---
title: "DNS Cache Acceleration Appliance System Configuration"
canonical: "https://docs.infoblox.com/space/dca9x/399769902/DNS%20Cache%20Acceleration%20Appliance%20System%20Configuration"
format: markdown
---
For initial hardware setup instructions, refer to the NIOS Documentation at *[docs.infoblox.com](https://docs.infoblox.com/)*. Once you install the system and run the `set network` command, enable the DNS service and the DNS Cache Acceleration service on the DNS Cache Acceleration appliances.  
The procedure to start DNS Cache Acceleration service consists of the following:

1. Install and activate the DNS Cache Acceleration license, as described in the *Licensing Requirements* section.
2. Enable the DNS service and the DNS Cache Acceleration service, as described in the Enabling the *DNS Cache Acceleration Service* and *Enabling the DNS Service* sections, see *[Configuring DNS Cache Acceleration](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/dca9x/pages/399737063)*.

# Licensing Requirements

The DNS Cache Acceleration appliance requires a **DNS** **Cache** **Acceleration** license. The IB-4015 and TE-4126 appliances support four tiers of **DNS** **Cache** **Acceleration** licenses. These licenses enable DNS caching and control DNS queries per second performance on the appliance. The Tier-4, Tier-3,  and Tier-2 licenses enable the appliance to process up to 150K, 300K, and 600K qps (queries per second), respectively. The Tier-1 license enables the appliance to perform at its full capacity.

- If the appliance is running on NIOS 9.0, you can install either a temporary, subscription, or a permanent license on the appliance. For more information, see *Managing Licenses in NIOS 9.0.0* in the *[Infoblox NIOS Documentation](https://docs.infoblox.com/space/NIOS/35400616/NIOS)*.
- If the appliance is running on NIOS 9.0.1 or later, the appliance comes preinstalled with a temporary license and you can upgrade it to an appropriate subscription license. For more information, see *Managing Licenses in NIOS 9.0.1* in the *[Infoblox NIOS Documentation](https://docs.infoblox.com/space/NIOS/35400616/NIOS)*.

The temporary license provides a 60 days free trial for up to one million queries per second. You can upgrade a temporary license to a permanent or a subscription license depending on the NIOS version by using either Grid Manager or the CLI.

> ⚠️ **Note**
> ⚠️ 
> ⚠️ A lower tier license cannot be added for DNS Cache Acceleration when a higher tier permanent license is installed. You can add a lower tier license if a temporary license exists. You cannot downgrade any permanent DNS Cache Acceleration license from a higher tier license to a lower tier license. For more information about the different tier licenses, contact your Infoblox representative.  
> ⚠️ The appliance displays a warning message if the DNS Cache Acceleration utilization exceeds a predefined threshold. You can configure the appliance for various levels of performance based on your current license type.
> ⚠️ 
> ⚠️ Tiered licenses are supported only on IB-4105 appliances. Other software-based appliances are enabled to perform at their full capacity.

The system restarts automatically when you install the license or upgrade it to a higher tier. For more information about adding and upgrading licenses through Grid Manager, see the *[Infoblox NIOS Documentation](https://docs.infoblox.com/space/NIOS/35400616/NIOS)**.*

You can also use the CLI command `set license` or the `set temp_license` command to add a license. For more information about the CLI commands, see *[DNS Cache Acceleration CLI Commands](https://infoblox-docs.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/dca9x/pages/399474987)*.