no 5 free domain after ucs central 1.2(1a) activation

[raven428c]

I did all actions described here, but the grace period is still increasing:

ucs00(service-reg) /license # show usage detail
License instance: UCS_CENTRAL_ACTIVATION_PKG
    Scope: Server
    Default: 5
    Total Quant: 5
    Used Quant: 0
    State: License Ok
    Peer Count Comparison: No Peer
    Grace Used: 0

License instance: UCS_CENTRAL_DOMAIN_REGN_PKG
    Scope: Server
    Default: 5
    Total Quant: 5
    Used Quant: 5
    State: License Graceperiod
    Peer Count Comparison: No Peer
    Grace Used: 1184400

What did I wrong? Why it does not using UCS_CENTRAL_ACTIVATION_PKG licenses?

[Walter Dey]

The documentation is very clear:

Cisco UCS Central Software User Manual, Release 1.2
First Published: July 23, 2014
Last Modified: July 25, 2014

Domain licenses for each registered Cisco UCS Domains enable you to manage the domains from Cisco UCS Central. You can manage the Cisco UCS domain licenses using both Cisco UCS Central GUI and CLI.

Grace Period
When you start using Cisco UCS Central for the first time, you can register up to five Cisco UCS domains for free, for up to 120 days grace period. If you register any domain after the fifth, you get a 120 grace period for each new registered domain. After the grace period ends, you need an active domain license to manage the domain using Cisco UCS Central. The grace period is measured from the day you register the Cisco UCS domain until the day you obtain and install a license.
The use of grace period for a registered Cisco UCS domain is stored in the system. Unregistering a domain from the system does not reset the grace period. For example, if you register a domain for free and use 40 days of the grace period unregister after 40 days, the system records the 40 days in association with that domain. If you register this Cisco UCS domain again, the grace period for the domain resumes and indicates that 40 days have been used. You must obtain and install a license before the grace period expires. If you did not obtain a license before the grace period expires, the system generates multiple faults as a reminder to procure a license.

License Types
The following are the two available license types:

• Initial License: Initial license includes the initial activation license for Cisco UCS Central and five
domain licenses. After installing the initial license, you cannot delete it from the system. You can still
delete the download task for the initial license, that does not have any impact on the initial license
installation status.
• Domain License: If you plan to register more than five domains in Cisco UCS Central, you must purchase domain licenses. After obtaining and downloading the domain licenses, when you register a Cisco UCS domain, you can select the domain and assign a license.

• To obtain initial license use the license code L-UCS-CTR-INI=.
• To obtain domain licenses use the license code L-UCS-CTR-LIC=.

[raven428c]

I readed this part of manual, but still did not understood. If I can register up to five domains for up to 120 day grace period and next domains also for up 120 days of grace period, then where is the difference between first five domains and next registered domains (6, 7, 8 and so on)?

Description of Inital License at next paragraph reads: Initial license includes the initial activation license for Cisco UCS Central and five domain licenses. Here is no words about grace period for this domains, so I guess it's free domains. Am I wrong?

Also, as I showed at usage details the UCS_CENTRAL_ACTIVATION_PKG have 5 domains, but 0 is used. Why is it that? Is it possible to force my domains to use UCS_CENTRAL_ACTIVATION_PKG license instance?

[Walter Dey]

Maybe the Best practice document is more clear:

Cisco UCS Central Best Practices
Updated for Release 1.2(1a)
Revision 2.3.1 Aug 13, 2014

https://communities.cisco.com/servlet/JiveServlet/download/35264-5-73372/UCS%20Central%20Best%20Practices%20v2.3.1.pdf

UCS Central licensing

With UCS Central, the first 5 domains (L-UCS-CTR-INI=) are currently licensed at no charge and additional domains (L-UCS-CTR-LIC=) beyond the 5th domain, at a charge. Support for the initial or additional domains is available as a paid option with the licenses. There is a 120-day “grace period” after the registration of the first domain. Any number of domains can be registered during the “grace period”. After the expiration of the grace period, a license will be required for continuous operations.
After the 120 day trial period, an initial license (“L-UCS-CTR-INI=”) can be purchased that is good for 5 domains through the standard ordering process. At this time, the INI= license is $0, not including support. Additional licenses – beyond the first 5 domains – can be purchased using “L-UCS-CTR-LIC=”.
Additional charges for support/maintenance may also be required. Failure to activate licenses may result in faults being generated in UCSM, indicating that the domain has ended its grace period. Licenses may be purchased through the same channels as other Cisco products.

