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Q
What are the main Cisco ASR 9000 license categories?
A
Cisco ASR 9000 uses two license families: Performance licenses (Boost and Performance-on-Demand) to unlock line-rate throughput and Feature licenses (IOS XR Software) to enable protocols and applications such as MPLS, IPv6, QoS and segment routing.
Q
How do I select the right ASR 9000 performance license?
A
Match your expected aggregate throughput and per-port line rate to the Boost or Performance-on-Demand (POD) license tier; Boost offers fixed high-capacity tiers, while POD provides dynamic scaling as traffic grows.
Q
How do I install a Cisco ASR 9000 license key?
A
Use the Cisco License Management (LICOM) CLI: import the .lic file via ‘license install usb0:<filename>’, then commit with ‘license commit’, and verify with ‘show license detail’.
Q
How can I verify installed ASR 9000 licenses and usage?
A
Run ‘show license status’ for license state, ‘show license detail’ for payload, and ‘show platform hardware throughput level’ to confirm active performance capacity.
Q
What is the difference between permanent and evaluation licenses on ASR 9000?
A
Permanent licenses never expire and remain active after installation; evaluation licenses are time-limited (typically 60 days) and revert to base functionality upon expiration.
Q
Can I upgrade an existing ASR 9000 license in the field?
A
Yes. Purchase the higher-tier license SKU, install the new .lic file with ‘license install’, then commit; the router upgrades without hardware replacement or downtime.
Q
How does Cisco ASR 9000 Performance-on-Demand (POD) work?
A
POD lets you deploy a base performance license and add capacity as needed by installing incremental POD licenses, avoiding overprovisioning and aligning cost with actual traffic growth.
Q
What happens if an ASR 9000 license expires or is removed?
A
If a feature license expires, the associated protocols disable gracefully; if a performance license is revoked, the router retains the last active level for a 96-hour grace period before reverting to the base throughput.
Q
Is Cisco ASR 9000 license portability supported?
A
Licenses are tied to a router’s unique HostID. You can rehost a license to another chassis by generating a new PAK on Cisco.com and using ‘license install’ on the target device.
Q
Do I need a separate license for each line card in ASR 9000?
A
No. ASR 9000 performance licenses apply to the chassis as a whole. Feature licenses activate per-platform IOS XR capabilities and are not tied to individual line cards.
Q
How do I renew or extend my ASR 9000 evaluation license?
A
Contact Cisco or your reseller for a PAK renewal, then install the renewed .lic file as you would a standard license; evaluation extensions are granted on a case-by-case basis.
Q
What CLI commands manage ASR 9000 license grace periods?
A
Use ‘show license grace’ to view remaining grace time. The default grace for performance licenses is 96 hours; feature licenses have a 24-hour grace before protocol disablement.
Q
How does IOS XR software licensing differ on ASR 9000?
A
IOS XR uses feature-based licensing: base software features are included, while advanced protocols (MPLS, VPN, subscriber services) require explicit feature licenses installed via LICOM.
Q
Can I automate ASR 9000 license installation and compliance?
A
Yes. Leverage Cisco Prime Infrastructure or Ansible with the cisco.iosxr.licensing modules to push, commit and audit license files at scale.
Q
What is the impact of license violations on ASR 9000 routing?
A
If capacity exceeds licensed throughput, excess traffic is dropped. If a feature license is violated, the affected protocol instances are suspended until compliance is restored.
Q
Where can I find Cisco ASR 9000 license SKUs and ordering information?
A
Refer to the Cisco ASR 9000 Series Ordering Guide on Cisco.com for up-to-date license SKUs, part numbers and service-level options tailored to your performance and feature requirements.
