In short
Secure Client Premier, formerly AnyConnect Apex, is a subscription licensed per unique user, minimum 25, for 12 to 60 months. Order L-AC-APX-LIC= or a banding code for 1, 3 or 5 years. It includes every Advantage feature plus posture, SAML and network visibility. Forever Systems, a Cisco Partner, can confirm the band at quote.
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AnyConnect Apex is now Secure Client Premier
Cisco renamed the AnyConnect Apex licence Cisco Secure Client Premier. Premier also replaces the older AnyConnect Premium, Shared, Flex and Advanced Endpoint Assessment licences. The part numbers still begin L-AC-APX, from the Apex name, and Premier is sold as a subscription.
According to Cisco's Secure Client ordering guide (opens in a new tab), Premier includes every Advantage feature and adds:
- Posture checks: VPN compliance and posture on Cisco Secure Firewall, and the unified posture agent used with Cisco ISE Premier
- Network Visibility Module, which reports application use on and off the network
- Next-generation (Suite B) encryption, including third-party IKEv2 clients
- SAML authentication, ASA multi-context remote access and the Management VPN Tunnel
How Secure Client Premier licensing works
Premier is counted by unique users: everyone who may use Secure Client Premier services, whichever headend they connect to. The minimum is 25 users and there is no maximum.
- Term: 12 to 60 months, 36 months by default, starting from L-AC-APX-LIC=. Cisco also lists banding codes for 1, 3 and 5-year terms.
- Support: software updates and Cisco support are included for the term.
- Co-terming: you can choose start and end dates so Premier lines up with your other Cisco contracts.
- Mixing tiers: Premier includes Advantage, so each user needs one licence or the other. You can license some users for Premier and the rest for Advantage, and stack terms as you add users.
The table lists every Premier code in Cisco's guide: the top-level subscription code and the 1, 3 and 5-year banding codes for every user band.
Secure Client Premier part numbers
The top-level Premier subscription code, then Cisco's banding codes by term and user band.
| Part number | Description | Unit | Term | Route | Basket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L-AC-APX-LIC= | Secure Client Premier subscription, top-level code (formerly AnyConnect Apex) | Per unique user (minimum 25) | 12 to 60 months | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-1Y-S1 | Premier subscription, 1 year, 25 to 99 unique users | Per unique user | 1 year | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-1Y-S2 | Premier subscription, 1 year, 100 to 249 unique users | Per unique user | 1 year | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-1Y-S3 | Premier subscription, 1 year, 250 to 499 unique users | Per unique user | 1 year | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-1Y-S4 | Premier subscription, 1 year, 500 to 999 unique users | Per unique user | 1 year | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-1Y-S5 | Premier subscription, 1 year, 1,000 to 2,499 unique users | Per unique user | 1 year | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-1Y-S6 | Premier subscription, 1 year, 2,500 to 4,999 unique users | Per unique user | 1 year | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-1Y-S7 | Premier subscription, 1 year, 5,000 to 9,999 unique users | Per unique user | 1 year | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-1Y-S8 | Premier subscription, 1 year, 10,000 to 24,999 unique users | Per unique user | 1 year | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-1Y-S9 | Premier subscription, 1 year, 25,000 to 49,999 unique users | Per unique user | 1 year | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-1Y-10 | Premier subscription, 1 year, 50,000 to 99,999 unique users | Per unique user | 1 year | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-1Y-11 | Premier subscription, 1 year, 100,000 or more unique users | Per unique user | 1 year | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-3Y-S1 | Premier subscription, 3 years, 25 to 99 unique users | Per unique user | 3 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-3Y-S2 | Premier subscription, 3 years, 100 to 249 unique users | Per unique user | 3 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-3Y-S3 | Premier subscription, 3 years, 250 to 499 unique users | Per unique user | 3 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-3Y-S4 | Premier subscription, 3 years, 500 to 999 unique users | Per unique user | 3 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-3Y-S5 | Premier subscription, 3 years, 1,000 to 2,499 unique users | Per unique user | 3 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-3Y-S6 | Premier subscription, 3 years, 2,500 to 4,999 unique users | Per unique user | 3 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-3Y-S7 | Premier subscription, 3 years, 5,000 to 9,999 unique users | Per unique user | 3 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-3Y-S8 | Premier subscription, 3 years, 10,000 to 24,999 unique users | Per unique user | 3 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-3Y-S9 | Premier subscription, 3 years, 25,000 to 49,999 unique users | Per unique user | 3 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-3Y-10 | Premier subscription, 3 years, 50,000 to 99,999 unique users | Per