Cisco Router 10000 Licenses

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A Cisco Router 10000 Series License is a software entitlement that unlocks feature sets and throughput tiers on Cisco’s 10000 Series routers, enabling routing, security, and high-availability capabilities tailored to enterprise and service-provider networks.

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Cisco 10000 Series licenses include: 1) Base License—basic IP routing; 2) Security License—advanced firewall and VPN; 3) Performance License—higher throughput levels; and 4) High-Availability License—stateful redundancy.

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Assess your network needs: Base License for core routing, Security License for firewall/VPN, Performance License for increased bandwidth, and High-Availability License for failover. Match features to traffic volume and redundancy requirements.

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Yes. You can purchase a license upgrade PAK (Product Authorization Key) from Cisco or authorized partners, then apply the new license key through the router’s CLI or Cisco Licensing Portal without hardware changes.

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Perpetual licenses grant indefinite feature access with optional maintenance. Subscription licenses provide time-limited entitlements with bundled software updates and support for the subscription duration.

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Activate by registering your PAK on Cisco’s Product License Registration portal, then install the issued Smart License token on the router via CLI: 'license smart register idtoken <token>'.

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Use the CLI command 'show license status' or 'show platform hardware throughput level' to confirm active feature sets, expiration dates, and throughput entitlements.

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Per Cisco policy, perpetual licenses may be transferred once every 90 days. Submit a License Mobility request via the Cisco Licensing Portal and apply the token to the target device.

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Support depends on your contract: Subscription includes software updates and TAC support. Perpetual requires a Smart Net Total Care or Software Support Service contract for updates and 24×7 TAC access.

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Throughput licenses define maximum packet forwarding rates (e.g., 10/20/40/80/100+ Gbps). You activate the desired tier via license key to scale performance as traffic demands grow.

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Yes. You must install the High-Availability License to enable stateful nonstop forwarding (NSF) and stateful switchover (SSO) between router pairs for uninterrupted operations.

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Cisco Smart Licensing centralizes license management in Cisco Smart Software Manager. It automates compliance, inventory visibility, and over-the-air license activation for 10000 Series routers.

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Subscription licenses expire on their end date and must be renewed. Perpetual licenses do not expire but require active software support contracts for access to updates and TAC services.

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Cisco IOS XR images deliver the feature sets enabled by your 10000 Series licenses. Select the IOS XR version that aligns with your Base, Security, Performance, and High-Availability licenses.

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Buy directly from Cisco or through certified partners. Provide your router’s serial number and required feature package to obtain the appropriate PAK or Smart License token.

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Run 'license smart reservation' to check connectivity. If still non-compliant, verify token validity in Smart Software Manager, re-register the device, or contact Cisco TAC for remediation.