N1 License

Definition

N1 licenses are carried in an N1 software package (N1 for short). The N1 software package refers to IDN One Software, which is an innovative business model introduced in Huawei CloudCampus Solution. This business model decouples the purchase of campus network software from hardware, which simplifies software transaction. By flexibly packing software of Huawei CloudCampus components, a variety of N1 software packages are provided to adapt to typical scenarios. These software packages can be migrated to new hardware to support continuous evolution and protect customer investment.

Purpose

In the conventional model, licenses are sold independently and customers need to purchase different licenses or license packages based on their service requirements. These licenses take effect permanently. However, if new functions or features are required, customers need to purchase new licenses.

In the N1 model, software packages are sold as a whole based on solution scenarios. Within the Subscription and Support (SnS) validity period, if the purchased software packages have new functions, customers can upgrade the license files on the ESDP to obtain new N1 licenses. After selecting N1 software packages based on their service requirements, customers do not to need purchase them again. This reduces the overall purchase cost and protects customer investments.

Characteristics

N1 software packages adopt the "perpetual license + SnS" business model. In this model, a global perpetual license is sold together with SnS services such as software patches, software upgrades (including new features of new releases), and remote support. SnS services are priced based on the same measurement units as those of licenses, and customers periodically pay for SnS services as required. In this way, the long-term values of software products throughout the lifecycle are achieved. In the perpetual license + SnS mode, a customer needs to pay for SnS services for a certain period of time, in addition to purchasing the license upon the first purchase. If the customer does not renew SnS services after they expire, the customer can still use the functions provided in the licenses purchased for the current version, but can no longer use the service functions covered in the SnS services.

Usage Description

Applying for an N1 software package license: After a customer purchases an N1 software package, the license entitlement certificate contains the entitlement IDs of different product components based on the solution scenarios. The customer can apply for the license of a specific product component on the ESDP based on the entitlement ID.

Installing an N1 software package license: Customers need to install and activate the licenses of product components on the components.

SnS control items: By purchasing SnS services, customers can obtain the latest product technologies and ensure the secure and reliable running of software. After SnS services expire, if the customer does not renew SnS, Huawei will no longer provide the software and services within the SnS. The SnS services include:

• Upgrade: New software versions and software patches are involved, including the upgrade for certain features of an existing version and excluding on-site services required for version upgrades (such as installation, commissioning, and integration).
• Maintenance: Huawei provides customers with hotlines, responds to customers within the specified time, records, analyzes, and answers customers' questions and inquiries about software usage, and provides consultation, reply, and knowledge sharing on the website or through emails.
• Migration: Licenses can be migrated between different versions and different devices.

N1 software packages are classified as follows to meet requirements in different application scenarios:

• Foundation package: provides basic network management and access management functions.
• Advanced package: includes all functions of the Foundation package and also adds the intelligent network analysis and intelligent calibration functions of CampusInsight, and the plug-and-play function of cloud managed STAs. The Advanced package is ideal for customers who require comprehensive automation and intelligence functions for a cloud campus network.
• Upgrade package: upgrades a Foundation package to an Advanced package. It applies to customers who have already purchased the Foundation package and require the comprehensive automation and intelligence functions for a cloud campus network.
• Add-On package: Four Add-On packages are available for increasing the terminal access capacity, the PnP terminal specifications, the number of APs for application analysis, and the number of APs for wireless location.

Precautions

• The software versions of WLAN products can be upgraded even if you do not purchase the corresponding SnS services for the basic software. Currently, the rules for obtaining software packages of WLAN products and upgrading the products remain unchanged and do not depend on the purchase of SnS.
• N1 license software packages only need to be activated on iMaster NCE-Campus but do not on WLAN products. For details about how to activate N1 licenses on iMaster NCE-Campus, see iMaster NCE-Campus License Usage Guide.