premium software license

[gtallan]

Is it correct that's HP have no way to issue an evaluation license for this?

I have a couple of 3500yl in my test lab and need to check that QinQ will solve a design problem for me - as well as see if QinQ affects forwarding performance in any way. I'm certainly not going to buy 2 licenses just to see if it works, but everything I've seen suggests HP have no way to do eval or loaner licenses. Hard to believe...

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Graham

[Fredrik Lönnman]

If they're bought fairly recent, they should have been shipped with the premium license per: http://h30507.www3.hp.com/t5/HP-Networking/Say-goodbye-to-firmware-licenses-in-wired-network-switch/ba-p/102493

Otherwise probably ask your AM about it since its free now.

[gtallan]

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to work that way - the announcement refers to all switches "introduced to market after Nov 2010", not all those sold after that date. The premium license is still an added cost addition for the 3500yl and 5400zl. It's included with the 3800 and apparently the 8200zl (though that in itself seems inconsistent)

HP engineering support replied to me that "I am sorry but for the switch premium licenses there is no evaulation or trial period. It is either you have the full version or you do not."

The presales number currently in their "My Networking" site connects me to a recording telling  me I've won a cruise, and to press 5 for horoscopes - not an encouraging start.

I find the lack of eval or loaner licenses a bit hard to believe, so would like to smack my head against this for a little longer before giving up and investigating non-HP alternatives.

[Fredrik Lönnman]

Oh I misunderstood the article then, sorry.

[paulgear]

Is a Comware-based model an option?  The 5500-EI/HI (and maybe even the 5500-SI/5120-EI?) supports QinQ - could you get a loaner version of that hardware from your sales team?  That might be easier than trying to find someone who has sufficient pull to get you an eval of a premium software license.

[gtallan]

Yes, maybe, or a loaner of a 3800 (or two) might work even better. Esp as that is the obvious provision candidate for our new building access switch (competing against cisco 3750x).

While we have a long and happy procurve history, the rest of the world around me is Cisco, and there is some amount of pressure to fall in line with that, so switching to a third platform isn't totally attractive (political grounds as much as technical). Even though I do hear good things about the Comware equipment, and suspect it may be most of HP's networking future...