Wireless Access

I just migrated my environment to 8.x, which consists of 2 Corporate offices.  For licensing, instead of using the global pool I created a separate licensing pool for each of the 2 Corporate offices.  I migrated the AP/PEF/RFP from the 6.x controllers and associated them with the respective new licensing pool on the MM.  Working great.
I have a 500-user count VIA license that I split 250 and 250 to each of the new pools.  The used VIA licenses at Site A have reached into the mid-240's so I'm really close to surpassing the 250.  My question is this:  can I zero out the VIA licenses on the site pools and simply add 500 to the Global pool so that regardless of what site you're connecting to, a VIA license will be available?  Or can I not use the Global Pool now that I've defined site-specific pools?  If can put the 500 license up at the Global level and remove the 250-250 will user connections drop during that process? 
On a previous TAC call they asked why I created pools in the first place.  What is the recommended best practice on licensing pools?  Use the Global and call it a day?  Or create site-specific pools to keep your license tracking/managment clean? 

My opinion:

Don't create pools if the same entity will be administering/using/consuming licenses.  Stick to the global pool.
Pools are mainly intended for placing hard restrictions on administrative domains, instead of trying to keep track of license usage.  It is not worth the administrative work to restructure pools later, IMHO.  Why? because there is no warning that you are low on licenses, ....  eventually devices and APs will not be able to connect and you have to figure it out, and then fix it which is not convenient.

Others can weigh in with their experience.

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Any opinions expressed here are solely my own and not necessarily that of Hewlett Packard Enterprise or Aruba Networks.
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Original Message:
Sent: Nov 09, 2020 12:15 PM
From: Ryan Brennan
Subject: 8.X Licensing Pool Behavior

I just migrated my environment to 8.x, which consists of 2 Corporate offices.  For licensing, instead of using the global pool I created a separate licensing pool for each of the 2 Corporate offices.  I migrated the AP/PEF/RFP from the 6.x controllers and associated them with the respective new licensing pool on the MM.  Working great.
I have a 500-user count VIA license that I split 250 and 250 to each of the new pools.  The used VIA licenses at Site A have reached into the mid-240's so I'm really close to surpassing the 250.  My question is this:  can I zero out the VIA licenses on the site pools and simply add 500 to the Global pool so that regardless of what site you're connecting to, a VIA license will be available?  Or can I not use the Global Pool now that I've defined site-specific pools?  If can put the 500 license up at the Global level and remove the 250-250 will user connections drop during that process? 
On a previous TAC call they asked why I created pools in the first place.  What is the recommended best practice on licensing pools?  Use the Global and call it a day?  Or create site-specific pools to keep your license tracking/managment clean? 

For those experiencing the same problem, I just reverted back to an all-Global Pool by deleting both custom pools for my corp sites.  Licenses automatically went back into the Global Pool and there was no service interruption.  Just in case you want to delete custom pools and want to know the behavior of the license counts.

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Ryan Brennan
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Original Message:
Sent: Nov 09, 2020 12:15 PM
From: Ryan Brennan
Subject: 8.X Licensing Pool Behavior

I just migrated my environment to 8.x, which consists of 2 Corporate offices.  For licensing, instead of using the global pool I created a separate licensing pool for each of the 2 Corporate offices.  I migrated the AP/PEF/RFP from the 6.x controllers and associated them with the respective new licensing pool on the MM.  Working great.
I have a 500-user count VIA license that I split 250 and 250 to each of the new pools.  The used VIA licenses at Site A have reached into the mid-240's so I'm really close to surpassing the 250.  My question is this:  can I zero out the VIA licenses on the site pools and simply add 500 to the Global pool so that regardless of what site you're connecting to, a VIA license will be available?  Or can I not use the Global Pool now that I've defined site-specific pools?  If can put the 500 license up at the Global level and remove the 250-250 will user connections drop during that process? 
On a previous TAC call they asked why I created pools in the first place.  What is the recommended best practice on licensing pools?  Use the Global and call it a day?  Or create site-specific pools to keep your license tracking/managment clean?