essentials.

you can use wth network advantage as i mentioned its compliance and legal issue.