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Cisco NX-OS Licensing Overview

Generally, cisco license for Nexus switches that run Cisco NX-OS software can be achieved using the Cisco NX-OS Licensing. This types of licensing lets you to access certain premium features on your device after you install the appropriate license for that feature. Currently, the following licensing models are available for Cisco NX-OS devices like Cisco Nexus 9000 family:

Cisco NX-OS Licensing overview

Cisco Tier-Based Licenses

Cisco Tier-based licensing is available for some Cisco Nexus 9000 and 3000 Series switches. This type of licensing can be applied to both Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) and NX-OS standalone architectures where these switches is deployed. For Cisco Nexus platforms that do not support tier-based licensing, we offer only the NX-OS standalone feature-based licenses.

To see all Cisco Nexus Switch products, Cisco Nexus License

 

License Package

Features Included

Essentials
  • Fabric management features (DCNM LAN and PTP)
  • Fabric services features (iCAM, ITD, IP fabric for media non-blocking multicast, and smart channel)
  • Routing and switching features (BGP, EIGRP, GRE, IS-IS, MSDP, OSPF, PBR, PIM, SSM, VRF, VXLAN BGP EVPN, SRv6 (no EVPN), and SR-MPLS (no EVPN))
  • Telemetry features (NetFlow, FT, FTE, SSX)

Advantage

All features included in the Essentials package plus the following features:

  • Advanced fabric features (Pervasive Load Balancing and Tenant Routed Multicast)
  • DCI overlay features (Inter AS option B, segment routing SR-MPLS, Layer 3 EVPN over segment routing SRv6, MPLS Layer 3 VPN, and VXLAN EVPN Multi-Site)
  • Fabric services features (Enhanced PBR (EPBR))
  • RTP Flow Monitoring (Media Flow Analytics), PTP Monitoring, Multicast NAT

Premier

All features included in the Essentials and Advantage packages plus support for the Cisco Network Insights Advisor, Cisco Network Insights for Resources, and Cisco Network Assurance Engine.

 

The -XM licenses apply to modular switches; the -GF licenses apply to switches with less than 3.6 Tbps; the -XF licenses apply to switches with more than 3.6 Tbps and less than 6.4 Tbps; and the -XF2 licenses apply to switches with more than 6.4 Tbps.

Cisco Subscription-based

Furthermore, a subscription-based license allows you to purchase a license for a specific period of time based on your requirement. These licenses are available as an Essentials, Advantage, or Premier license package. Moreover, by using these licenses you have the opportunity to adjust/upgrade the terms of the license (such as moving from Advantage to Premier) at the time of license renewal such as NX-OS upgrade licenses.

For more information about Cisco products, Cisco License

The following options are available when you order an Essentials or Advantage package for Nexus 9000 family switches:

Cisco ONE subscription license for DCN (Cisco ACI+NX-OS) for 3, 5, or 7 years

License

1G Fixed Platforms (GF)

10G/25G/40G/100G Fixed Platforms (XF)

Cisco Nexus 9364C and 9300-GX Platforms (XF2)

Essentials package

C1E1TN9300GF-3Y

C1E1TN9300GF-5Y

C1E1TN9300GF-7Y

C1E1TN9300XF-3Y

C1E1TN9300XF-5Y

C1E1TN9300XF-7Y

C1E1TN9300XF2-3Y

C1E1TN9300XF2-5Y

C1E1TN9300XF2-7Y

Advantage package

C1A1TN9300GF-3Y

C1A1TN9300GF-5Y

C1A1TN9300GF-7Y

C1A1TN9300XF-3Y

C1A1TN9300XF-5Y

C1A1TN9300XF-7Y

C1A1TN9300XF2-3Y

C1A1TN9300XF2-5Y

C1A1TN9300XF2-7Y

Premier package5

C1P1TN9300GF-3Y

C1P1TN9300GF-5Y

C1P1TN9300GF-7Y

C1P1TN9300XF-3Y

C1P1TN9300XF-5Y

C1P1TN9300XF-7Y

C1P1TN9300XF2-3Y

C1P1TN9300XF2-5Y

C1P1TN9300XF2-7Y

 

Also, you can use the following licenses to upgrade from an NX-OS LAN Enterprise Services license to an NX-OS Essentials or Advantage license.

Cisco Perpetual Licenses

A perpetual license enables you to make a one-time purchase of a license that does not expire. A perpetual license is offered as an Essentials or Advantage license package but is not available as a Premium license. The following licenses are available in perpetual term:

 

To be added, customers can register all product instances using Cisco Permanent License Reservation (PLR License) in full state and forever.

Cisco Add-on Licenses

 

Moreover, several add-on licenses are also available, which can be added to either tier or purchased independently.

Cisco NX-OS Licensing

 

Security add-on license

MACsec, Secure VXLAN EVPN Multi-Site using CloudSec *

Storage add-on license

FCoE, FC, and DCNM SAN

SyncE add-on license

Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) support

NDB add-on license

Nexus Data Broker

Feature-Based Licenses

Feature-based licenses make features available to the entire physical device. Therefore, you only require one copy of the license for a device. A license only supports the listed features. Licenses may be specific to a particular hardware platform.

Any feature that is not included in a license package is bundled with the Cisco NX-OS software and is provided at no extra charge to you.

 

Feature License

Product ID

Feature Name

Enterprise Services Package

LAN1K9
  • Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) Protocol
  • Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
  • Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS) Protocol (Layer 3 only)
  • Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM), which includes sparse mode, bidirectional mode, and Source Specific Multicast (SSM) mode
  • Multicast Source Discovery Protocol (MSDP)
  • Policy-Based Routing
  • Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) Tunnels
  • Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)
  • VRF route leaking
  • VXLAN BGP EVPN
  • Non-blocking multicast (NBM) – for the IP fabric for media solution.

VPN Fabric License

FAB1K9

FAB1K9
  • InterAS option B
  • Layer 3 EVPN over segment routing MPLS
  • MPLS Layer 3 VPN
  • Pervasive Load Balancing (PLB)
  • Tenant Routed Multicast
  • VXLAN EVPN Multi-Site
  • Enhanced PBR (EPBR)

Network Services Package

SERVICES1K9
  • iCAM
  • Intelligent Traffic Director (ITD)
  • Non-blocking multicast (NBM) – for the IP fabric for media solution.
  • Smart channel

FCoE NPV Package

FNPV1K9

FCoE NPV

SAN Switching Package and

FC Port Package

SSK9

SAN switching, FC NPV, or FCoE NPV

Security License

ACI-SEC-XM or ACI-SEC-XF
  • MACsec
  • Secure VXLAN EVPN Multi-Site using CloudSec

24 Port License Upgrade Package

N9K-EX-24P-UPG

24-port upgrade license for Cisco Nexus 93108TC-EX-24 and 93180YC-EX-24 switches.

24 Port License Upgrade Package

N9K-FX-24P-UPG

24-port upgrade license for Cisco Nexus 93108TC-FX-24 and 93180YC-FX-24 switches.

 

 

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