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Wireless AIR DNA License

Dear Cisco Community

Kindly ask

my customer is planning to have new WLC 9800 and the access point 9120AXI and they also want to buy AIR-DNA License for their existing AP 2802

the questions are
1. can the existing AP join WLC9800 by using AIR DNA License?
2. what will happen if the AIR DNA License expires, will the APs Stop working?

any suggestions are appreciated

Thank you 

 

2 Accepted Solutions

Accepted Solutions

Leo Laohoo
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

@febryoponcosulistyo wrote:
can the existing AP join WLC9800 by using AIR DNA License?

APs are not dependent on DNA License to join the WLC.  

 


@febryoponcosulistyo wrote:
what will happen if the AIR DNA License expires, will the APs Stop working?

Nothing is going to the happen to the AP when the DNA License expires.

A lot of people who do not have DNAC appliance have been doing this:  They buy DNAC license for the AP, router or switch and they let the DNA license expire.

View solution in original post

JPavonM
VIP
VIP

1. can the existing AP join WLC9800 by using AIR DNA License?

Yes they will as far as the AP models are supported by the code version you'll be running in C9800
2. what will happen if the AIR DNA License expires, will the APs Stop working?

No they won't as the Network Essential license is always there but all integrations with DNAC will stop (AI-Enhanced RRM, aWIPS alerts)

View solution in original post

13 Replies 13

Leo Laohoo
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

@febryoponcosulistyo wrote:
can the existing AP join WLC9800 by using AIR DNA License?

APs are not dependent on DNA License to join the WLC.  

 


@febryoponcosulistyo wrote:
what will happen if the AIR DNA License expires, will the APs Stop working?

Nothing is going to the happen to the AP when the DNA License expires.

A lot of people who do not have DNAC appliance have been doing this:  They buy DNAC license for the AP, router or switch and they let the DNA license expire.

Hi Leo,

Thank you for your kind answer 

ok well noted with many thanks

Best Regards,

Febry

JPavonM
VIP
VIP

1. can the existing AP join WLC9800 by using AIR DNA License?

Yes they will as far as the AP models are supported by the code version you'll be running in C9800
2. what will happen if the AIR DNA License expires, will the APs Stop working?

No they won't as the Network Essential license is always there but all integrations with DNAC will stop (AI-Enhanced RRM, aWIPS alerts)

Hi @JPavonM 

Thank you for your kind answer 

ok well noted with many thanks

Best Regards,

Febry

balaji.bandi
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

1. can the existing AP join WLC9800 by using AIR DNA License?  - check the matrix.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/wireless/compatibility/matrix/compatibility-matrix.html

2. what will happen if the AIR DNA License expires, will the APs Stop working?

After the subscription expiry, the AP License remains the same, DNA feature may not work. if you are not using DNAC and SD-Access you do no need to worry.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/catalyst-9100ax-access-points/guide-c07-742134.html

 

BB

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eglinsky2012
Level 3
Level 3

Besides the DNA functionality not working anymore if the license expires or if there never was a license, wouldn’t we be out of compliance for having APs associated to the controller without a license? The older controllers had perpetual licenses for a quantity of APs, but my understanding is the DNA subscription replaces that, and we would not be in compliance with their licensing terms if we did not have DNA subscriptions for the APs (either per AP or an enterprise agreement). That’s what our Cisco reps are telling us, anyway. I am holding off migrating our APs to our new 9800s until we get an enterprise agreement figured out, to avoid legal issues being out of compliance for unlicensed APs, but if this is something that we can legally do, I am all ears.


@eglinsky2012 wrote:
wouldn’t we be out of compliance for having APs associated to the controller without a license?

If the WLC does not have an AP license count, the APs would not join the controller.  AP count license is really different.  A WLC is a WLC.  A WLC either has an AP or not.  And this question is answered by the AP count license.  

I would recommend reaching out to your Cisco AM/SE for more information about the confusing world of Smart License. Just remember that Cisco Smart License is just a start.  It is not going to get easier it will only get worse (going forward).


@Leo Laohoo wrote:

I would recommend reaching out to your Cisco AM/SE for more information about the confusing world of Smart License.


I did, that's who I meant by our Cisco reps. They led me to believe what I outlined above. In other words, my understanding is there is no AP count license per 9800 WLC. The only license is DNA/smart licensing now. And if we don't have those licenses, we're out of compliance, even though the equipment functions. We don't have DNA yet, just Prime for now.

I just would like to start (legally) using the 9800s now, but I have no idea how long it will take to get an enterprise agreement approved. I only have one test AP associated now, but there are no licensing warnings, I assume since our WLCs don't have Internet access and we don't have a licensing server/DNA onsite. But I suspect that lack of warnings doesn't necessarily mean we're compliant.

Would love to get clarification on this if anyone knows this stuff.

I would be getting a second opinion from someone up the tree. 

