Virtual Account Alerts
To view Alerts for your Virtual Accounts, use the Inventory link in the Smart Software Manager screen. This displays the Virtual Accounts screen.
The default Virtual Account is listed next to a drop-down menu that provides links to:
- Other Virtual Accounts associated with this Smart Account - click on the Virtual Account to display details for that account
- A summary of alerts for the selected Virtual Account - these indicate the number of Major and Minor alerts requiring action
- A history of the events that have been associated with the selected Virtual Account - click on History to display the History screen for the selected Virtual Account.
View Virtual Accounts
To view Major and Minor alerts for the selected Virtual Account, click on the buttons provided.
Clicking either button displays the appropriate Virtual Account alerts table, which provides the following information and management options:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Severity (Sev) | The severity (Sev)column provides an icon that defines each alert listed as either of Major, Minor, or Informational. The default sort on the alerts is to list the alerts in order of Severity, and then Action Due. |
| Message | Alerts are generated for the
following
License and
Product
Instance events:
|
| Source | Provides a link to the Smart Account or Virtual Account information referenced by the alert. |
| Action Due | Identifies the time frame in which the alert must be addressed. |
| Actions | Provides drop down menu options for Actions that may be taken to address the alert. |
License Information
Click on a link in a "License" message to display a pop-up window with the following tabs:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Overview | Description provides a
license description.
Virtual Account Usage is displayed in a pie chart. The License Expiration section displays Count, Type and Expiration Dates for the licenses held by the Source group. |
| Product Instances | Lists the licenses held by the Source group. |
| Event Log | In the Event Tab, you see the Message, the Time the message was recorded, and the User who generated the message. |
| Order History | The
Order
History tab provides the following details for each license:
|
Product Instance Information
Click on a link in a "Product Instance" message line to display a pop-up window with the following tabs:
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Overview | In the General section a product description is provided.
In the General section, the following product instance details are displayed:
The License Usage section displays the licenses in use and the number of each that are required. |
| Event Log | In the Event Tab, you see the Message, the Time the message was recorded, and the User who generated the message. |
Alert Actions
Various categories of alert messages require that specific actions be taken to manage Virtual Accounts effectively. The following table provides examples of Alert Actions, the Action that may be taken to address the alert, and the effect that Action has on the Behavior of the Alert message.
| Alert | Type | Action | Behavior |
| Insufficient Licenses - The virtual account "<pool>" has a shortage of <license> licenses. <count> license is required to return to compliance. | Major | Select Transfer Licenses to display the transfer options for the license type, and the licenses in overage (available for transfer) in the Virtual Account pool. | The alert cannot be manually dismissed. It is automatically dismissed when the licenses are brought back into compliance. |
| Updated Smart License Agreement – The Cisco Smart Licensing Agreement has been updated and this new version must be accepted in order to continue using Smart Licensing. | Major | Select View/Accept Agreement to display and accept license agreements. | The alert cannot be manually dismissed. It is automatically dismissed when the agreement signed. |
| There are three types of Licenses - Perpetual, Demo, and Term - and each are valid for a different period of time. Perpetual licenses remain valid in an ongoing, while Demo Licenses must be renewed after 60 days, and Term Licenses remain valid for specified periods of 1 to 3 years. Licenses are removed from Virtual Accounts as they expire. | |||
| Licenses Expired – <count> <license> licenses in the virtual account "<pool>" expired on<date>. | Minor | Select Dismiss to hide the alert. | Use the Dismiss option in the Actions column to manually dismiss the alert. |
|
Licenses Expiring – <count> <license> licenses in the virtual account "<pool>" are set to expire in 30 days on <date>. | Minor |
Select Remind Later to hide the alert until the next warning period. | Select the Remind Later option to suppress the alert until the next warning period expires after a set number of days (e.g., 90, 60, 30, 14, 7, 3, 2, 1). If a previous warning has not been dismissed, it will be automatically dismissed when a new alert is generated. |
| Reserved License Expired – a term license in the reservation has expired. | Minor | Click the update the reservation link to select a different term license from the available surplus or the dismiss link to remove the alert. | The alert is dismissed when the Update Reserved Licenses process has been completed and validates the expiration of the selected term license or when the dismiss link is clicked. |
|
Product Instance Failed to Connect: Regular Licenses –The product instance in the virtual account has not connected for its renewal period. The product instance may run in a degraded state if it does not connect within a specified number of days. If the product instance is not going to connect, you can remove it to immediately release the licenses it is consuming. |
Minor |
Select Remove Instance to remove the Product Instance, and get a confirmation of that action. Select Remind Later to hide the alert until the next warning period. |
Select Remind Later to suppress the alert until the next warning period expires after a set number of days (e.g., 90, 60, 30, 14, 7, 3, 2, 1). If a previous warning has not been dismissed, it will be automatically dismissed when a new alert is generated. |
