Solved: Eval to Perm Enterprise License Upgrade on 4500x VSS Pair

Ken D · ‎03-16-2016

Hi there everyone! We ran into a bit of a bind during a maintenance the other night while trying to apply some newly obtained permanent enterprise licenses to a pair of vss'd 4500x switches. We were going from IP Base to Enterprise however the .lic files were returning an error when we tried to install them. To be able to continue with the rest of the work that needed to be done that night, we ended up activating the enterprise eval licenses on the switches. I have since rectified the .lic files issue through TAC however I was curious if we could just apply these to the switches without having to go through the whole severing the vss pair first and then applying the licenses since they'd technically be going from Ent to Ent. I understand that we'll have to reboot the switches for the new licenses to take effect but does anyone know if vss would complain of a license mismatch in this situation?

thanks in advance for any information!

Madhukrishnan Gopinathan Nair · ‎03-17-2016

Hello Ken,

i have not tetsted/worked on such a case, but I would say be prepared for it as it may or may not report it as a license mismatch.

I know you already know how to upgrade license on VSS, however this is the CCO

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/15-1-2/XE_340/configuration/guide/config/vss.html#wp1440338

License Upgrade on a VSS

When previous license is about to expire, or a new license is to be installed, you need to perform the license update procedure for VSS.

Step 1 Shutdown all non-VSL ports of the VSS standby and perform a "write memory" to save the configuration. When non-VSL ports of the VSS standby are shutdown, the VSS standby is effectively removed from the network.

Step 2 Install a new license on the VSS active. The VSS standby may enter into RPR mode provided the license level is not "good enough" for compatibility with newly installed license on VSS active.

Step 3 Shut down VSL ports on the VSS active.

Caution

Shutting down the VSL ports on the VSS active detaches the standby, which might transition to the VSS active. If not, reload the VSS standby and allow it boot as the VSS active.

Note A VSS standby booting as the active does not pose a network problem because all non-VSL ports are shutdown.

Step 4 Install the license on the former VSS standby, the one also functioning as the active.

Note During this time, the VSS active operates without interruption.

Step 5 Ensure that the VSL ports of the VSS standby are not administratively down (At this point, the the VSS standby is also functioning as the active, although all non-VSL ports are shutdown).

Step 6 Reboot the VSS standby.

Step 7 While the VSS standby switch boots, unshut the VSL ports on the active switch. The original VSS standby switch boots as the VSS standby.

Step 8 When the VSS standby achieves SSO-HOT, open all shutdown ports sequentially.

Step 9 Failover the chassis to bring the VSS pair license to the correct level.

This reloads the current VSS active and forces the VSS standby to take over as the VSS active with the new license level.

License install and subsequent VSS formation are now complete.

Thanks,

Madhu

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Madhukrishnan Gopinathan Nair · ‎03-17-2016