It is of no surprise to anyone Cisco staff are getting confused with Smart License.  

Rich R
VIP
VIP

So this DNA licensing is a mess and really not well documented either and difficult to get your head around - not least because it's done differently on every platform.
1. You require a DNA license for every AP which joins a 9800 WLC - period.  (Maybe EA will provide you with those licenses free/included, I don't know, but you will still require 1 license per AP)

2.  When you buy the DNA license you get the subscription/term license which expires + it comes (by default) with the network license (network essentials or network advantage) which does not expire.  This is covered in the first Licensing and migration FAQ at https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/wireless/catalyst-9100ax-access-points/nb-06-802-11ax-faq-cte-en.html#Ordering:
"Upon expiration of the Cisco DNA license, the Cisco DNA features will expire, whereas Network Essentials and Network Advantage features will remain."

So you MUST have DNA licenses, but you can let them expire and still use the APs on 9800 as long as you don't need to use DNAC or any other DNA features (pretty much every add-on now is being branded as DNA so will only work with DNA license)

ps when you order the licenses make sure you get both components.  Someone posted on here a while back - his Cisco reseller had somehow managed to order the DNA license without the network component and left him effectively unlicensed and it was a drama to sort out.  By default when you order the license from Cisco it will include:

AIR-DNA-A or AIR-DNA-E Wireless Cisco DNA On-Prem Advantage/Essentials, Term Lic
+
AIR-DNA-NWSTACK-A or AIR-DNA-NWSTACK-E AIR CISCO DNA Perpetual Network Stack
That second component is the perpetual bit which doesn't expire.
 
Then in your Smart Licensing account you'll see you get:
Aironet DNA Advantage Term Licenses
Aironet DNA Essentials Term Licenses
AP Perpetual Networkstack Advantage
AP Perpetual Networkstack Essentials
When an AP joins the WLC the crucial one to be compliant is the Networkstack license.

Thanks for the info, Rich. Gotta love this DNA and subscription awesomeness, anything to make the stockholders happy.

As an aside, with an enterprise agreement, we can use the DNA-OPTOUT option when ordering APs moving forward since it would be included in the EA.

I sent a link to your reply to my SE to double-check my previous understanding. They say that DNA subscriptions serve to license the WAPs to work with the WLC (like adder licenses previously) and to license the WAPs to work with DNAC. An active DNA subscription is required and expired APs do not qualify.

They linked to this DNA licensing FAQs with the following highlights. https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/software/one-wireless-subscription/nb-06-dna-acces-wl-sw-faq-ctp-en.html

Q. What is the licensing strategy for the Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers?

A. Any access point connecting to a Catalyst 9800 Series WLC needs Cisco DNA Software. Customers can get Cisco DNA Essentials or Advantage.

Q.  Several customers believe that when their subscription expires, a Catalyst 9000 switch will not work. Can you confirm if Layer 2/Layer 3 services will work if the license has expired?

A. Yes, the switch will continue to function; however, the customers will not be entitled to receive updates/upgrades for the functionality in the Cisco DNA stack. Customers must renew their subscription to continue to get access to the Cisco DNA innovation. Layer 2/Layer 3 services will continue working, and customers are entitled to receive updates/upgrades for this functionality, as they are tied with the perpetual network OS: Network Advantage or Network Essentials.

Q. If a customer does not renew their Cisco DNA license at time of expiration, can they purchase Software Support Service (SWSS) for their Network Essentials license to continue getting support on their APs?

A. No, they will need to renew their Cisco DNA license for access to TAC support, OS support and OS updates. If they decide not to renew the Cisco DNA license, it is recommended that the customer purchases Smart Net Total Care (SNTC) for both the AP and controller. With SNTC, the customer will receive hardware technical support, including OS support, software updates, and Next Business Day Return Materials Authorization (RMA)

Rich R
VIP
VIP

Yep - welcome to the perpetual nightmare of smart and DNA licensing.  Constantly changing and confusing pretty much everybody.  What's even more hilarious is we keep getting told that we wanted it and customers love it but every customer I've ever met hates it and I've seen many say so directly to Cisco staff in face to face meetings/sessions.

We already have a master service agreement (something like EA) so that covers the TAC/hardware/software support for us already.
We still had to "buy" the DNA licenses and you will also have to, one way or the other, because the WLC will request an AP license from Smart Licensing for each AP regardless - so you must have the licenses deposited in your smart account.  So they may be zero rated against the EA (I think this is actually how they do it).  Either they'll add a bunch of AP DNA licenses directly to your smart account or more likely I think you'll still need to order the licences with the APs and they'll zero rate them if you have the EA already.


@Rich R wrote:
What's even more hilarious is we keep getting told that we wanted it and customers love it

Accounts team not knowing what the customer really wants (or needs), hence, picture below.

what-could-possibly-go-wrong-cutting-fail.jpg  

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