unique user | 3 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-3Y-11 | Premier subscription, 3 years, 100,000 or more unique users | Per unique user | 3 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-5Y-S1 | Premier subscription, 5 years, 25 to 99 unique users | Per unique user | 5 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-5Y-S2 | Premier subscription, 5 years, 100 to 249 unique users | Per unique user | 5 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-5Y-S3 | Premier subscription, 5 years, 250 to 499 unique users | Per unique user | 5 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-5Y-S4 | Premier subscription, 5 years, 500 to 999 unique users | Per unique user | 5 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-5Y-S5 | Premier subscription, 5 years, 1,000 to 2,499 unique users | Per unique user | 5 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-5Y-S6 | Premier subscription, 5 years, 2,500 to 4,999 unique users | Per unique user | 5 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-5Y-S7 | Premier subscription, 5 years, 5,000 to 9,999 unique users | Per unique user | 5 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-5Y-S8 | Premier subscription, 5 years, 10,000 to 24,999 unique users | Per unique user | 5 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-5Y-S9 | Premier subscription, 5 years, 25,000 to 49,999 unique users | Per unique user | 5 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-5Y-10 | Premier subscription, 5 years, 50,000 to 99,999 unique users | Per unique user | 5 years | Annual | |
| L-AC-APX-5Y-11 | Premier subscription, 5 years, 100,000 or more unique users | Per unique user | 5 years | Annual |
Part numbers from Cisco Secure Client Ordering Guide (updated 8 September 2026) (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-11-08. Add the licences you need to your basket and request a quote: we confirm the right part numbers, quantities and terms when we quote.
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Reading a Premier band code
A banding code carries the term and the user band. L-AC-APX-1Y-S5 means Premier, 1 year, for 1,000 to 2,499 unique users. The term part is 1Y, 3Y or 5Y; the band part is:
| Band suffix | Unique users |
|---|---|
| S1 | 25 to 99 |
| S2 | 100 to 249 |
| S3 | 250 to 499 |
| S4 | 500 to 999 |
| S5 | 1,000 to 2,499 |
| S6 | 2,500 to 4,999 |
| S7 | 5,000 to 9,999 |
| S8 | 10,000 to 24,999 |
| S9 | 25,000 to 49,999 |
| 10 | 50,000 to 99,999 |
| 11 | 100,000 or more |
The quantity on the order is still the number of users in the band you buy. Cisco notes that orders through a reseller may need the banding code; we pick it for you when we quote.
When to choose Premier rather than Advantage
Choose Premier when you want to check a device before it connects: posture on Cisco Secure Firewall, or posture through Cisco ISE, where ISE Premier is also needed (see Cisco ISE part numbers). Premier is also the licence for SAML single sign-on to the VPN, Suite B encryption, the Management VPN Tunnel and the Network Visibility Module. If users only need a secure VPN, Secure Client Advantage covers it; many organisations license Premier for managed laptops and Advantage for everyone else. For the full feature comparison, read Cisco Secure Client licensing (opens in a new tab).
Is Secure Client Premier licences the right fit for you?
We will check it against your systems and requirements and recommend the right option.
How we help
Forever Systems, a Cisco Partner, counts the users who need Premier, checks whether your ISE or firewall licences support the posture features you want, and quotes the matching codes. We can set up posture policies and SAML sign-in on your headend. Add the codes to the basket and send your enquiry; we confirm codes, quantities and terms when we quote. See all Cisco Secure Client part numbers, or Contact us for a quote.
How Forever Systems supplies your software licences
Forever Systems supplies business software subscriptions to UK organisations from one account, with one invoice and a team who know the products.
- Help choosing the right edition: we check what you need before you buy, so you are not paying for features you will never use
- Monthly or annual terms where the vendor offers them, and help timing renewals and commitments
- Licence changes handled for you: add or remove users, upgrade editions and true-up without starting a new contract
- Deployment and support from our engineers, not just a reseller account
- Consolidated billing and renewal reminders to help stop subscriptions lapsing unexpectedly
We can supply businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations of all sizes.
Frequently asked questions
Is AnyConnect Apex the same as Secure Client Premier?
Yes. Cisco renamed AnyConnect Apex as Secure Client Premier, and Premier also replaces the older AnyConnect Premium, Shared and Flex licences. The part numbers still start L-AC-APX.
Does Premier include Advantage?
Yes. A Premier licence includes every Secure Client Advantage feature, so each user needs one licence or the other, not both.
How long can a Premier subscription run?
From 12 to 60 months, with 36 months as Cisco's default. Banding codes exist for 1, 3 and 5-year terms, and we can co-term Premier with your other Cisco contracts.
Still have a question about Secure Client Premier licences?
Ask us and a member of our team will get back to you.