Cisco Unity Connection DNS Licensing Warning

[dancumming]

We have recently switched from an on premise Exchange server to Office 365.  I am trying to configure Unified Message (voicemail to email) on our Unity Connection box.  We are using version 8.6.2ES25.21900-25.  The Cisco.com guide states that DNS should be set up on the Unity.  I checked and we don't have any DNS servers specified on our Unity.  I went through the CLI to add our DNS server IP but when running the command "set network DNS primary xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx" I received the message "WARNING: Changing this setting will invalidate software license on this server.  The license will have to be re-hosted."

What does this mean?  Do I need a new license simply to add a DNS server IP to my Unity?  How should I proceed?  Thanks.

[Aaron Harrison · Accepted solution]

Hi

Yes, prior to v9, the license is tied to a MAC address that is generated based on system name, IP, etc - one of the params is the primary DNS server.

So you'll need to get a new license from Cisco. This is FOC; just send them your original license MAC (from the primary Unity box 'show status' command now) and the new one you get from the same place after you change the DNS server.

They'll issue you a new license. You get a decent grace period to allow the system to run whilst that process completes but I'd normally do it in the maintenance window you have for the reconfiguration anyway.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/voice_ip_comm/connection/8x/administration/guide/8xcucsagx/8xcucsag310.html#44789

Aaron

[dancumming]

Thanks Aaron.  Do you know the length of the grace period? I just want to be sure that I can apply this command and it won't have any negative immediate effect.

[Jaime Valencia]

The link Aaron posted answers that:

The old licenses continue to work for a 30-day grace period.

[dancumming]

Thanks everyone.  I received the license files from Cisco, applied, and that resolved the issue.