Is it appropriate to install Cisco Prime Infrastructure in one server?

[th3ccorp]

Dear, Sir

I have designed BoM for Cisco NMS and I am very confuse about Cisco Prime Infrastructure. It combine of NCS and LMS, So How to install?

Should i buy one of Cisco Prime Network Control System Hardware Appliance and install both NCS and LMS into it or buy two

Cisco Prime Network Control System Hardware Appliance for dedicated installation?

What is the difference?

Thank you.

[Michel Hegeraat]

No, these products don't have anything in common.

The only way to put then on the same box will be as 2 virtual machines.

If you can put the 2 on one applicance depends on the specs of the platform.

Cheers,

Michel

[th3ccorp]

Thank you.

[Leo Laohoo]

Doesn't make any sense.

In the past, Cisco's practice is if you have two appliance then you need two separate license.  With the new license structure for the NCS (can't speak for the others because of lack of knowledge), if you have two NCS VM platform then you just need to get ONE license file.  If you have, say LMS, then ... http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/netmgtsw/ps6504/ps6528/ps12239/ordering_guide_c07-697784.pdf

[Martin Ermel]

the original question was if 2 Hardware Appliances are necessary to installl the complete Cisco Prime Infrasturcture (PI) Software.

PI currently contains 2 software "packages" NCS and LMS. From what I know, each of them require its own license and its own hardware (or VM).

Your question could be, if you really need both products installed....

Not all customers have a Cisco wireless infrastructure and thus I highly doubt they'll need NCS to be installed...

leolahoo,

the doc you posted says:

[...]

NCS licenses are applied to an appliance based on a unique device identifier (UDI) or virtual unique device

identifier (VUDI).

[..]

so I don't understand your statement that you need only one license if you have 2 NCS VM platforms. Isn't the VUDI bound to the VM instance?

[Leo Laohoo]

Two units, in HA, ONE license.  This is what I've been told.

[Martin Ermel]

Ah, Ok that clarifies it. Thanks for the info!

[Marvin Rhoads]

I guess one of the key take-away facts is the note in the ordering guide that "Cisco Prime Infrastructure bundles together Cisco Prime Network Control System and Cisco Prime LAN Management Solution for simplified ordering, licensing, and entitlement." (my emphasis)

It appears there is no product integration per se at this time.

[johncaston_2]

My understanding is that they are combining NCS and LMS into a single management platform, which should be available in a few months time

[Leo Laohoo]

Ah, Ok that clarifies it. Thanks for the info!

No problem Martin.  That's what we are all here for:  Collaboration of ideas and knowledge.

During the Cisco Live 2012 Melbourne, I quizzed the speaker about the upgrade/migration from WCS and NCS.

This is what I learnt:

During the days of WCS, if you want to operate an HA-pair of WCS then it means that you need to purchase TWO licenses.  With NCS, all you need to purchase is ONE.

Next question is about migration from WCS to NCS.  Now, Cisco is trying to "convince" everyone to migrate from WCS to NCS.  Other than feature, the other reason is the cost.  Here's how it was to explained to me:

Presume you have a WCS pair with, say 5,000 WAP count license.  All you need to is to get a MIGRATION license pack for price of $2.500 (or less, depending on discounts) and you can have an NCS with 5k unit count.  Now, notice that I didn't mention "WAP count" and I said "unit count".  That's because this unit count can either be a mix of WAPs, routers, switches, etc.  By, the way, autonomous WAP is not included in the count because it's FREE.

[Jacob Samuel]

HI,

it seems the question is related to the Quantity of Cisco Prime NCS Hardware Appliance.

This is my understanding about the solution, please correct if i am wrong in this.

When you buy the Cisco Prime Infrastrucutre 1.1 (R-PI-1.1-K9, 0 $ cost) with a Base License, license qty is based on your requriement, if it is 100 the part number (R-PI-1.1-100-K9, cost is for the License only), you can see you are entitled for Prime LMS 4.2 (L-PILMS42-100), Prime NCS 1.1 (L-PINCS11-100), Prime NCSW 1.1 (WAN) (L-PINCSW11-100).

If you want to manage 100 Network Devices (LMS) only then you can order only ONE NCS Hardware Appliance (PRIME-NCS-APL-K9). But if you want to use Cisco Prime Infrastructure to manage both your LAN and Wireless Network then as Cisco suggestes you need separate Cisco NCS Hardware Appliance to installaing the Prime-LMS-4.2 and Cisco Prime Netowrk Control System (NCS 1.1) Solution.

What i beleive is , the Prime Infrastructure software 1.1 will integrate the Netowrk Controll System (NCS1.1) and Lan Management Solution (LMS 4.2) in to one Console / Dashboard, and you can manage both this Management system through the Prime Infrastructure 1.1 Software console. (otherwise i dont know what they mean by this "integration")

You will install Cisco Prime Infrastructure Software, Prime LMS 4.2 Software in one NCS Hardware Appliance and Prime NCS (old WCS) Software in another NCS Hardware Appalaince and would be able to mange both the LMS 4.2 and NCS 1. from the system whcih is installed with Prime Infrastructre 1.1 Software.

The Base License is for 100 Devices so you can manage a combination of any of the device up to the quantity of 100. If you have more deivces then you need to purchase additional license for this.

regards

Sunny

[Marvin Rhoads]

There is currently no application level integration built into Prime Infrastructure 1.1 with respect to the LMS and NCS (or NCS -WAN) components. The "integration" is only product ordering and licensing bundling at this time. That will change when Prime Infrastructure 2.0 comes out (late 2012-early 2013). 2.0 will make them truly one single product that can run on either a single hardware appliance or a single OS instance (virtual or physical server).

If you order Prime Infrastructure 1.1 with 100 license part number and install both LMS and NCS on separate server instances today, you can actually manage 100 devices on each server.

[Leo Laohoo]

Also note that if you are going to virtualize NCS then you need ESX or ESXi.  Currently, NCS is not supported in any forms of virtualization other than VMware's product.  I have no idea what this is going to be like down the road.

I am also not sure if you can "mix" the up-and-coming WLC 8500 in the same host (different guest, of course).