SMART Licensing status of 9k registered switches showing Registration Not Applicable after IOS XE upgrade to 17.3.3

[Abhi@BT]

We are facing smart licensing registration issue with 9k switches already registered with on-prem satellite server after upgrading the IOS XE to latest IOS version.

After IOS upgrade on 9300 / 9200L switch models from IOS XE 16.9/16.12 to latest IOS XE 17.3.3, below is visible in show version output and already registered device with On-prem satellite server is not shown as registered/authorized to smart licensing now.

show version output contains below after IOS upgrade to 17.3.3 - 

Smart Licensing Status: Registration Not Applicable/Not Applicable

show version output contains below before IOS upgrade (existing IOS 16.12.4) - 

Smart Licensing Status: REGISTERED/AUTHORIZED

Technology Package License Information:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Technology-package                                               Technology-package
Current                                      Type                       Next reboot
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
network-essentials               Smart License              network-essentials
dna-essentials            Subscription Smart License   dna-essentials

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

Kindly read New Deployment Method for Smart Licensing.

Short story, after a lot of customer "feedback", Cisco has changed the way CSL works and this change starts from 17.3.2. 

[Abhi@BT]

Thanks Leo for quick help

[Eric R.]

Abhi@BT  I actually wrote something up for someone else who had an identical issue. Smart Licensing Enhanced shouldn't make things more complicated. In fact, it simplifies addresses a lot of the caveats of the previous version. Just make sure to stay up to date with any Smart Licensing changes going forward as it will become a necessity in your environment.

See my answer in the following post: https://community.cisco.com/t5/switching/c9200l-24p-4x-switch-smart-license-is-showing-registration-not/m-p/4413327#M505818 

Best of luck!

[Abhi@BT]

Thanks Eric for the solution with detailed steps as well :).

We are using on-prem server which needs upgrade as well for accepting IOS XE 17.3.2a and onwards.