2x C9500-24Y4c Licensing

[WiLL-I-Am]

I need to do NAT, Virtual stackwise, and routing protocols(OSPF) probably will be doing BGP in a few month as well...

I am unfamiliar with this new registration system, should I create instance tokens from Cisco Smart Account and insert it in the config?
what license do I need?  Network Advantage and DNA advantage?

9500#show version

Cisco IOS Software [Gibraltar], Catalyst L3 Switch Software (CAT9K_IOSXE), Version 16.12.1, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc4)

Technology Package License Information:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Technology-package                                     Technology-package

Current                        Type                       Next reboot 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

network-essentials      Smart License                    network-essentials 

dna-essentials          Subscription Smart License       dna-essentials               

AIR License Level: AIR DNA Advantage

Next reload AIR license Level: AIR DNA Advantage

Smart Licensing Status: UNREGISTERED/EVAL EXPIRED

[pieterh]

Catalyst 9K - Advantage vs. Essentials

advantage gives you : Full Routing Functionality BGP, HSRP, OSPF, ISIS,GLBP 

[balaji.bandi]

NAT other feature supported by Network Advantage.

But i want to more focus on NAT - this is Switch, so NAt has limitation carefully read before purchase, seen my experience required redesign the whole network if some of the feature not working as expected.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst9500/software/release/16-8/configuration_guide/ip/b_168_ip_9500_cg/b_168_ip_9500_cg_chapter_0111.html#concept_A4AB227AC35840A1ACE51453EDBACD3E

[WiLL-I-Am]

Your comment is much appreciated

1. Port Channel is not supported in NAT configuration(This alone makes this switch unusable for me, my uplink to ISP is a port channel)
2. NAT does not support translation of fragmented packets,
   I use MTU 9100 across the board, how can this be a problem in my environment?
3. The number of NAT flows whose activity can be tracked is limited to 14000
4. The maximum number of sessions that can be translated and forwarded in the hardware in an ideal setting is limited to 7000

can you give me the link to Cisco documentations for the last two bullet points that gives the maximum for FPR 4120, I couldn't find it myself...

[Mark_Herbert]

Hi, Yes you will need the Network Advantage and DNA advantage license level for BGP and Stackwise Virtual.

Regarding the licensing, most of the licensing commands are set on the switch by default. You will just need to ensure the switch can communicate out to https://tools.cisco.com and set the source interface under call-home.

You will need to generate a token on your CSSM Smart Account and apply it to the switch with:

Device# license smart register idtoken $Tl4UytrNXBzbEs1ck8veUtWaG5abnZJOFdDa1FwbVRa%0AblRMbz0%3D%0A

some useful show commands:

sh run | s call-home

sh lic status

Source: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst3850/software/release/16-9/configuration_guide/sys_mgmt/b_169_sys_mgmt_3850_cg/configuring_smart_licensing.html 

my experience is with 9200 switches, so may differ from 9500.

Hope this helps a bit

Mark