With the release of the Q2 2022 FortiNet price list, they have decided to split FortiCare up into three different versions
FortiCare Essentials: Is the base-level service, and it is targeted toward devices that require a limited amount of support. This service is only offered to FortiGate models 8x and below and to low-end FortiWifi devices. Support includes web only tickets & chat, with next day business response.
FortiCare Premium: The previous 24×7 FortiCare offering, including ‘follow the sun support’, one-hour response for critical issues and the next business-day response for non-critical issues.
FortiCare Elite: The previous ASE (Advanced Support and Engineering) FortiCare offering now enabling coverage of a broader product range. This level provides 24×7 follow the sun support and optimum response times of 15 minutes. FortiCare Elite services offers enhanced service-level agreements (SLAs) and accelerated issue resolution. This advanced support offering provides access to a dedicated support team. Single-touch ticket handling by the expert technical team streamlines resolution. This option also provides Extended End-of-Engineering-Support (EoE’s) of 18 months for added flexibility and access to the new FortiCare Elite Portal. This intuitive portal provides a single unified view of device and security health.
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Both licenses are available as 1, 2 and 5 (not 3 as listed on the Cisco website) year subscription, or you can buy Plus licenses with a perpetual license option.
Note: For PLUS Licences looks at SKUs starting L-AC-PLS, for APEX Licences look SKUs starting at L-AC-APX
(Note: if you have a Plus Perpetual license you still need to purchase a software applications support plus upgrades (SASU) contract.
Regardless of which you buy, the SASU for AnyConnect is NOT included in the support contract for the parent device e.g. the SmartNet on your Cisco ASA Firewall.
To purchase support you order the parent license (SKU: L-AC-PLS-P-G) which has no cost, then you add in the relevant license for the amount of clients you have e.g. AC-PLS-P-500-S for 500 users, AC-PLS-P-2000-S for 2000 users etc.
BE AWARE: AnyConnect 4 Licenses will display as AnyConnect Premium licenses when you issue a ‘show version’ command. When adding an AnyConnect 4 License (regardless of the quantity of licenses added), will license to the maximum permitted AnyConnect Premium license count for the ASA hardware platform, those being;
New AnyConnect VPN Only Licences (Perpetual)
You can now purchase VPN Only perpetual licences, they are sold by ‘Concurrent VPN Connection‘. You order them like so;
L-AC-VPNO-25 (for 25 concurrent VPN connections) you can also buy in 50, 100, 250, 500, 1K, 2500, 5K ,and 10K versions. Depending on what you device will physically support (see below)
When Microsoft released Windows Vista and Server 2008 they had the brilliant Idea of putting all the versions you would require in the same install media. With Windows 7 they have changed their approach, and the install media is specific to the version that is going to be installed. Well actually that’s not true the version is decided by a file in the installation media called ei.cfg and all versions are STILL in there.
What they still do, is have their x32 bit and their x64 bit Operating Systems on different media. If you do a lot of installs you might want them all on one DVD. Below are two walkthroughs, the first shows you how to make an x32 and x64 bit install DVD with all the versions* on it, the second shows you how to unlock your exiting install media so that all the versions on it are accessible.
*When I say “all versions” I’m NOT including Windows 7 Enterprise, that comes on separate media, and is just for open value subscription customers, or customers with software assurance.
Solution
Create an x32 AND x64 bit Windows 7 Multi Install Media DVD
1. Download your Windows 7 ISO Images (x32 and x64), from VLSC, Technet, or MSDN etc.
2. Make two Directories on your Machine’s C: Drive called Master and Images.
3. Using 7Zip open the x32 bit ISO file you have downloaded, and extract the sourcesinstall.wim file to the C:Images folder.
4. Then rename the file you just extracted to x32.wim.
4. Using 7Zip open the x64 bit ISO file you have downloaded, and extract the sourcesinstall.wim file to the C:Images folder.
