I recently configured SRST on a c2911 gateway. The c2900 series ship with IOS 15, which is also mandatory for this platform.

As most of us know in IOS 15 licensing has changed quite a bit from what we’re used to in IOS 12. In stead of just having to install the proper IOS package to enable certain features, it now comes down to activating the correct license for technology-packs. I believe this to be a good thing, since in time I’ve seen many routers or switches enabled with features that were definately not licensed.

The SRST license to my knowledge has always been a honor license, or 'right to use' license. The license itself is not enforced and is only a piece of paper proving the customer may use SRST for x number of devices.

In IOS15 the same applies, SRST is still a honor license. However I was a little surprised when reloading this particular router after configuring SRST. The following message was displayed after issueing the reload command:

gateway#reload
The following license(s) are transitioning, expiring or have expired.
Features with expired licenses may not work after Reload.
Feature: cme-srst ,Status: transition, Period Left: 8 wks 3 days

Proceed with reload? [confirm]

It appeared that the license for SRST was in evaluation and I needed to activate it, hopefully before expiration. Let’s take a deeper look in to the license details:

gateway#show license
Index 1 Feature: ipbasek9
Period left: Life time
License Type: Permanent
License State: Active, In Use
License Count: Non-Counted
License Priority: Medium
Index 2 Feature: securityk9
Period left: Not Activated
Period Used: 0 minute 0 second
License Type: EvalRightToUse
License State: Not in Use, EULA not accepted
License Count: Non-Counted
License Priority: None
Index 3 Feature: uck9
Period left: Life time
License Type: Permanent
License State: Active, In Use
License Count: Non-Counted
License Priority: Medium
Index 4 Feature: datak9
Period left: Not Activated
Period Used: 0 minute 0 second
License Type: EvalRightToUse
License State: Not in Use, EULA not accepted
License Count: Non-Counted
License Priority: None
Index 5 Feature: gatekeeper
Period left: Not Activated
Period Used: 0 minute 0 second
License Type: EvalRightToUse
License State: Not in Use, EULA not accepted
License Count: Non-Counted
License Priority: None
Index 6 Feature: SSL_VPN
Period left: Not Activated
Period Used: 0 minute 0 second
License Type: EvalRightToUse
License State: Not in Use, EULA not accepted
License Count: 0/0 (In-use/Violation)
License Priority: None
Index 7 Feature: ios-ips-update
Period left: Not Activated
Period Used: 0 minute 0 second
License Type: EvalRightToUse
License State: Not in Use, EULA not accepted
License Count: Non-Counted
License Priority: None
Index 8 Feature: SNASw
Period left: Not Activated
Period Used: 0 minute 0 second
License Type: EvalRightToUse
License State: Not in Use, EULA not accepted
License Count: Non-Counted
License Priority: None
Index 9 Feature: hseck9
Index 10 Feature: cme-srst
Period left: 8 weeks 3 days
Period Used: 2 hours 18 minutes
License Type: EvalRightToUse
License State: Active, In Use
License Count: 25/0 (In-use/Violation)
License Priority: Low
Index 11 Feature: WAAS_Express
Period left: Not Activated
Period Used: 0 minute 0 second
License Type: EvalRightToUse
License State: Not in Use, EULA not accepted
License Count: Non-Counted
License Priority: None
Index 12 Feature: UCVideo
Period left: Not Activated
Period Used: 0 minute 0 second
License Type: EvalRightToUse
License State: Not in Use, EULA not accepted
License Count: Non-Counted
License Priority: None

That’s interesting, ipbasek9 and uck9 technology-packs are licensed on a permanent base as expected (as in we ordered these as a bundle). The SRST however is in evaluation. I wonder…

Understanding Cisco IOS 15 License July 27, 2018 ccna No comments - When you purchase a Cisco router, it comes with an IOS image that has all feature sets included in it but you need to activate it with the help of license. How long is the evaluation license period for Cisco IOS Release 15.0 software packages?

