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User Guide for Cisco Secure Access Control System 5.4
OL-26225-01
Chapter18 M anaging System Administration Configurations
Licensing Overview
Licensing Overview
To operate ACS, you must install a valid license. ACS prompts you to install a valid base license when
you first access the web interface. Each ACS instance (primary or secondary) in a distributed deployment
requires a unique base license.
Note Each server requires a unique base license in a distributed deployment.

Types of Licenses

Table18-29 shows the ACS 5.4 license support:
.
Table18-29 ACS License Support
License Description
Base License Required for all software instances deployed, as well as for all appliances. The base license
enables you to use all the ACS functionality except license controlled features, and it enables all
reporting features. Base license is:
•Required for each ACS instance, primary and secondary.
•Required for all appliances.
•Supports deployments with up to 500 network devices (AAA clients).
Base licenses are of three types:
•Permanent—Supports up to 500 network devices (AAA clients).
•Eval—Supports up to 50 devices and expires in 90 days.
The number of devices is determined by the number of unique IP addresses that you configure.
This includes the subnet masks that you configure. For example, a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0
implies 256 unique IP addresses and hence the number of d evices is 256.
If your evaluation license expires or is about to expire, you cannot use another evaluation license
or extend your current license. Before your evaluation license expires, you must upgrade to a
Permanent license.
Add-on Licenses Supports an unlimited number of managed devices. Requires an existing ACS permanent base
license. There are also evaluation-type licenses for add-on licenses.
The Security Group Access feature licenses are of three types: Permanent, Eval, and NFR.
However, the permanent Security Group Access feature license can be used only with a permanent
base license.
Also, the large deployment license can only be used only with a permanent base license.
Evaluation License
(standard)
Enables standard centralized reporting features.
•Cannot be reused on the same platform.
•You can only install one evaluation license per platform. You cannot install additional
evaluation licenses.
•Supports 50 managed devices.
•Expires 90 days from the time the license is installed.