[c-nsp] Cisco IOS XR Flexible Consumption Model (FCM)

[Tassos]

During the last few months I've been evaluating the migration to Cisco's 
Flexible Consumption Model (FCM) on IOS-XR boxes and i would like to get 
a feedback from anyone using it extensively.

Most exercises give a nice price advantage if using only the essentials 
license and FC HW, but i've noticed that the logic behind the 
identification of consuming advanced/advantage licenses is quite faulty 
(if not primitive).

i.e. on IOS-XR 7.4.2 I just configured a loopback interface with 
description "** mpls traffic-eng **" and the platform believes that i 
have configured MPLS TE, so it consumes 4 x ADV-AC-10G-RTU-1 (4x10G 
ports are just up but without any actual config).

"sh license platform trace all" returns the following among others:

Apr 27 17:21:21.619 plat_sl/sl-det 0/RP0/CPU0 t7225 PLUGIN(vortex): 
traffic_eng_configured invoked
Apr 27 17:21:21.619 plat_sl/sl-det 0/RP0/CPU0 t7225 PLUGIN(vortex): item 
=  description "mpls traffic-eng"
...
Apr 27 17:21:21.622 plat_sl/sl-inf 0/RP0/CPU0 t7225 SIALOG: Entitlement 
ADV-AC-10G-RTU-1 Mode OUT OF COMPLIANCE 4 Count 4

I don't know if the same logic applies for any other advanced feature 
too, but based on the above behavior i cannot trust the platform to 
consume expensive licenses based on dummy config lines. Even 
"snmp-server traps mpls traffic-eng up" (which is enabled by default if 
"snmp-server traps" is configured) shouldn't consume such a license.

At the same time seeing Cisco making mandatory the smart licensing on 
newest releases, it makes me having second thoughts about following this 
path.
Any feedback from your experience? Do you have any operational guidance 
as hint?

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Tassos

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