Admin Helpline: CISCO

The below process explains the license installation process in CISCO SAN switches.
The main thing you need to have is an FTP server to store the license files and that should have network connectivity to switch.
The process is as follows,

1, keep the license files in default FTP folder. The license files normally will have an extension ".lic"
2. Login to switch and verify the serial number.
3. copy the license files from FTP server to switch bootflash.
4. install the license files using "install license" command.
5. verify the installed license using :show license usage" command.

for example:-
192.168.1.1 is our test FTP server and we have "MDS20090813092533874.lic" license file available in default FTP directory.

login to switch

CISCO login: admin
Password:
Cisco Storage Area Networking Operating System (SAN-OS) Software
TAC support: http://www.cisco.com/tac
Copyright (c) 2002-2008, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
The copyrights to certain works contained herein are owned by
other third parties and are used and distributed under license.
Some parts of this software may be covered under the GNU Public
License or the GNU Lesser General Public License. A copy of
each such license is available at
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html and
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/lgpl.html
CISCO#

in this example we are going to install PORT_ACTIVATION_PKG license. verify the current license status using "show license usage" command.

CISCO# show license usage

Feature Ins Lic Status Expiry Date Comments
   Count
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FM_SERVER_PKG Yes - Unused never -
ENTERPRISE_PKG Yes - Unused never -
PORT_ACTIVATION_PKG No 12 In use never -
10G_PORT_ACTIVATION_PKG No 0 Unused -
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

here we have 12 PORT_ACTIVATION_PKG available. now we are going to increase the port count by adding another 12 port license.

CISCO# show port-license

Available ext port activation licenses are 0
Available bay port activation licenses are 0
-----------------------------------------------
  Interface Cookie Port Activation License
-----------------------------------------------
  bay1 16838656 ineligible
  bay2 16834560 acquired
  bay3 16818176 ineligible
  bay4 16809984 acquired
  bay5 16789504 acquired
  bay6 16781312 acquired
  bay7 16805888 eligible
  bay8 16863232 eligible
  bay9 16850944 eligible
  bay10 16842752 acquired
  bay11 16822272 acquired
  bay12 16826368 acquired
  bay13 16785408 acquired
  bay14 16797696 eligible
  bay15 16801792 eligible
  bay16 16859136 eligible
  ext1 16814080 acquired

Available bay port activation licenses are 0

Port Activation License Status
acquired means The port is licensed and active.
eligible means The port is eligible to receive a license but does not yet have one.
ineligible means The port is not allowed to receive a license.

Now we are ready to start the license installation.
From switch execute the copy command to download the license file to switch.

CISCO# copy ftp://192.168.1.1/MDS20090813092533874.lic bootflash:MDS20090813092533874.lic
Enter username: ftpuser
Password:

Enter user name and password. The license file will move to bootflash of switch.now run "install license" command from switch prompt to start the installation.

CISCO# install license bootflash:MDS20090813092533874.lic
Installing license ........done

installation of license file is completed. Now you can verify the installation. Run "show license usage" command from switch prompt.

CISCO# show license usage

Feature Ins Lic Status Expiry Date Comments
   Count
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FM_SERVER_PKG Yes - Unused never -
ENTERPRISE_PKG Yes - Unused never -
PORT_ACTIVATION_PKG Yes 24 In use never -
10G_PORT_ACTIVATION_PKG No 0 Unused -
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PORT_ACTIVATION_PKG is upgraded to port count 24.

CISCO# show port-license

Available ext port activation licenses are 0
Available bay port activation licenses are 8
-----------------------------------------------
  Interface Cookie Port Activation License
-----------------------------------------------
  bay1 16838656 ineligible
  bay2 16834560 acquired
  bay3 16818176 ineligible
  bay4 16809984 acquired
  bay5 16789504 acquired
  bay6 16781312 acquired
  bay7 16805888 eligible
  bay8 16863232 eligible
  bay9 16850944 eligible
  bay10 16842752 acquired
  bay11 16822272 acquired
  bay12 16826368 acquired
  bay13 16785408 acquired
  bay14 16797696 eligible
  bay15 16801792 eligible
  bay16 16859136 eligible
  ext1 16814080 acquired

Available bay port activation licenses count changed to 8

exit from the switch

CISCO# exit

Pages

How to obtain serial number for CISCO SAN switch

How to install license in CISCO SAN switches