--- title: Cisco Smart Licensing description: With Cisco Smart licensing the devices and systems contact Cisco to obtain an available license that authorizes usage and features. --- [![looking-point_LogoWhite _ Presidio-1](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hubfs/looking-point_LogoWhite%20_%20Presidio-1.svg) ![LOOKINGPOINT](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Theme%20Oct%202019/images/logo@mobile.png?width=444&height=86&name=logo@mobile.png) ](https://www-lookingpoint-com.sandbox.hs-sites.com/-temporary-slug-c10ae2f5-f23e-43f2-8214-f73884fb09ae) - [Solutions](https://www.lookingpoint.com) - [Collaboration](https://www.lookingpoint.com/it-solutions-collaboration) - [Security ](https://www.lookingpoint.com/it-solutions-security) - [Networking ](https://www.lookingpoint.com/it-solutions-networking) - [Data Center ](https://www.lookingpoint.com/data-center) - [Cloud](https://www.lookingpoint.com/cloud) - [Managed Services](https://www.lookingpoint.com/it-support-services) - [Lifecycle Management](https://www.lookingpoint.com/lifecycle-management-acela) - 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They are either are not from the Cisco world, have not had to work with Cisco licensing much or used to the traditional licensing model. Cisco is phasing out traditional licensing and this only add to the confusion. With traditional licensing, often a Product Authorization Key (PAK) is sent via snail mail or email to the customer.   This PAK is then used to generate a license in Cisco’s traditional licensing portal and then the license needs to be uploaded or entered via text into the device or system. Gone are those days. With Smart licensing the devices and systems contact Cisco to obtain an available license that authorizes usage and features. # How does it work? When a customer makes a purchase from Cisco for a product such as a router, ISE or a Cisco Secure Firewall (formerly FTD) that requires a license, the Cisco reseller or VAR would assign the licenses for that product to the customer’s Company account with Cisco.   The licenses can then be managed via a Smart Licensing account that is authorized by the Company, usually via an account administrator. A new Smart account needs to be created if one does not exist.   If your company ever made any previous purchases for any licensed Cisco product, then your company is already in Cisco’s system. You can then create a Smart account to access your company’s licensing portal. ## Create a Smart Account To create an account, go to [https://software.cisco.com](https://software.cisco.com) ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-22-04-4689-PM.png?width=535&height=327&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-22-04-4689-PM.png) ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-22-12-7163-PM.png?width=535&height=284&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-22-12-7163-PM.png) You will need to associate the company with the Smart Account you are creating. ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-22-30-1987-PM.png?width=535&height=423&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-22-30-1987-PM.png) ## Managing Licenses After a new count is created you can then manage your company’s licenses. ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-22-50-4910-PM.png?width=535&height=348&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-22-50-4910-PM.png) From here you can view licenses and what licenses are being used, what is available or any licenses that are out of compliance. Go to **Inventory>Licenses** ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-23-04-9014-PM.png?width=535&height=271&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-23-04-9014-PM.png) ## License a New Product To license a new device or system. You first must generate a token from the Smart portal. ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-23-19-4132-PM.png?width=535&height=366&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-23-19-4132-PM.png) ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-23-33-3185-PM.png?width=535&height=272&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-23-33-3185-PM.png) Next Copy or Download the token and used it to authorize the device.   You can copy and paste the token since it just ascii text. Here is the token in text: ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-24-14-1166-PM.png?width=535&height=45&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-24-14-1166-PM.png) ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-24-20-5648-PM.png?width=535&height=100&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-24-20-5648-PM.png) Next, go to the device and use the generated token to register the device to allow it to communicate with the Smart Licensing Portal.   **Note that the token itself is not authorizing the licenses. It is just allowing the device to be able to access the Smart Licensing Portal to obtain an available license.   The license must be in the portal for the device to licensed**.     Here is an example of registering ISE for Smart Licensing. The generated token is used to register ISE. ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-24-38-8171-PM.png?width=515&height=408&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-24-38-8171-PM.png) We can see that Smart Licensing is in use and that our ISE licenses are in compliance. ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-25-20-0578-PM.png?width=535&height=193&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-25-20-0578-PM.png) If we go back to the Smart Licensing, we can see the licenses in use in the portal for ISE. ![Cisco Smart Licensing](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-25-34-5162-PM.png?width=535&height=252&name=image-png-Mar-31-2023-05-25-34-5162-PM.png) # Benefits of Smart Licensing Cisco licensing can be confusing if you don’t work with licensing much or coming from other vendors or even from the Cisco traditional way of licensing products. With more and more vendors using the subscription-based model for licensing products it make sense for Cisco to move to this model when the customer have more control and visibility into their licensing. Here are some benefits of using Cisco Smart Licensing: - No more PAKs. You don’t have to remember where you put the PAKs. Did they come in the box or by mail? Or did they come via email?. The license will be in the Company account in the Smart Portal. - Rehosting licenses. You can rehost your own licenses most of the time without contacting Cisco. Technically, with the new licensing model the licenses are not tied to the device as with traditional licensing. If you release a license from a device you can apply that license to another device. With PAK licenses you need to contact cisco to rehost whenever you replace a device. - Convert traditional license to Smart license. With the Smart Licensing Portal, you can convert Traditional Licenses to Smart Licenses. - View license usage and compliance. In the Smart Portal you can now view what licenses are in use, available licenses, and what is not in compliance. This can help with budgeting for licenses.   As always if you have any questions on Cisco Smart Licensing for you and your business and would like to schedule a free consultation with us, please reach out to us at [sales@lookingpoint.com](mailto:sales@lookingpoint.com) and we’ll be happy to help! *[![Contact Us](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2215854/7814218f-8d49-4d01-9a8c-095c00c0b08d.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2215854/7814218f-8d49-4d01-9a8c-095c00c0b08d)*   Written By: Rick Wong, Principal Network Architect SHARE: - [**](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/cisco-smart-licensing&title=Cisco%20Smart%20Licensing&picture=&description=With%20Cisco%20Smart%20licensing%20the%20devices%20and%20systems%20contact%20Cisco%20to%20obtain%20an%20available%20license%20that%20authorizes%20usage%20and%20features.) - [**](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?source=https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/cisco-smart-licensing&text=Cisco%20Smart%20Licensing) - [**](https://plus.google.com/share?url=https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/cisco-smart-licensing) - [**](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/cisco-smart-licensing&title=Cisco%20Smart%20Licensing&summary=With%20Cisco%20Smart%20licensing%20the%20devices%20and%20systems%20contact%20Cisco%20to%20obtain%20an%20available%20license%20that%20authorizes%20usage%20and%20features.) - [**](mailto:?subject=Cisco%20Smart%20Licensing&body=Cisco%20Smart%20Licensing%20https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/cisco-smart-licensing) ### Topics - [cisco](https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/topic/cisco) - [security](https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/topic/security) - [cybersecurity](https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/topic/cybersecurity) - [Cisco ISE](https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/topic/cisco-ise) - [collaboration](https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/topic/collaboration) - [ISE](https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/topic/ise) - [webex](https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/topic/webex) - [IT Solutions](https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/topic/it-solutions) - [cisco webex](https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/topic/cisco-webex) - [SD-WAN](https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog/topic/sd-wan) ### Latest Tweets ** ### subscribe to our blog ## Get New Unique Posts ![looking-point_LogoWhite _ Presidio-1](https://www.lookingpoint.com/hubfs/looking-point_LogoWhite%20_%20Presidio-1.svg) 391 Taylor Blvd. Suite 120 Pleasant Hill, California 94523 [Call Us +1 925-566-3480](tel:+19255663480) [sales@lookingpoint.com](mailto:sales@lookingpoint.com) - [**](https://www.facebook.com/lookingpoint?fref=ts) - [**](https://twitter.com/lookingpoint) - [**](https://www.linkedin.com/company/lookingpoint) - [**](https://www.instagram.com/lookingpoint/) SOLUTIONS - [Collaboration](https://www.lookingpoint.com/it-solutions-collaboration) - [ Security](https://www.lookingpoint.com/it-solutions-security) - [Networking ](https://www.lookingpoint.com/it-solutions-networking) - [Cloud](https://www.lookingpoint.com/cloud) - [Data Center ](https://www.lookingpoint.com/data-center) - [Project Management ](https://www.lookingpoint.com/project-management) - [Lifecycle Management](https://www.lookingpoint.com/lifecycle-management-acela) - [Wireless Surveys Assessments](https://www.lookingpoint.com/en-us/wireless-surveys-assessments) MANAGED SERVICES - [Assess and Design](https://www.lookingpoint.com/assess-and-design-it-solutions) - [Deployment](https://www.lookingpoint.com/deployment-it-services-solutions) - [Support](https://www.lookingpoint.com/it-support-services) - [Integration Center](https://www.lookingpoint.com/integration-services) - [Lifecycle Support](https://www.lookingpoint.com/it-lifecycle-support) - [Locations Serviced](https://www.lookingpoint.com/it-consulting-san-francisco-bay-area) - [Customer Success](https://www.lookingpoint.com/services-customer-success) COMPANY - [Contact Us](https://www.lookingpoint.com/contact-us) - [Career](https://www.lookingpoint.com/career) - [About Us](https://www.lookingpoint.com/about-us) - [ FAQ](https://www.lookingpoint.com/faq) - [ Partners](https://www.lookingpoint.com/partner) - [Blog](https://www.lookingpoint.com/blog) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.lookingpoint.com/privacy-policy) - [DO NOT SELL OR SHARE MY PERSONAL INFORMATION](https://na1.hs-data-privacy.com/request/TrvvEe3VpnlESmYolHn3xw) GET IN TOUCH Join our mailing list to stay up to date and get notices about our new releases! 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