[raven428c]

This document is more clear, but I still did not understood: after the 120 day of trial period will my five UCS managers move under UCS_CENTRAL_ACTIVATION_PKG license or will all operations with it be stopped?

[Walter Dey]

after this 120 days trial period, you have to install the 0$ license for the first 5 UCS domains. as far as I remember, there is no service interuption if you don't do it; however, your log files will fill up with error messages (btw. same behaviour with FI port licenses).
 

[raven428c]

I already purchased and installed $0 license (L-UCS-CTR-INI=) which showns as UCS_CENTRAL_ACTIVATION_PKG in "show usage detail" at my first post of this thread. My five UCS managers not use this license (Used Quant: 0) and work in grace period. So my question is still valid: will my UCS managers move under this $0 license only after grace period or do I something wrong with licensing of UCS central?

[Walter Dey]

Sorry, for not reading clearly your poste; you have done everything correctly !

This has been discussed before (earlier version)

https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/11883016/licensing-ucs-central-111a

One solution of the persistent problem was

I had this exact issue, all was fine except the alerts would not go away.  
I restarted UCS Central and the errors cleared within 5 minutes.

Can you please try this ?

[raven428c]

I restared UCS Central and now "Used Quant" became 5 under UCS_CENTRAL_ACTIVATION_PKG. Should grace period not grow anymore?

[Walter Dey]

The nasty error message should stop now ! maybe you should just wait a couple of minutes !

[raven428c]

After 20 hours I decided to look into UCS Central license state and I see again same issue:

ucs00# connect service-reg
ucs00(service-reg)# scope license
ucs00(service-reg) /license # show usage detail
License instance: UCS_CENTRAL_ACTIVATION_PKG
    Scope: Server
    Default: 5
    Total Quant: 5
    Used Quant: 0
    State: License Ok
    Peer Count Comparison: No Peer
    Grace Used: 0

License instance: UCS_CENTRAL_DOMAIN_REGN_PKG
    Scope: Server
    Default: 5
    Total Quant: 5
    Used Quant: 5
    State: License Graceperiod
    Peer Count Comparison: No Peer
    Grace Used: 1267200

What happened? Why is "Used Quant" at UCS_CENTRAL_ACTIVATION_PKG zero again? I did not do something, just restarted the UCS Central.

[Walter Dey]

Open a TAC case !

Not clear what the difference of

UCS_CENTRAL_ACTIVATION_PKG

and

UCS_CENTRAL_DOMAIN_REGN_PKG

is.

[jvanewyk · Accepted solution]

I ran this by the license expert in the UCS Central team. Installing the licenses are a two part step - download the license to the UCS Central instance, and then click on it and select install. The screen shot is similar to a system where the UCS_Central_Activation_Pkg license has not been installed. When the license was installed on our test system, the UCS_Central_Activation_Pkg licenses were used and the grace period dropped to 0.

Additional details on installing a license are part of the UCS Central Software User's Guide at http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/ucs-central/users-manual/1-2/b_CiscoUCSCentral-Software-UserManual-Release1-2/b_CiscoUCSCentral-Software-UserManual-Release1-2_chapter_010.html.

We have seen this problem with several customers and are working to enhance the experience in a future release.

UCS_Central_Activation_Pkg license is linked to the L-UCS-CTR-INI= PID.

If this doesn't resolve the problem, I would recommend opening a TAC case.

[raven428c]

Here was an issue: I uploaded, but not installed license (mouse right click on license, install). Now grace period dropped down to 0 and grow no more. Thank you!