Cisco IOS packaging and feature licenses have changed quite a bit over the past several years. These changes span a variety of device platforms, so figured I’ll take two platforms/features that are commonly unknown and describe them briefly: one feature for the Catalyst 2K series switches and one licensing fact for the ISR G2 family of routers.
Inter-VLAN Routing with Catalyst 2960
A feature set of IOS came out that is called LAN BASE. Based on the particular switch platform, this could be and is usually Layer 2 only, i.e. 3K/4K/6K, and is aimed at being used in small to medium sized organization’s access layers. Cisco came out with this stripped down version of IOS with NO L3 (not even static routes) to compete with the HPs and DELLs of the world and has been pretty successful.
However, what is sometimes not known is Cisco introduced Layer 3 switching on the 2960S, 2960G, 2960, and 2975 series switches when running the LAN BASE IOS with version 12.2(55)SE. Pretty cool, right?
Inter-VLAN Routing with Catalyst 2960
A feature set of IOS came out that is called LAN BASE. Based on the particular switch platform, this could be and is usually Layer 2 only, i.e. 3K/4K/6K, and is aimed at being used in small to medium sized organization’s access layers. Cisco came out with this stripped down version of IOS with NO L3 (not even static routes) to compete with the HPs and DELLs of the world and has been pretty successful.
However, what is sometimes not known is Cisco introduced Layer 3 switching on the 2960S, 2960G, 2960, and 2975 series switches when running the LAN BASE IOS with version 12.2(55)SE. Pretty cool, right?
But there’s a small catch…it does NOT support RIP, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, or routed interfaces. It ONLY supports 16 static routes with SVIs.
For a lot of environments, there is usually a “bigger” switch doing the L3, but for those small sites, maybe a branch, maybe in the lab, or when you’re strapped for cash, it could come in handy.
Note: For the 2960 series, LAN LITE is the Layer 2 only feature set. For the 3560/3750 series switches, LAN BASE is still Layer 2 only. You would need IP BASE on the 3K and above to implement any type of L3.
Data License on the ISR G2 Routers (1900/2900/3900)
It’s quite common to see a “DATA” license on CPE routers that are only going to be used as what I’ll call a basic router. It will simply have a single routing protocol or static routing configured and will inter-connect two or more networks. Maybe it’ll be used as an Internet Edge router, for example. The point is the “DATA” license is NOT required to enable routing. It is NOT required to enable BGP. It is NOT required act as a CE device connecting to an MPLS network. Connecting to an MPLS network just means the CE will “most likely” have BGP or statics configured to communicate with the carrier.
You WILL WANT the DATA license if you want to run native MPLS, i.e. LDP, PFR, IP SLA tracking, etc.
Here is the link to Cisco’s site that covers the licensing model of the ISR G2 and features in the DATA license in a bit more detail. Snapshot of features: MPLS, BFD, RSVP ,L2VPN, L2TPv3 ,Layer 2 Local Switching , Mobile IP, Multicast Authentication,FHRP-GLBP ,IP SLAs, PfR ,DECnet, ALPS, RSRB, BIP, DLSw+, FRAS, Token Ring ,ISL, IPX ,STUN, SNTP, SDLC, QLLC etc.
You should always check with your SE and Feature Navigator for any feature in question.
For a lot of environments, there is usually a “bigger” switch doing the L3, but for those small sites, maybe a branch, maybe in the lab, or when you’re strapped for cash, it could come in handy.
Note: For the 2960 series, LAN LITE is the Layer 2 only feature set. For the 3560/3750 series switches, LAN BASE is still Layer 2 only. You would need IP BASE on the 3K and above to implement any type of L3.
Data License on the ISR G2 Routers (1900/2900/3900)
It’s quite common to see a “DATA” license on CPE routers that are only going to be used as what I’ll call a basic router. It will simply have a single routing protocol or static routing configured and will inter-connect two or more networks. Maybe it’ll be used as an Internet Edge router, for example. The point is the “DATA” license is NOT required to enable routing. It is NOT required to enable BGP. It is NOT required act as a CE device connecting to an MPLS network. Connecting to an MPLS network just means the CE will “most likely” have BGP or statics configured to communicate with the carrier.
You WILL WANT the DATA license if you want to run native MPLS, i.e. LDP, PFR, IP SLA tracking, etc.
Here is the link to Cisco’s site that covers the licensing model of the ISR G2 and features in the DATA license in a bit more detail. Snapshot of features: MPLS, BFD, RSVP ,L2VPN, L2TPv3 ,Layer 2 Local Switching , Mobile IP, Multicast Authentication,FHRP-GLBP ,IP SLAs, PfR ,DECnet, ALPS, RSRB, BIP, DLSw+, FRAS, Token Ring ,ISL, IPX ,STUN, SNTP, SDLC, QLLC etc.
You should always check with your SE and Feature Navigator for any feature in question.
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