Cisco Licensing: DNA, Network Essentials vs. Network Advantage

This article dives deep into the comparison between Cisco Network Essentials, Network Advantage, DNA Essentials, and DNA Advantage.

Cisco provides various license types for traditional networking devices and methods and modern cloud-centric and IoT-driven digital networks.

Conventional networks lacked security features and hybrid solutions like today’s modern networks. Hence, the need for separate licensing modules emerged. Cisco is one of the most innovative players in the industry. 

They recently took out the business case and introduced a different licensing subscription. This subscription provides features and services to both traditional and modern digital networks.

The four different licensing modules that Cisco offers are:

• Network Essentials & Network Advantage
• DNA Essentials & DNA Advantage

What are Cisco Network Essentials and Advantage Licensing?

Both Network Essentials and Network Advantage are licensing options with the following differences:

Network Essentials

The Cisco Network Essentials is a generic and base-level license. It provides customers access to standard features and support for various Cisco devices. It offers baseline networking capabilities, including essential switching capabilities, technical support, bandwidth, manual software updates, and zero-touch provisioning. 

Network Essentials licenses are best for organizations using Cisco appliances in an L2 environment where routes are mostly static and not complex. In other words, it is best to purchase an Essentials license for businesses with simple or small network architecture and Campus networks.

Another primary reason to subscribe to Essentials is that campus networks do not require advanced dynamic routing protocols like BGP. These protocols are primarily necessary for data centers and multi-branch organizations. Other protocols, such as EIGRP, RIP, and OSPF, are supported to some extent.

Network Advantage

On the other hand, Network Advantage is an enhanced license that offers extra salient features, including network essentials. It adds additional capabilities like optimizations, full L3 protocol support such as BGP, analytic tools, better technical support, and software patches. The Network Advantage license allows customers to be cloud-ready in many senses.

The Network Advantage licensing module is undoubtedly the best for enterprise businesses that use a series of high-end Cisco devices. 

It facilitates organizations with the following:

1. Advanced security

2. Support for L3 routing protocols

3. High availability

4. VRF, VXLAN, audio-video bridging

5. Optimization for bandwidth utilization is the key factor for large enterprises. 

6. The quick on-call tech support meets the SLA requirements for compliance with critical businesses.

The difference?

There are noticeable differences between Essentials and an Advantage License. We are here to help you decide which one is best for you. Which features are required in your environment and fit your budget? We prepared a comparison table to make your decision easier.

The choice?

Choosing between an Essential or Advantage license depends on several factors, such as:

• Budget
• Type of environment
• Technical support required to meet SLAs

I have been using Cisco products for years and follow a simple rule. I use an Essential license in the access layer, where in-house engineers handle the business criticality and most technical support. In these types of networks, L2 and the static route do the job. We have interior routing protocols such as OSPF, RIP, and EIGRP if additional routing is required.

However, I use an Advantage license in the core layer, which is critical and connects to business-centric applications. 

In the core or edge layer, the need for advanced routing and quick support from OEM makes vast differences in performance, business goals, and data security. For instance, devices must be stacked together in data center networks and large enterprises. This is to provide high availability in case of a unit failure. Alongside HA, support for BGP is required to have its own AS. This helps communication with other WAN networks to be smoother and faster.

To summarize, the choice is simple. If you need dynamic routing and L3 support, go for Advantage. If you need L2 and static routing with basic features, then Essentials is the deal for you.

What are Cisco DNA Essentials and DNA Advantage Licenses?

DNA stands for Digital Network Architecture, which supports the future of digital network transformation. DNA provides security, optimizations, automation, monitoring, and centralized control. Cisco says DNA is the future of intent-based networking with unparalleled capabilities over its competitors. Digital transformation is at its peak globally, and enterprises require real-time monitoring, visibility, and, most of all, Security.

Cisco DNA Essentials

Cisco DNA Essential is a baseline software license offered by Cisco for their enterprise networking devices. It provides basic network management and security features to help enterprises better manage and secure their networks. It provides features such as network automation and assurance capabilities, such as automated device onboarding, network segmentation, and network performance monitoring.

It provides the foundation for network management and security. Moreover, it serves as an entry-level solution for small to medium-sized enterprise networks looking to improve network management and security.

Some of the key elements of DNA Essentials are:

1. Device Management: Enables centralized management of network devices, including software image upgrades and configuration management.

2. Network Visibility: Provides real-time monitoring and tracking of network devices and their status.

3. Software Image Management: Automated software upgrades controlled through Cisco DNA Center.

4. Health dashboard: Provides a high-level overview of the health of every network infrastructure.

5. Network Plug and Play provisioning application: Zero-touch provisioning and onboarding for new device installation. Managed by the DNA Center.

6. Reporting: Provides the Cisco DNA Center pre-defined reports that can be exported to third-party tools.

7. Cloud monitoring for Catalyst: Delivers cloud monitoring options with Cisco® Catalyst® 9000 switches series and supports visibility and troubleshooting.

Cisco DNA Advantage

Cisco DNA Advantage is an upgrade from the Essentials license. It contains all the features offered by DNA Essentials. It is a software license that provides advanced network management and security features for Cisco enterprise networks. It offers advanced security features such as threat detection and response, network segmentation firewall, and software-defined access.

Key features include:

1. Network Assurance: Real-time network monitoring, troubleshooting, and diagnosis.

2. SD-Access: A software-defined network solution for network segmentation and security.

3. Network Optimization: Improves network performance, such as bandwidth management and network health monitoring.

4. Controller Orchestrated Fabric Management and Configuration: Any Cisco or a third-party controller orchestrating a Fabric-like EVPN, MPLS, etc.

5. Cisco AI Network Analytics: Cisco has implemented AI and machine learning technologies on the Cisco DNA Center and the AI Network Analytics cloud. These technologies enhance the insight and remediation capabilities of Cisco DNA Assurance.

6. LAN automation: Automate configurations and deployment of networks with Cisco DNA Center

7. Device 360, Client 360, and Network Health Insights: Display devices and client connectivity from any angle or context, providing very granular troubleshooting in seconds.

8. Application hosting: Allows third-party applications to be hosted in a secure container environment on the switch. License is required for both manual/CLI configuration or automation through the Cisco DNA Center.

9. Wireshark: Packet capture for analysis. License is required for both manual/CLI configuration or automation through the Cisco DNA Center.

10. Fabric, Segmentation, and eWC: Enables policy-based automation with secure segmentation, complete visibility, and delivery of new services quickly on SD-Access devices, managed by Cisco DNA Center only.

DNA Essentials vs. DNA Advantage

Key deciding factors while choosing between DNA Essentials and Advantage License:

Which one is best for you?

The DNA Essential would offer you basic features like cloud monitoring, device management, and support for firmware upgrades. Whereas with DNA Advantage, you can enjoy advanced features alongside essentials. It includes features like Wireshark for packet capturing, IPsec, LAN automation, and AI trust analytics. 

You may want to automate the daily tasks and monitoring process if you run a critical network with high-end Cisco appliances. If that is the case, the Advantage License is a better fit. On the other hand, Essentials is always there as a first choice in case you land short in budget.