This evening I was tasked with installing a PAK on an ASA 5512-X for a client. Sales forwarded me the eDelivery Order Notification without event, I grabbed the serial number from the output of the "show version" command, and with a click on "Register Claim Certificates (PAKs)" within the email. I already had this handy guide from one of my favorite blogs loaded up in my browser and figured I would be done in no time.
So where does the woe come in? On the Cisco licensing page. After clicking the link and then logging into the Cisco site, I was brought to the licensing page. I selected the only outstanding item showing (the recently purchased license upgrade for the 5512-X), and clicked Proceed. On the next page, it asked for the serial number of the unit. As I had that handy already, I copied it and pasted it into the box. Proceed remained grayed out.
After rereading the email, the output of show version and Pete's guide a couple more times, I was starting to think maybe the client would have to log in and enter everything into the licensing page under their account. So I tried one more thing before throwing in the towel for the night. After clicking towards the end of the serial number box to ensure there were no stray spaces at the end, I hit enter for no particular reason. And wouldn't you know, the Proceed button became available, and after one more page, Cisco emailed me the new PAK which the firewall took with no problem.
I still can't complain as the entire process took me about 20 minutes, although well over half of it was spent wondering why the Proceed button was still grayed out. Moral of the story: if you want me to press enter after I'm done entering something into the box, say so.
So where does the woe come in? On the Cisco licensing page. After clicking the link and then logging into the Cisco site, I was brought to the licensing page. I selected the only outstanding item showing (the recently purchased license upgrade for the 5512-X), and clicked Proceed. On the next page, it asked for the serial number of the unit. As I had that handy already, I copied it and pasted it into the box. Proceed remained grayed out.
After rereading the email, the output of show version and Pete's guide a couple more times, I was starting to think maybe the client would have to log in and enter everything into the licensing page under their account. So I tried one more thing before throwing in the towel for the night. After clicking towards the end of the serial number box to ensure there were no stray spaces at the end, I hit enter for no particular reason. And wouldn't you know, the Proceed button became available, and after one more page, Cisco emailed me the new PAK which the firewall took with no problem.
I still can't complain as the entire process took me about 20 minutes, although well over half of it was spent wondering why the Proceed button was still grayed out. Moral of the story: if you want me to press enter after I'm done entering something into the box, say so.
