NX-OS License Renewal/Update Issues

The information in this document was created from the devices in a specific lab environment. All of the devices used in this document started with a cleared (default) configuration. If your network is live, make sure that you understand the potential impact of any command.

Background Information

The NX-OS Series switches have various features that are binded with the license. In order to use these features, you must have a license installed. The evaluation license is a temporary license that lasts for a limited time period and is used in order to test various features. When the evaluation period is over, a permanent license can be obtained and installed. This document describes how to renew an evaluation license without affecting any of the NX-OS features, such as Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).

Common Issues

This section covers some common issues with license renewal for the Nexus 7000 Series switch.

A License with a Later/Different Expiry Date Already Exists for the Feature

In this scenario, an evaluation license for a Nexus 7000 Series switch is due to expire in 24 hours. When the license is updated, this error occurs:

Installing license failed: A license with a later/different expiry date already
exists for feature.

The requirement is that the features enabled in the evaluation period should not be affected.

Solution

When you have a live Nexus 7000 Series Switch that cannot be disrupted because it uses features binded with the evaluation period license (for example, OSPF and BGP), perform this procedure in order to renew the evaluation license:

In order to verify that the license files exist for the device, enter the show license brief and show license usage commands:

Nexus-OS#show license brief
ENTERPRISELicense.lic
ENTERPRISELicense1.lic

switch#show license usage
Feature                      Ins  Lic   Status Expiry Date Comments
                                 Count
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LAN_ADVANCED_SERVICES_PKG    Yes    -   In use 23 Oct 2009   -
LAN_ENTERPRISE_SERVICES_PKG  No     -  Unused Never         -
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you install the new license with the install license bootflash:license_file.lic command, this error displays:

switch#install license bootflash:license_file.lic
Installing license failed: A license with a later/different expiry date
already exists for feature

If you encounter this error, update the current license instead of installing the license as you would when a new Nexus 7000 Series Switch is configured for its license-binded features. Perform these steps in order to update the current license:
```
switch#update license bootflash:Enterprise1.lic Enterprise.lic
Do you want to continue? (y/n) y
Updating license ..done
switch#
```

SERVER Line in License Should Have "this_host ANY"

If you install the license with the install license bootflash:license_file.lic command, you might see this error:

Switch7k#install license bootflash:license_file.lic
Installing license failed: SERVER line in license should have "this_host ANY"

Solution

This error is caused by incorrectly formatting the license file. In order to fix this, edit the license file with this procedure:

Open the .lic file with a text editor.
Copy and paste its contents into a new text file.

Make sure the text formatting is similar to this:

SERVER this_host ANY
VENDOR cisco
INCREMENT FM_SERVER_PKG cisco 1.0 permanent uncounted \
      VENDOR_STRING=<LIC_SOURCE>MDS_SWIFT</LIC_SOURCE><SKU>M9200FMS1K9-INTRL</SKU> \
     HOSTID=VDH=xxxxxxxxxxx \
      NOTICE="<LicFileID>xxxxxxxxxxx</LicFileID><LicLineID>1</LicLineID> \
      <PAK>xxxxxxxxx</PAK>" SIGN=xxxxxxxx

In particular, the licensing software expects carriage returns after ANY and cisco, and before the INCREMENT begins.

Save the file the all files type (encoding ANSI).
Copy the new file to the switch bootflash, and try to install it again with the install license command.

Note: As of NX-OS software Version 6.2, the switch can automatically correct the license file formatting before it proceeds with the license installation. This can be done with the format keyword in the install license command.

License Server Does Not Support This Feature

If you install the license with the install license bootflash:license_file.lic command, you might see this error:

Switch7k#install license bootflash:license_file.lic
Installing license failed: License server does not support this feature

Solution

This message indicates that you run a version of code that does not support a license in your file. Complete these steps in order to fix the problem.