5. Then rename the file you just extracted to x64.wim.
6. Check the x32 image for the “Image Index” (these are the numbers of all the Windows versions in this image), Yours will probably be identical, but you may have different media so check! Launch the “Deployment Tools Command Prompt”
To check the image index, execute the following command;
[box]
imagex /info C:Imagesx32.wim
[/box]
You can see (above) this image has five images within it, scroll down and you can see them.
Mine is structured as follows;
Image 1 – Starter Edition Image 2 – Home Basic Image 3 – Home Premium Image 4 – Professional Image 5 – Ultimate
7. Create a new image from all these Windows 7 x32 images, by executing the following commands;
14. Test your new install media (Note: if you want to Burn a DVD from this ISO use ImgBurn (it’s free).
Create an x32 OR x64 bit Windows 7 Multi Install DVD.
So if you have the installation media in .iso format you can change it so you can see the other install versions. On THIS site there are some utilities to help you – the “eicfg removal utility” removes the pointer to the file (which means you can install any version by picking it from the install menu (like you did with Windows Vista). Or you can swap your version with the second tool “Windows 7 iso image edition switcher”. I deploy a lot of machines so the former is a much better option for me.
1. Drop the windows 7 .iso file somewhere you can get at it (i.e. on your desktop).
When Cisco released the 8.2 version of the ASA code, they changed their licensing model for AnyConnect Licenses. There are two licensing models, Premium and Essentials.
Solution
Cisco ASA AnyConnect Premium Licenses.
You get two of these free with your firewall*, with a ‘Premium License’ you can use the AnyConnect client software for remote VPN Access, and you can access Clientless SSL facilities via the web portal.
*As pointed out by @nhomsany “The two default premium licenses available are NOT cross-platform, (i.e. only Mac or Windows).
Additionally you can use this license’ model with the Advanced Endpoint Assessment License’, this is the license’ you require for Cisco Secure Desktop. You can also use this license’ with the AnyConnect Mobile license’ for access from mobile devices like phones or tablets, (both these licenses are an additional purchase).
For most people wishing to buy extra AnyConnect licensing, this will be the one you want. Their type and size differ depending on the ASA platform in question, e.g. the 5505 premium licenses. are available as 10 session and 25 session licenses. the 5510 are in 10, 25, 50, 100 and 250 Sessions. (Note: These are correct for version 8.4 and are subject to change, check with your re seller).
Failover: If you are using failover firewalls you can (but don’t have to) use a shared license’ model, this lets you purchase a bundle of Premium licenses. and share them across multiple pieces of hardware, This requires an ASA to be setup as the license’ server’. Before version 8.3 you needed to purchase licenses for both firewalls. After version 8.3, Cisco allowed the licenses. to be replicated between firewalls in a failover pair. The exception is Active/Active where the amount of licenses. is aggregated together from both firewalls and ALL are available providing the figure does not exceed the maximum for the hardware being used.
Cisco ASA AnyConnect Essential Licenses
When you enable ‘Essential Licensing’, your firewall changes it’s licensing model and the two Premium licenses. you get with it are disabled*. The Firewall will then ONLY accept AnyConnect connections from the AnyConnect VPN client software.
Note: The portal still exists, but can only be used to download the AnyConnect Client Software.
With Essentials licensing enabled, the firewall will then accept the maximum VPN sessions it can support for that hardware version (see here), without the need to keep adding licenses.
Note: Remember these are “Peer VPN Sessions”. If you have a bunch of other VPN’s (including IPSEC ones), then these are taken from the ‘pot’.
Additionally, you can also use this license’ with the AnyConnect Mobile license’ for access from mobile devices like phones or tablets, this license’ is an additional purchase.
Failover: Prior to version 8.3, if you have failover firewalls and are using Essentials licenses you need to purchase an Essentials license’ for BOTH firewalls. After version 8.3 Cisco allowed the licenses. to be replicated between firewalls in a failover pair.
*To re-enable the built in Premium Licenses. you need to disable Essentials licensing by using the ‘no anyconnect-essentials” command or in the ASDM> Configuration > Remote Access VPN > Network (Client) Access > Advanced > AnyConnect Essentials.
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