I wanted to share an experience I had recently while helping a customer with a hardware upgrade. It’s a bit of a frustrating situation that highlights a few potential gaps in Meraki's licensing process, especially when it comes to newer devices. I’m hoping to get some feedback from the community on how others have navigated this, and maybe someone from Meraki can weigh in on the issue.
The Scenario: Upgrading from Z1 to Z3 (Then Z4)
The customer had two Z1 devices that had failed, (power supplies dying) and instead of simply logging a support case for a replacement, I suggested they upgrade to the newer Z3 models. The customer still had about two years left on their Z1 licenses, so I was confident we could just transfer those to the Z3s.
However, the order for the Z3s was canceled, and I was notified that they were no longer available. The replacement order was automatically upgraded to Z4s. At first, I thought, "Great, no problem!"—especially since the Z4 comes with some really nice features.
The Upgrade Process
I received the Z4 units, swapped out the Z1 devices, and got the customer up and running. The next step was to make sure their remaining Z1 licenses were updated to cover the new Z4 devices.
Here’s where things got tricky.
The Licensing Roadblock
I logged a case to convert the Z1 licenses to Z4 licenses, but the support agent told me that, according to their Knowledge Base (KB), license conversions like this aren’t allowed. The agent seemed unwilling to escalate the issue or explore other solutions, which left me feeling a bit stuck. I found it odd that a simple hardware upgrade didn’t seem to fit within the licensing framework, especially when the Z3 model (the one I initially ordered) was essentially out of stock and replaced by the Z4.
For those who may want more context, the KB on Meraki’s licensing page lays out how license conversions typically work, but it doesn’t mention the Z4. Meraki Licensing Overview
Is This a Policy Decision or an Oversight?
So, now I’m left wondering: Is this a deliberate policy decision from the Business Unit (BU) to not allow license conversions to the Z4, or is it just an oversight in the Knowledge Base that hasn’t been updated yet? Either way, it feels like a simple upgrade is now stuck in a bit of a loop, with the only solution being to return the Z4s, log a new support case for Z1 replacements, and then wait another two years for the upgrade process to play out.
Looking for Community Feedback
I’m curious if anyone else has encountered a similar issue with the Z4 or if there’s a workaround that I might have missed. Has anyone been able to successfully convert Z1 licenses to Z4, or is this a case where we’ll need to wait for Meraki to update the KB and/or licensing process?
I’d love to hear your thoughts or suggestions on how best to handle this situation. And if anyone from Meraki is reading this, any insight into whether this is something that could be addressed in the near future would be really helpful!
