Brocade FastIron Ethernet Switch Software Licensing Guide - Manual (Page 12)

NOTE
For FCX and ICX 6610 devices, the behavior for running software licensing with different licenses
(Premium, Advance, or Upgrade licenses) is the same. One license allows multiple protocols to run in
a stack. All units must have a separate license to run the same licensed feature in a stack. If all units
do not have the same license, the Active controller cannot enable the licensed feature on the stack. If
a member unit without a license joins a stack, the Active controller must make sure that no protocols
are enabled in a stack before putting a member unit into full operational state.
• Each stack unit in an FCX traditional stack must have a separate software license for the same
licensed feature. For example, if there are eight units in a traditional stack, eight separate licenses
must be purchased to run the licensed features in the stack. If there is any unit in a stack without
the FCX-ADV-LIC-SW license, the Active controller cannot run the licensed features on the stack.
For example, to run BGP on the stack, the router bgp command must enabled through the CLI on the
Active controller. If the Active controller does not have the FCX-ADV-LIC-SW license, the user cannot
configure the router bgp command at the CLI level. If the Active controller has the FCX-ADV-LIC-SW
license, and the router bgp command is enabled at the CLI level, the system checks all operational
units to verify that each unit has the FCX-ADV-LIC-SW license. Only if all the operational units have
the FCX-ADV-LIC-SW license will the licensed feature run in the stack. If any unit does not have the
FCX-ADV-LIC-SW license, the router bgp command is rejected and the licensed feature cannot run in
the stack. For example, the following error message is displayed on the console.
device(config)#router bgp
Error! cannot run BGP because unit 2 has no FCX-ADV license
If the Active controller is running BGP (and all other licensed features if enabled), and a unit without
the FCX-ADV-LIC-SW license joins the stack, the unit is put into a non-operational state. If a user
copies the FCX-ADV-LIC-SW license to a non-operational unit, it takes effect immediately and the unit
becomes operational. If the operational unit has a higher priority than the current Standby controller,
the unit replaces the existing Standby controller and becomes the new Standby controller. This
behavior applies to all cases in which a non-operational unit becomes operational. If a user disables
BGP from the stack, the Active controller puts all non-operational units in the operational state. The
Active controller and the Standby controller must have the same non-operational units.
When the Standby controller receives the runtime configuration from the Active controller, the Standby
controller must update the state of every unit (operational or non-operational state). If a user deletes
the FCX-ADV-LIC-SW license in any stack unit, the Active controller does not change the unit to the
non-operational state regardless of running BGP or not. Even if a new election algorithm change
occurs, an operational unit is not changed to a non-operational unit. The stack continues its BGP
running state. The stack cannot run BGP again after the user disables BGP, or after a reload. If BGP
is not enabled on the Active controller, a stack unit is operational whether or not the Active controller
or the stack units have the FCX-ADV-LIC-SW license. This implies that in a stack where all units
(Active controller, Standby controller, and member units) have the FCX-ADV-LIC-SW license, a stack
can be formed whether or not BGP is enabled. However, if there is a license mismatch between any of
the units in a stack, a stack can still be formed provided that the router bgp command is not enabled
on the Active controller. The FCX-ADV-LIC-SW license is not considered when selecting a unit to be
the Standby controller.
Licensing rules for FSX 800 and FSX 1600 devices
FSX 800 and FSX 1600 devices with redundant management modules must have two separate
licenses to run the same licensed feature on both management modules. The license file in the active
management module is never copied to or updated on the standby management module.
Upon bootup, the active management module compares its license with the standby management
module. If the license differs, the active management module immediately shuts down the standby
Licensing rules for FSX 800 and FSX 1600 devices
10 FastIron Ethernet Switch Software Licensing Guide
53-1003091-02