PicOS can be installed on bare metal switches listed in the Pica8 Hardware Compatibility list. A software license is needed to activate PicOS on the specific switch it is installed on.

Starting with PicOS 2.4, only the first 4 ports of the switch can be used if no license is installed. The first four ports should enable any protocol whether license has or has not been installed. This is also the perfect way to test PicOS without buying a full license. Without a license installed installed, only the first 4 physical ports can be used, not logical ports.

Licenses for switches can be downloaded from the License Portal.

Terminology

The following terms are used throughout this section:

Base License: This license is required on any switch.
Bundle: This license includes all PicOS features. That is, it bundles all three licenses.
Evaluation License: There is no evaluation license because users can evaluate PicOS without a license. Please note that only the first four switch ports (and the management port) are active without a license.
Hardware ID: Hardware ID is needed when users download a license. Users can view their own switch ID by executing the license show command license -s.
Mode: There are two license modes: switch license and site license.
Type: There are two speed types: 1G and 10G.

PicOS License Types

Pica8 PicOS has a multi-tier licensing model, which enables users to install only the needed features or all the features provided by PicOS. Each license contains unique features.

The PicOS license types are:

Base License

The following features are available with the Base license:

Network Linux
Layer 2 (STP/RSTP/MSTP, LLDP, LACP, IGMP-Snooping, dot1x, sFlow, UDLD)
Multi-chassis Link Aggregation (MLAG)
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Security
Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP)
Static Routes

Layer 3 License

The following features are available with the Layer3 license:

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
Protocol-Independent Multicast (PIM)
Network Address Translation (NAT)
Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN)
VRRP (Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol)

OpenFlow License

The following features are available with the OpenFlow license:

Open vSwitch Database Management Protocol (OVSDB)
OpenFlow Releases 1.3 and 1.4
Multi Protocol Label Switching (MPLS)
CrossFlow
Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN)

Base, Layer 3, and OpenFlow License

This license bundles all the PicOS features into one license.

Speed

There are two speeds available for each license.

1GE: Platform with 48 x 1GE OR 48 x 1GE + 4 x 10GE ports
10GE: Platform with 48 x 10GE + 4 x 40GE OR 48 x 10GE + 6 x 40GE OR 32 x 40GE ports

Mode

Switch: Use this to install a license on a single switch only.
Site: Use this to install the same license on all switches at a site.

Accessing Hardware ID

User must have the hardware ID available to download a license. A utility generates hardware ID using the license -s command in PicOS OVS mode.

admin@PicOS-OVS$license -s
No license installed. Use below information to create a license.
Type: 1GE
Hardware ID: E385-FB53-4D57-05EB

Installing the License

If user updates the switch from a previous version of PicOS to PicOS 2.4 without a license installed, only the first 4 ports of the switch will be available after the upgrade. To upgrade the switch without production impact, user should install a license before the upgrade.

It is possible to install a license in PicOS 2.3 (starting with PicOS 2.3.3).

To upgrade a switch from a PicOS version earlier than 2.3, it may be necessary to upgrade to PicOS 2.3 first to install a license on the system. To avoid this step, user can run a script that can install the license on PicOS releases earlier than 2.3. Please contact Pica8 support or look at the section below for older PicOS releases.

The license file cannot name pica.lic, or license will install failed.

Customers can download the generated license file and copy it to the /etc/picos/ directory.

The following example shows the contents of a switch-based license file:

{
    "Type": "1GE",
    "Feature":["Open Flow", "Base Product", "Layer3"],
    "Hardware ID":"8A68-A7AC-D702-70D2",
    "Expire Date":"2020-10-28"
}

In the license file shown above, the type is 1GE while the feature is Base Product, Layer3, and Open Flow. Hardware ID is unique to every switch.

The switch cannot upgrade to a PicOS version whose build date is later than the license expiration date.

