Table Of Contents
Initial Troubleshooting Checklist
Displaying License Information Using the CLI
RMA Chassis Errors or License Transfers Between Switches
Receiving Grace Period Warnings After License Installation
Troubleshooting Licensing
Licensing functionality is available in Cisco NX-OS. This functionality allows you to access specified premium features on the device after you install the appropriate license for that feature.
This chapter includes the following topics:
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Initial Troubleshooting Checklist
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License Overview
Cisco NX-OS requires licenses for enterprise and advanced features. These licenses enable those features on your switch. You must purchase a license for each switch that you want to enable the licensed features on.
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Chassis Serial Numbers
Licenses are created using the serial number of the chassis where the license file is to be installed. Once you order a license based on a chassis serial number, you cannot use this license on any other switch. If you use a license meant for another chassis, you may see the following system message:
Error Message LICMGR-3-LOG_LIC_INVALID_HOSTID: Invalid license hostid VDH=[chars] for feature [chars].Explanation The feature has a license with an invalid license Host ID. This can happen if a supervisor module with licensed features for one switch is installed on another switch.
Recommended Action Reinstall the correct license for the chassis where the supervisor module is installed.
Grace Period
If you use a feature that requires a license but have not installed a license for that feature, you are given a 120 day grace period to evaluate the feature. You must purchase and install the number of licenses required for that feature before the grace period ends or Cisco NX-OSS will disable the feature at the end of the grace period. If you try to use an unlicensed feature, you may see the following system messages:
Error Message LICMGR-2-LOG_LIC_GRACE_EXPIRED: Grace period expired for feature [chars].Explanation The unlicensed feature has exceeded its grace time period. Applications using this license will be shut down immediately.
Recommended Action Please install the license file to continue using the feature.
Error Message LICMGR-3-LOG_LICAPP_NO_LIC: Application [chars] running without [chars] license, shutdown in [dec] days.Explanation The Application [chars1] has not been licensed. The application will work for a grace period of [dec] days after which it will be shut down unless a license file for the feature is installed.
Recommended Action Install the license to continue using the feature.
Error Message LICMGR-3-LOG_LIC_LICENSE_EXPIRED: Evaluation license expired for feature [chars].Explanation The feature has exceeded its evaluation time period. The feature will be shut down after a grace period.
Recommended Action Install the license to continue using the feature.
Error Message LICMGR-3-LOG_LIC_NO_LIC: No license(s) present for feature [chars]. Application(s) shutdown in [dec] days.Explanation The feature has not been licensed. The feature will work for a grace period, after which the application(s) using the feature will be shutdown.
Recommended Action Install the license to continue using the feature.
Error Message LICMGR-6-LOG_LICAPP_EXPIRY_WARNING: Application [chars] evaluation license [chars] expiry in [dec] days.Explanation The application will exceed its evaluation time period in the listed number of days and will be shut down unless a permanent license for the feature is installed.
Recommended Action Install the license file to continue using the feature.
License packages can contain several features.If you disable a feature during the grace period and there are other features in that license package that are still enabled, the clock does not stop for that license package. To suspend the grace period countdown for a licensed feature, you must disable every feature in that license package. Use the show license usage CLI command to determine which features are enabled for a license package.
Guidelines
This section provides the guidelines when dealing with licenses for Cisco NX-OS.
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Initial Troubleshooting Checklist
Begin troubleshooting license issues by checking the following issues first:
Displaying License Information Using the CLI
Use the show license commands to display all license information configured on this switch (see Example 3-1 through Example 3-3).
Example 3-1 Displays Information About Current License Usage
switch(config)# show license usageFeature Ins Lic Status Expiry Date CommentsCount--------------------------------------------------------------------------------LAN_ADVANCED_SERVICES_PKG No - In use Grace 102D 0HLAN_ENTERPRISE_SERVICES_PKG No - In use Grace 103D 22H------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Example 3-2 Displays the List of Features in a Specified Package
switch(config)# show license usage LAN_ENTERPRISE_SERVICES_PKGApplication-----------pbrTunnel-----------Example 3-3 Displays the Host ID for the License
switch# show license host-idLicense hostid: VDH=FOX0646S017
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Example 3-4 Displays All Installed License Key Files and Contents
switch# show licenseentp.lic:SERVER this_host ANYVENDOR ciscoINCREMENT LAN_ENTERPRISE_SERVICES_PKG cisco 1.0 permanent uncounted \VENDOR_STRING=<LIC_SOURCE>MDS_SWIFT</LIC_SOURCE><SKU>N7K-LAN1K9=</SKU> \HOSTID=VDH=TBC10412106 \NOTICE="<LicFileID>20071025133322456</LicFileID><LicLineID>1</LicLineID>\Licensing Installation Issues
Common problems with licenses usually stem from incorrectly ordering the license file, installing the license file on an incorrect switch, or not ordering the correct number of licenses for your fabric.
This section includes the following topics:
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Serial Number Issues
A common problem with licenses stems from not using the correct chassis serial number when ordering your license.
Use the show license host-id CLI command to obtain the correct chassis serial number for your switch using the CLI.
When entering the chassis serial number during the license ordering process, do not use the letter "O" in place of any zeros in the serial number.
RMA Chassis Errors or License Transfers Between Switches
A license is specific to the switch for which it is issued and is not valid on any other switch. If you need to transfer a license from one switch to another, contact your customer service representative.
Receiving Grace Period Warnings After License Installation
If the license installation does not proceed correctly, or if you are using a feature that exists in a license package that you have not installed, you will continue to get grace period warnings.
Symptom Receiving grace period warnings after a license installation.
Grace Period Alerts
Cisco NX-OS gives you a 120 day grace period. This grace period starts or continues when you are evaluating a feature for which you have not installed a license.
The grace period stops if you disable a feature you are evaluating, but if you enable that feature again without a valid license, the grace period countdown continues where it left off.
The grace period operates across all features in a license package. License packages can contain several features. If you disable a feature during the grace period and there are other features in that license package that are still enabled, the countdown does not stop for that license package. To suspend the grace period countdown for a license package, you must disable every feature in that license package.
The Cisco NX-OS license counter keeps track of all licenses on a switch. If you are evaluating a feature and the grace period has started, you will receive console messages, SNMP traps, system messages, and Call Home messages on a daily basis.
Beyond that, the frequency of these messages become hourly during the last seven days of the grace period. The following example uses the VDC feature. On January 30th, you enabled the VDC feature, using the 120 day grace period. You will receive grace period ending messages as:
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On May 31st, the grace period ends, and the VDC feature is automatically disabled. You will not be allowed to use multiple VDCs until you purchase a valid license.
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Caution
Use the show license usage command to display grace period information for a switch.
switch(config)# show license usageFeature Ins Lic Status Expiry Date CommentsCount--------------------------------------------------------------------------------LAN_ADVANCED_SERVICES_PKG No - In use Grace 102D 0HLAN_ENTERPRISE_SERVICES_PKG No - In use Grace 103D 22H------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------License Listed as Missing
After a license is installed and operating properly, it may show up as missing if you modify your system hardware or encounter a bootflash: issue.
Symptom License listed as missing.
Table 3-2 License Listed as Missing
License listed as missing.
Supervisor module was replaced after license was installed.
Reinstall the license.
Supervisor bootflash: is corrupted.
See the "Corrupted Bootflash Recovery" section on page 2-9 to recover from corrupted bootflash:. Reinstall the license.