Look at the license file you want to install:

Switch7k# show file bootflash:license_file.lic

SERVER this_host ANY
VENDOR cisco
INCREMENT FCOE-N7K-F248XP cisco 1.0 permanent 1 \
        VENDOR_STRING=<LIC_SOURCE>MDS_SWIFT</LIC_SOURCE><SKU>N7K-FCOEF248XP</SKU> \
        HOSTID=VDH=xxxxxxxxxxxxx \
        NOTICE="<LicFileID>xxxxxxxxxxx</LicFileID><LicLineID>1</LicLineID> \
        <PAK></PAK>" SIGN=xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Compare the fields in your file that are bolded in Step 1 to the feature-based license tables and the feature history table in the NX-OS Licensing Guide in order to determine what version of code supports the license.

License is Missing

Logs report this for in-use licenses:

show log log
...
LICMGR-3-LOG_LIC_FILE_MISSING  License file(s) missing for feature
LAN_ADVANCED_SERVICES_PKG.
LICMGR-3-LOG_LIC_FILE_MISSING  License file(s) missing for feature
LAN_ENTERPRISE_SERVICES_PKG.
...

License usage output displays this:

show license usage
Feature                      Ins  Lic   Status Expiry Date Comments
                                 Count
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
...
ENHANCED_LAYER2_PKG           Yes   -   In use Never       license missing
...
LAN_ADVANCED_SERVICES_PKG     Yes   -   In use Never       license missing
LAN_ENTERPRISE_SERVICES_PKG   Yes   -   Unused Never       license missing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**** WARNING: License file(s) missing. ****

Solution

This message indicates that the license file for your device is either not installed on the internal directory of the device or contains incorrect information. Complete these steps in order to fix the problem:

Validate that the license host ID and file match the chassis serial number.

Note: Output might be blank for one of the first two commands.
```
show license host
License hostid: VDH=JAFxxxxxxQB   <--- Installed license

directory bootflash: | i lic
762    Sep 12 01:16:18 2012  JAFxxxxxxQB_183876004.lic  <---- License file

show sprom backplane 1
DISPLAY backplane sprom contents:
Common block:
...
Serial Number   : JAFxxxxxxQB   <--- Chassis serial number
...
```
Note: If these do not match and you see the log on two Nexus 7000s, the license files are most likely swapped between chassis. Compare the host ID and serial numbers between each chassis, and move the appropriate file to the correct chassis.
Update the license file with the file from the bootflash with the updated license bootflash:JAFxxxxxxQB_183876004.lic command.

Note: If you do not have this file, have the license reissued via the support tools or a Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) case.
If these steps do not work, clear the license SPROM with the clear license sprom command, and reinstall the license with the install license bootflash:JAFxxxxxxQB_183876004.lic command in a maintenance window.

License is in Use

When you update the license file, this error displays:

Updating license failed: License is in use

Solution

This problem occurs when the license file used for the update contains a license that is already installed on the Nexus 7000. In order to fix this problem, remove the current licenses from the file used for the update with this procedure:

Enter this command in order to determine what licenses are installed:

show license usage 
Feature                      Ins  Lic   Status Expiry Date Comments
                                 Count
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MPLS_PKG                      No    -   Unused             -
...
ENTERPRISE_PKG                No    -   Unused             -
...
FCOE-N7K-F248XP               Yes   1   Unused Never       -
...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Open the .lic file with a text editor.
Copy and paste its contents into a new text file.

Remove the entire INCREMENT section for the license already installed (in this example, FCOE-N7K-F248XP):

...
INCREMENT FCOE-N7K-F248XP cisco 1.0 permanent 1 \
        VENDOR_STRING=<LIC_SOURCE>MDS_SWIFT</LIC_SOURCE><SKU>N7K-FCOEF248XP</SKU> \
        HOSTID=VDH=xxxxxxxxxxxxx \
        NOTICE="<LicFileID>xxxxxxxxxxx</LicFileID><LicLineID>1</LicLineID> \
        <PAK></PAK>" SIGN=xxxxxxxxxxxxx
...

Save the file as the all files type (encoding ANSI).
Copy the new file to the switch bootflash, and try to install it again with the install license command.

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Updated: Jan 03, 2014

Document ID: 111294

Cisco NX-OS Software