SSP: Apply ANS License Keys on NSX Manager Before Upgrading to v9.0 to Avoid NAPP Issues

Products

• VMware vDefend Firewall with Advanced Threat Prevention

Issue/Introduction

With the upgrade to NSX version 9.0 and above, non-ANS/VCF license keys are no longer supported. This results in legacy license keys becoming unrecognizable and causing disruptions in features that rely on those licenses.

An example of SSP UI showing no valid license message as a banner:

Environment

Impacts environments where NAPP/SSP is deployed along with NSX.

Cause

License formats changed with NSX v9.0 and above. Causing legacy license keys to become unrecognized.

The impact in the environment would be that UI screens pertaining to advanced threat protection features of NAPP/SSP are rendered with 'No valid license error' message.

Resolution

There are 2 ways to address this:

1. Avoid the issue altogether - by using ANS license keys, this issue can be avoided completely, since ANS license keys are in the new format - and will continue to function as before. These licenses are:
   1. vDefend Firewall (ANS-VMW-FW-B)
   2. vDefend Firewall with ATP (ANS-FW-ATP-B)
   3. vDefend ATP Add-On to Firewall (ANS-FW-ATPAD-B)
2. Fix the issue after it has already occurred - requires getting a new VCF license which allows ATP (Advanced Threat Protection) features, be applied to the environment - allowing resumption of UI functionality that was disabled.