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Cisco Meraki Documentation

Meraki Licensing

Meraki currently offers three types of licensing models: subscription licensing, co-termination licensing (co-term), and per-device licensing (pdl). This empowers customers to choose licensing models that align with their unique business needs.

As of September 2023, if you are creating a new Meraki organization, you will automatically default to the co-term licensing model. If you wish to be on Meraki subscription licensing, your organization will be changed automatically once you claim a subscription licensing key in the Meraki dashboard.  If you wish to be on per-device licensing, you can opt-in via Meraki Support.  You are not able to mix and match any of the licensing models.

Meraki Subscription Licensing

Meraki Subscription Licensing is an innovative licensing model that offers customers enhanced flexibility and simplicity in terms of payment methods, configurations, management, and scalability. This model is better aligned to customer outcomes to make it easier to consume Meraki solutions while also meeting their growing business needs.  As of September 2023, Meraki Subscription Licensing is available for new customers in the US and EU.  For more information please visit - Meraki Subscription Licensing Overview.

Meraki Co-Term Licensing

Meraki co-term licensing is applied on an organization-wide basis, resulting in a single expiration date for every Meraki device managed in an organization. That date is dynamically calculated based on a weighted average of the license types purchased and claimed into your dashboard organization. This is accomplished by averaging all active licenses together and dividing by the license limit, or allowed count of Meraki devices in the organization. The single expiration date for all Meraki devices in that organization is dynamically recalculated (by the Meraki dashboard) with each license and hardware claim.

 

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For example, suppose an organization had two separate Enterprise AP licenses, one license for 2x access points spanning one year (365 days) and another for 1x access point spanning five years (1,825 days). The co-termination value would be calculated as ((1825*1)+(365*2))/3= 851 days total for all three access points. So assuming all three licenses were applied on the same day, the organization would have a co-term date of 851 days from the start date of the licenses.

For more information, refer to the Meraki Co-Termination Licensing Overview document.

Meraki Per-Device Licensing

For customers who would like to move to per-device licensing, you will have to opt-in via Meraki Support for an approval process.  Per-device licensing allows customers to assign a license directly to a specific device or network.

  • Move licenses between Orgs: Org admin (read/write) on multiple organizations is able to move licenses (or licenses and devices together) between those organizations without calling Meraki support. This functionality is available through the dashboard and APIs.

  • 90-day license activation window: You will have up to 90 days to claim and assign your licenses before they activate.

  • APIs: APIs are available to claim, assign, and move licenses. 

  • Individual device shutdowns: If a license expires on a device, Meraki will only shut down that device or product after the 30 grace period.

For more information and instructions on converting to this licensing model, refer to the Meraki Per-Device Licensing Overview documentation.

Licensing Model Similarities and Differences

 

Subscription Licensing

Co-Termination Licensing

Per Device Licensing

Common Expiration date

X

X

 

End Date

Fixed

Dynamic

Fixed

Simplified SKUs

X

   

API Automation

X

X

X

Multiple Feature Tier Support

X

 

MR & MS only

Seamless Upgrades

X

Requires Loss of Time or Upgrade SKUs

Requires Loss of Time or Upgrade SKUs

License Keys

Require for Origination

Required for Origination, Additions, and Renewals

Required for Origination, Additions, and Renewals

 

Compliance

Network Management Disable (License Expiration)

Device Management Disable (Exceeding Limit)

 

Organization Shutdown

 

Organization Shutdown

Payment Methods

Periodic or Pre-Pay

Pre-Pay Only

Pre-Pay Only