9800 Licensing

[lcaruso]

Trying to get a parts list together for a 9800 purchase. Account team is not getting back to us on these questions:

Do we need two DTLS licenses with 9800-40 SSO configuration?
Do the 9800s need DNA licenses as do the APs?

Thanks in advance.

[Arshad Safrulla · Accepted solution]

1. You need 2Qty of LIC-C9800-DTLS-K9, It's zero cost line item, so there is no harm in having two. As of now no DTLS licenses are required for SSO.

2. DNA licenses are not required in the controller. You need to have it only for the AP's.

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

---

@Arshad Safrulla wrote:

You need to have it only for the AP's.

---

APs do not need to be purchased with DNA License. 

There are some AP SKU/PID that "opts out" DNA License.  

For 9130, use the SKU/PID of "C9130AX-DNA-OPTOUT" with a value of $0.00.

[Arshad Safrulla]

Hi Leo, you can select this option only when AP is running EWC or registering to an EWC as EWC doesn't require any licenses if it is not SDA.

Alternatively you can select the optout under the AP and you can order the same part number as separate line item if the AP is registering to a Catalyst 9800 WLC of any kind. So basically it is the same think, but you work hard for it.

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@Arshad Safrulla wrote:

Hi Leo, you can select this option only when AP is running EWC or registering to an EWC as EWC doesn't require any licenses if it is not SDA.

---

I have >500 x 9130ax (>1000 x 4800) with CAPWAP image (and NOT on SDA) and I never paid a single cent of DNA License.  

[Arshad Safrulla]

is your 9130's registered to a Air3504/5520 or 8540? If yes then this is expected.

OP was more concerned about AP's with 9800 WLC. Thus I bought up only 9800 license scenarios.

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

---

@Arshad Safrulla wrote:

is your 9130's registered to a Air3504/5520 or 8540? If yes then this is expected.

---

No, some of them are registered to 9800-80.

We have just recently put an order for some 9130ax and our BoM with the line item of C9130AX-DNA-OPTOUT was accepted by the vendor (and Cisco).  

Allow me to end this topic, right here and right now:  There is an SKU, C9130AX-DNA-OPTOUT, and it is valid.  Up to the buyer (and @lcaruso) to apply to the BoM (or not).

[lcaruso]

Thank you for all the inputs, both of you.

If we do not use DNA Center (and will not use it until it can import production configurations) and we do not use Prime Infrastructure, is there any benefit to having DNA licenses? The literature I have come across made it sound like the APs would not function without it, so that is obviously incorrect. On the 9300s, for example, there were advanced networking capabilities that were not available without DNA-Advantage licenses.

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

---

@lcaruso wrote:
is there any benefit to having DNA licenses?

---

The only people who benefit is Cisco.  I think this was a "marketing" gimmick to introduce buyers to DNA Centre and I believe DNA developing team only get a trickle (of the DNA license proceeds) but not everything. 

---

@lcaruso wrote:
The literature I have come across made it sound like the APs would not function without it, so that is obviously incorrect.

---

The objective (of how the literature is phrased) is to "encourage" customers to buy the DNA License even though customers do/will not need DNAC and do/will not see any benefit of having one.  Not everyone knows about the DNA-OPTOUT SKU.  

For Catalyst routers and switches, DNA License is mandatory "tax" -- There is not OPTOUT that I am aware of.  

[Leo Laohoo]

@lcaruso, 

Tell me what APs you are after and I will try to find the DNA-OPTOUT SKU/PID.

[lcaruso]

Thanks! They want the 9120s for the US regulatory domain.

[lcaruso]

C9120AXI-B.

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

---

@lcaruso wrote:

C9120AXI-B.

---

9120?  That's easy:  C9120AX-DNA-OPTOUT

If you do not have access to CCW, pop the SKU into any search engine and the description should read like this:  CISCO DNA SUBSCRIPTION OPTOUT for C9120AX

[Rich R]

My understanding is that DNA license is mandatory for all APs on 9800.  It says so here (although even the answer is badly worded):
https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/software/one-wireless-subscription/nb-06-dna-acces-wl-sw-faq-ctp-en.html#CiscoDNASoftwaresubscriptionforwireless (Updated:September 22, 2021)

Q.  Is a software subscription license mandatory for wireless? What options are available to customers?

A.  Any access point connecting to Catalyst 9800 Series wireless controllers and/or Cisco DNA Center requires Cisco DNA subscription software.

The fact that you can use them without the license now is immaterial to what you should be doing to remain in license compliance.  But I agree that the info is confusing and misleading and DNA licensing (along with smart licensing) is a confusing mess.  Even Cisco staff struggle to understand it all.

I believe the opt-out was created for those customers who already have enterprise service contracts which already cover the network & software support component of the license, and will not be using DNA centre features. Or those who ordered licenses separately via another method or migrate the licenses from other APs - one of the few advantages of smart licensing.

Whatever you do - get it confirmed to be correct in writing/email from your account team to cover you in future.  If Cisco suddenly implements license enforcement and you find yourself needing to buy thousands of licenses you'll need that.

[ahmad.syed]

Hi @Leo Laohoo ,

So for AP registration on 9800 , Do we require any license or not ? If yes which one . We have mix of 2700 APs and 9100 series