Installing and Connecting the Switch

Smart licensing and IOS XE setup for Catalyst 9000 app hosting

Learn about the prerequisites, smart licensing information, and IOS XE CLI Configuration to enable app hosting framework on Catalyst 9000 series switches.

The following documents describe how to install and connect your switch and verify that it is properly connected.

For the Cisco Catalyst 9300 Hardware Installation Guide Click here
For the Cisco Catalyst 9400 Hardware Installation Guide Click here

Prerequisites for Application Hosting Framework

To enable Application Hosting Framework on Catalyst 9000, following are the requirements:

The Switch must be running release version 16.12. Docker App is supported only on release 16.12, as this version supports native docker engine.
Before Application Hosting can be enabled on Catalyst 9000, a Cisco certified USB3.0 Flash Drive must be installed in the device back-panel USB3.0 port. App hosting only works on the back-panel USB3.0.

License

Smart Licensing is required for Catalyst 9000 platforms. DNA-Advantage licensing is required to enable app hosting.

To install the required license for app hosting, configure IOS XE:

CAT9K#conf t
CAT9K(config)#license boot level network-advantage addon dna-advantage

% Reboot the switch to invoke the highest activated License level                                                                                        
...
CAT9K#write memory                                                                                                                                                

Building configuration...                                                                                                                                
[OK]                     
# reload
...
CAT9Kh#show version                                                                                                                          
...
Technology Package License Information:

-----------------------------------------------------------------                                                                                        
Technology-package                   Technology-package                                                                                                  
Current             Type             Next reboot                                                                                                         
------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                                       
network-advantage   Permanent        network-advantage                                                                                                   
dna-advantage       Subscription     dna-advantage

Enabling Application Hosting Framework

Application Hosting framework is not enabled by default. Following is IOS XE CLI Config to enable App hosting infrastructure:

cat9k# conf t
cat9k(config)# iox

To validate Application Hosting infra is running: ``` cat9k# show iox-service ... IOx Infrastructure Summary:

IOx service (CAF) : Running IOx service (HA) : Running IOx service (IOxman) : Running Libvirtd : Running


To proceed with any Application Hosting lifecycle commands, you must wait until the infrastructure is ready by using the "show app-hosting list" until the current Application Hosting state output is shown. This may take several minutes depending upon how may previous apps were installed.

Example:

CAT9K#sh app-hosting list No App found ```