The following example shows the contents of a site-based license file:

{
    "Type": "1GE",
    "Feature":["Open Flow", "Base Product", "Layer3"],
    "Mode":"site",
    "Site Name":"CompanyA",
    "Expire Date":"2020-10-28"
}

The license file can be installed with the command-line utility called license with the -i option. The following example installs a license file named js.lic:

admin@XorPlus$cd /etc/picos
admin@XorPlus$ls -l
total 32
drwxrwxr-x  2 root xorp 4096 Feb  4 22:00 ./
drwxrwxr-x 60 root xorp 4096 Feb  4 21:56 ../
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp   26 Feb  4 18:27 fs_status
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  399 Feb  4 21:59 js.lic
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  247 Sep  4  2014 license.conf
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  183 Aug 10  2014 p2files.lst
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  488 Feb  4 18:28 picos_start.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  251 Feb  4 22:00 public.key
admin@XorPlus$sudo license -i js.lic
License successfully added, the switch need to be rebooted to activate the license.
admin@XorPlus$ls -l
total 32
drwxrwxr-x  2 root xorp 4096 Feb  4 22:00 ./
drwxrwxr-x 60 root xorp 4096 Feb  4 21:56 ../
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp   26 Feb  4 18:27 fs_status
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  247 Sep  4  2014 license.conf
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  183 Aug 10  2014 p2files.lst
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  382 Feb  4 22:00 pica.lic
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  488 Feb  4 18:28 picos_start.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  251 Feb  4 22:00 public.key
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  251 Feb  4 22:00 switch-public.key
admin@XorPlus$

If the license is installed successfully, after license -i command, the following message will be displayed:

License successfully added, the switch need to be rebooted to activate the license.

To activate the new license, the switch must be restarted.

Troubleshooting License Installation

User may encounter various problems during license installation as detailed below.

The public.key file cannot be found.

admin@XorPlus$sudo license -i js.lic
Install failed: Cannot find public key.

The license file does not exist.

admin@XorPlus$sudo license -i js.lic
Install failed: No such file or directory.

The header or the key is disrupted.

admin@XorPlus$sudo license -i js.lic
Install failed: License or KEY is disrupted.

The license format is not valid.

admin@XorPlus$sudo license -i js.lic
Install failed: License format error.

The license file is not compatible with the switch (verify failed).

admin@XorPlus$sudo license -i js.lic
Install failed: Invalid license.

Displaying License Information

User can display the license information using the license -s command at the Linux shell.

The following example displays information about the switch-based license:

admin@XorPlus$license -s
{
        "Type": "1GE",
        "Feature":      ["Open Flow", "Base Product", "Layer3"],
        "Expire Date":  "2020-10-28",
        "Hardware ID":  "8A68-A7AC-D702-70D2"
}

The following example displays information about the site-based license:

admin@XorPlus$license -s
{
          "Type": "1GE",
          "Feature":      ["Base Product", "Layer3", "Open Flow"],
          "Expire Date":  "2020-10-28",
          "Hardware ID":  "8A68-A7AC-D702-70D2",
          "Site Name":    " CompanyA "
}

If the license is not valid, the license -s command generates the following output:

admin@XorPlus$license -s
Invalid license. Use below information to create a license.
Type: 1GE
Hardware ID: 8A68-A7AC-D702-70D2
admin@PicOS-OVS$

If no license is installed, the license -s command generates the following output:

admin@XorPlus$license -s
No license installed. Use below information to create a license.
Type: 1GE
Hardware ID: 8A68-A7AC-D702-70D2
admin@PicOS-OVS$

Removing a License

User can use the license -r command at the Linux shell to remove a license as detailed below:

admin@XorPlus$cd /etc/picos
admin@XorPlus$ls -l
total 32
drwxrwxr-x  2 root xorp 4096 Feb  4 22:00 ./
drwxrwxr-x 60 root xorp 4096 Feb  4 21:56 ../
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp   26 Feb  4 18:27 fs_status
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  247 Sep  4  2014 license.conf
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  183 Aug 10  2014 p2files.lst
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  382 Feb  4 22:00 pica.lic
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  488 Feb  4 18:28 picos_start.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  251 Feb  4 22:00 public.key
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  251 Feb  4 22:00 switch-public.key
admin@XorPlus$pwd
/etc/picos
admin@XorPlus$
admin@XorPlus$license -r
admin@XorPlus$ls -l
total 28
drwxrwxr-x  2 root xorp 4096 Feb  4 22:05 ./
drwxrwxr-x 60 root xorp 4096 Feb  4 21:56 ../
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp   26 Feb  4 18:27 fs_status
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  247 Sep  4  2014 license.conf
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  183 Aug 10  2014 p2files.lst
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  488 Feb  4 18:28 picos_start.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  251 Feb  4 22:00 public.key
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  251 Feb  4 22:00 switch-public.key
admin@XorPlus$

If the license is modified or removed, the switch must be rebooted for the change to be effective.

