Cisco DNA?

[BsYadav50]

Dear Friends:

We are switching to a Cisco 9800 Wireless Controller, however each access point now requires a yearly DNA licencing. Is this a new requirement? Do we require these permits? Just the feeling that everything now requires a subscription?

makes me furious!

192.168.1.1

[Mark Elsen]

 - Each access point requires two licenses : an Air Network License and AIR DNA license , note that these must not be renewed each year and are one-time based only through purchase , 

 M.

[Scott Fella]

Just to add. Like what @Mark Elsen mentioned, keep in mind that you keep the features for Network Essentials if you purchased DNA Essentials or you keep Network Advantage features if you purchased DNA Advantage. This is the same for switches so look at what you want to have after the subscription expires. 

[Rich R]

I'll add my bit ...

Buying a DNA license for each AP is mandatory.  That comes with the network and DNA component (check you get both - a while back somebody posted that his reseller only got the DNA component not the network component which took some time to resolve)

When you buy the license you select the subscription term 1/3/5/7 years but that only applies to the DNA component which is only required for DNAC.  The network component is perpetual and remains active even after the DNA component expires.  So if you do not intend to use DNAC or Cisco Spaces (Spaces license included with DNA license) then you can keep using the AP without DNA license so buy the shortest term available then let it expire.