gateway#show license detail cme-srst
Feature: cme-srst Period left: 8 weeks 3 days
Index: 1 Feature: cme-srst Version: 1.0
License Type: EvalRightToUse
License State: Active, In Use
Evaluation total period: 8 weeks 4 days
Evaluation period left: 8 weeks 3 days
Period used: 2 hours 25 minutes
Transition date: Jan 30 2012 10:03:46
License Count: 25/0 (In-use/Violation)
License Priority: Low
Store Index: 7
Store Name: Built-In License Storage

The Cisco site explains us that we just need to explicitly accept the EULA on the device itself. Let’s do so!

gateway(config)#license accept end user agreement

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING TERMS CAREFULLY. INSTALLING THE LICENSE OR
LICENSE KEY PROVIDED FOR ANY CISCO PRODUCT FEATURE OR USING SUCH
PRODUCT FEATURE CONSTITUTES YOUR FULL ACCEPTANCE OF THE FOLLOWING
TERMS. YOU MUST NOT PROCEED FURTHER IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO BE BOUND
BY ALL THE TERMS SET FORTH HEREIN.

Use of this product feature requires an additional license from Cisco,
together with an additional payment. You may use this product feature
on an evaluation basis, without payment to Cisco, for 60 days. Your use
of the product, including during the 60 day evaluation period, is
subject to the Cisco end user license agreement
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/general/warranty/English/EU1KEN_.html
If you use the product feature beyond the 60 day evaluation period, you
must submit the appropriate payment to Cisco for the license. After the
60 day evaluation period, your use of the product feature will be
governed solely by the Cisco end user license agreement (link above),
together with any supplements relating to such product feature. The
above applies even if the evaluation license is not automatically
terminated and you do not receive any notice of the expiration of the
evaluation period. It is your responsibility to determine when the
evaluation period is complete and you are required to make payment to
Cisco for your use of the product feature beyond the evaluation period.

Your acceptance of this agreement for the software features on one
product shall be deemed your acceptance with respect to all such
software on all Cisco products you purchase which includes the same
software. (The foregoing notwithstanding, you must purchase a license
for each software feature you use past the 60 days evaluation period,
so that if you enable a software feature on 1000 devices, you must
purchase 1000 licenses for use past the 60 day evaluation period.)

Activation of the software command line interface will be evidence of
your acceptance of this agreement.

ACCEPT? [yes/no]: yes
gateway(config)#

Cisco Ios 15 License Code

000436: *Jan 28 17:42:44.625: %LICENSE-6-EULA_ACCEPT_ALL: The Right to Use End User
License Agreement is accepted

Cisco Ios 15 License Key Generator

Okay now we have accepted the EULA, let’s see if the SRST expiration changed:

gateway#sh license detail cme-srst
Feature: cme-srst Period left: 8 weeks 3 days
Index: 1 Feature: cme-srst Version: 1.0
License Type: EvalRightToUse
License State: Active, In Use
Evaluation total period: 8 weeks 4 days
Evaluation period left: 8 weeks 3 days
Period used: 3 hours 45 minutes
Transition date: Jan 30 2012 10:03:46
License Count: 25/0 (In-use/Violation)
License Priority: Low
Store Index: 7
Store Name: Built-In License Storage

No change what so ever in the SRST license. So what’s up with this? Will SRST just stop working after expiration or…? Well, as found at the Cisco community the answer is as follows:

Cisco Ios 15 License Generator

Licensing functionality is working as per design here. Cme-srst licenses are honor based and hence you have to just accept the EULA. After the 60 days of EvalRightToUse the license will change to 'right to use' for 12 years.

I’m a little sceptic at leaving the gateway at our customer to await the expiration date and see what happens but I guess I don’t have another option. Cisco, I trust you on this one!!!

Cisco Ios 15 License Key

Just for the sake of completeness, to activate licenses for any of the technology-packs datak9, securityk9, uck9), you can use the following command (module name is the router platform):

gateway#license boot modulemodule-nametechnology-packagepackage-name

This is not necessary when ordering a bundle, where these come pre-activated.