|
Product Instance Failed to Connect: Export Restricted Licenses (major alert appears when de-registration of the device is successful but de-authorization fails for any reason. The device will get de-registered, but the controlled entitlements will continue to be consumed.) – The product instance "<Product Name>" in the Virtual Account "<Virtual Account Name>" failed to connect during its renewal period and may be running in a degraded state. It is using licenses which enable restricted encryption technology, and those licenses have not been released. The non-restricted licenses it was consuming have been released for use by other product instances. |
Major |
Select Dismiss to hide the alert. |
Use the Dismiss option in the Actions column to manually dismiss the alert. |
|
Product Instance Failed to Renew: Regular Licenses – The product instance in the virtual account failed to connect during its renewal period and may be running in a degraded state. It is using licenses which enable restricted encryption technology and those licenses have not been released. The non-restricted licenses it was consuming have been released for use by other product instances. |
Major |
Select Remove Instance to remove the Product Instance and get a confirmation of that action. |
If the Remove Instance action is selected, the product instance will be removed from CSSM. |
|
Product Instance Failed to Renew: Export Restricted Licenses – The product instance "<Product Name>" in the Virtual Account "<Virtual Account Name>" failed to connect during its renewal period and may be running in a degraded state. It is using licenses which enable restricted encryption technology, and those licenses have not been released. The non-restricted licenses it was consuming have been released for use by other product instances. |
Major |
Select Dismiss to hide the alert. |
Use the Dismiss option in the Actions column to manually dismiss the alert. |
| Duplicate Licenses – (for licenses with Purchase Type “Usage”) when the same entitlement is present from different subscriptions within the same Virtual Account. | Minor | Either cancel the order in Cisco Commerce Workspace (CCW) and the entitlement will be removed from the Virtual Account or transfer the entitlement to another Virtual Account that should not already have the same entitlement. | The alert is removed when either action is performed. |
|
Restricted License Not Available – when a Product Instance is trying to consume restricted license(s) and the license(s) is either not available or there is insufficient quantity in the Virtual Account. “The product instance <Product Instance Name> has requested license <License Name> which enables restricted encryption technology. This license is not available within the virtual account <VA name>. “ | Informational | Select Dismiss to remove the alert. | Use the Dismiss option in the Actions column to manually dismiss the alert. |
Note | Product Instances are validated for 90 days from the date and time when they are first established. Smart-enabled products register contacts with the Cisco cloud, or their Satellite service, as the products are used. If a Product Instance does not contact Cisco for 30 days, a Minor Alert is sent to the License Administrator, indicating that there may be disruption of their Internet connection. Another Minor Alert is sent if the Product Instance does not contact Cisco for 60 days following its validation date. After 90 days, a Major Alert is issued. If the Product Instance does not connect with Cisco after that, the Product Instance is de-linked from the licenses used by the product. Those licenses are returned to the company's license Quantity pool to be used for another Product Instance. |
| Product Instance Failed to Renew – The product instance "<instance>" in the Virtual Account "<pool>" failed to connect during its renewal period and may be running in a degraded state. The licenses it was consuming have been released for use by other product instances. | Select Remove Instance to remove a Product Instance, which will generate a message confirming its removal. | Select Manual to dismiss the alert. |
Satellite Alerts
To view alerts for your Smart Software Satellites, use the Satellite link on the Smart Software Manager screen. This displays the Satellite screen and the Satellite information table.
The Satellites table displays information in the following columns:
- Name
- Product Instances
- Last Synchronization
- Synchronization Due
- Alerts
- Actions
Click on the links provided in the Alerts column to display alert details for individual Satellites.
Satellite Alert Messages
Alerts will be generated to notify you of the issues to be addressed to maintain each individual Satellite:
| Alert Message | Response |
|---|---|
| Authorization Pending | Use the Alert link to view the Authorization Pending message. A Satellite Authorization File is required to complete the registration process. An email notification will be sent to your email address when the file has been generated and is ready to be downloaded. |
| Authorization File Ready | Use the Alert link to view the Authorization File Ready message. The Authorization File for this Satellite has been generated and is ready to be downloaded. Click the Download Authorization File button. Save the downloaded file to your hard drive and then upload it to Cisco Smart Software Manager Satellite using the setup utility. |
| Synchronization Overdue | Use the
Alert link to view the
Synchronization Overdue message.
This provides details about the status of the Satellite. Information under a Troubleshooting tab describes steps to be taken to synchronize the device. A Details tab provides Satellite information including:
|
| Synchronization Failed | Use the
Alert link to view the
Synchronization Failed message. Generate a new
Synchronization File from your Satellite and try the
synchronization again. If the problem persists, contact Cisco Support."
Optionally, use the Dismiss button provided to dismiss the alert. |