Question 1

What license types are available for Cisco Nexus 7000 Switches?

Accepted Answer

Cisco Nexus 7000 Switches support three license types: LAN Enterprise for advanced Layer 2/3 features, SAN Enterprise for Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) and storage services, and Application Services for services such as load balancing and firewall.

Question 2

How do I determine which Nexus 7000 license I need?

Accepted Answer

Review your network requirements: enable advanced Layer 2/3 routing with the LAN Enterprise license, FCoE/SAN services with the SAN Enterprise license, and application services with the Application Services license.

Question 3

Can I upgrade my Cisco Nexus 7000 license in the field?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can upgrade the license by purchasing the new license entitlement, obtaining a Product Authorization Key (PAK), and applying it via CLI or the Cisco License Manager without replacing hardware.

Question 4

What is Cisco Smart Software Licensing for Nexus 7000?

Accepted Answer

Smart Software Licensing centralizes license management by registering licenses to a Smart Account. It provides real-time usage tracking, automated compliance reporting, and simplified entitlement deployment.

Question 5

How do I register a Nexus 7000 Switch for Smart Licensing?

Accepted Answer

Use the CLI to configure the Cisco Smart Software Manager (CSSM) URL and transport method, then register the device with your Smart Account credentials. Verify registration status with 'show license status'.

Question 6

What is the evaluation license on Cisco Nexus 7000?

Accepted Answer

The evaluation license temporarily enables all features for up to 60 days. It provides full functionality for testing, after which you must install a permanent license or features will disable.

Question 7

How do I convert an evaluation license to a permanent license?

Accepted Answer

Purchase the appropriate license PAK, register it in Cisco License Manager or CSSM, then install it using the CLI command 'license install '. The system automatically overwrites the evaluation license.

Question 8

Can I transfer a Nexus 7000 license between devices?

Accepted Answer

Yes, permanent licenses can be transferred by revoking the license PAK from the source device in CSSM, then reapplying it to the target device. Confirm transfer compliance with 'show license usage'.

Question 9

Do Cisco Nexus 7000 licenses expire?

Accepted Answer

Permanent licenses do not expire. Evaluation licenses expire after 60 days. Smart Software Licenses maintain entitlement as long as the device remains registered and compliance is maintained.

Question 10

How do I verify installed licenses on a Nexus 7000 Switch?

Accepted Answer

Run 'show license usage' or 'show license all' in the CLI. These commands display license status, feature availability, expiration dates, and usage counts for each installed license.

Question 11

Are license files stored on the Nexus 7000 Supervisor module?

Accepted Answer

Yes. License entitlements reside on the active Supervisor module’s NVRAM. If you replace or upgrade the Supervisor, back up and restore license files to maintain feature availability.

Question 12

What happens if I exceed license capacity on Nexus 7000?

Accepted Answer

Exceeding the licensed capacity disables excess features or ports beyond entitlement. Monitor usage regularly and upgrade your license to avoid service interruption or degraded performance.

Question 13

How do I troubleshoot a license activation failure?

Accepted Answer

Check network connectivity to Cisco Smart Software Manager, verify PAK and serial number match, inspect 'show license status' errors, and review logs. Contact Cisco TAC if the issue persists.

Question 14

Can Nexus 7000 licenses be consolidated under one account?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Smart Software Licensing allows you to consolidate multiple Nexus 7000 licenses under a single Cisco Smart Account for simplified management and aggregated compliance reporting.

Question 15

Do I need separate licenses for FCoE and Fibre Channel?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Enable FCoE capabilities with the SAN Enterprise license. Native Fibre Channel over a SAN extension module may require additional SAN connectivity or Fabric Services licenses.

Question 16

How do I purchase additional ports or features on a Nexus 7000?

Accepted Answer

Identify the required license upgrade or feature entitlement, obtain the corresponding PAK from Cisco, register it in your Smart Account, and install it via the CLI to enable the new capacity.

Cisco Nexus 7000 Switch Licenses

N7K-FCOE-F312FQ= (FCoE License for Nexus 7000 12-port 40G SFP+ (F3))

Questions & Answers

What license types are available for Cisco Nexus 7000 Switches?

How do I determine which Nexus 7000 license I need?

Can I upgrade my Cisco Nexus 7000 license in the field?

What is Cisco Smart Software Licensing for Nexus 7000?