License Update on Older Releases

To upgrade a switch to PicOS 2.4 from a version earlier than 2.3, it may be necessary to upgrade to PicOS 2.3 first and install a license on the system. To avoid this extra step, user can install a new script on PicOS releases prior to 2.3 and use the script to install a license.

This new script supports the PicOS releases 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3. User has to follow the following steps to install a license using the script:

Download the file named license-powerpc.bin or license-powerpcspe.bin according to the switch model. For example, download the file license-powerpc.bin for the Pica8 P-3290 switch.
Run the command ./license-powerpc -s to display the hardware ID.
Copy the upgrade.sh script from https://github.com/Pica8/Upgrade to the switch.
Copy the license tool from http://www.pica8.com/portal/standard/ to the switch. The tool can be used to install a license on PicOS 2.3 or earlier but the license will only become effective after upgrading to PicOS 2.4 or later.

The Pica8 P-3290 and P-3295 use the license-powerpc file. All other PicOS switches use the license-powerpcspe file.

The following example describes how to upgrade a Pica8 P-3297 switch from PicOS 2.3.

Step 1: Check the version of PicOS using the version command at the Linux shell.

admin@XorPlus$version
Copyright (C) 2009-2014 Pica8, Inc.
===================================
Hardware Model            : P-3297
PicOS Version             : 2.3.2S2
Software Revision         : 15911

Step 2: Copy license tool:

admin@XorPlus$cd /etc/picos
admin@XorPlus$ls -l
total 20
drwxrwxr-x  2 root xorp 4096 Jun 29 08:01 ./
drwxrwxr-x 60 root xorp 4096 Jun 29 08:03 ../
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp   26 Jun 29 08:01 fs_status
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  183 Jun 30  2014 p2files.lst
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp  488 Jun 29 08:01 picos_start.conf
admin@XorPlus$

Step 3: Copy public.key, license.conf and license to /etc/picos:

admin@XorPlus$ls -l
total 132
drwxrwxr-x  2 root xorp  4096 Jun 29 08:09 ./
drwxrwxr-x 60 root xorp  4096 Jun 29 08:03 ../
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   354 Jun 29 08:09 1GE-SITE-PICA8.lic
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp    26 Jun 29 08:01 fs_status
-rwxr-xr-x  1 root root 98575 Jun 29 08:08 license-powerpc*
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp   183 Jun 30  2014 p2files.lst
-rw-rw-r--  1 root xorp   548 Jun 29 08:07 picos_start.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   251 Jun 29 08:07 public.key
admin@XorPlus$./license-powerpc -s                
No license installed. Use below information to create a license.
Type: 1GE
Hardware ID: A326-8F2D-3661-AE76
admin@XorPlus$

Step 4: Install license:

admin@PicOS-OVS$sudo ./license-powerpcspe -i 1GE-SITE-PICA8.lic
License successfully added, the switch need to be rebooted to activate the license.
admin@PicOS-OVS$

Add License Directly From License Command

User can also add the license directly from the license command. The PicOS 2.6 image supports this command.

Step 1: Paste the license content.

Step 2: Press enter and then press crtl+d.

Example for P5401, add a site license:

admin@PicOS-OVS$sudo license -i -
sJXhrpDdd2ZsMemcJ26fqvjjw7vH30gf/4OVtLsROgPNl2VjFQhIJvS3zliF+DK+
tW2QpssH0JB4n8ae9/SumsRWdwdPpbQNB1WaeNq0onWdoTRz2HGiH+XudDAm6B37
kQvCGev7pAe0tCjnB+63F3Z5ZGPbQE89/fNSBGkE6mfZ6dG1F/86C9Bn/MyqkQSI
4uDtRwfo46elZOmwn5aD/mGyh/i2qg8IfhssIn0CbHVaJY8hyt7tYuvgkEb6Xlhx
7i9+qnk9c15ksBdak0f8gxorZDOCacwWACDt/K8NJokOMWTDLnLmDczrXO0Z5l75
eGc7ZygxCjd/jzc5oW9cgIyd
License successfully added, the switch need to be rebooted to activate the license.
admin@PicOS-OVS$

Reboot system and license can be activated.

PICOS-2.11.25_Configuration_Guide

PicOS Licenses