VMware® vCenter™ Server Heartbeat™ end of life?

[JJBN]

Hi guys,

a provider told us that heartbeat license is end of sales. Is this true?

In case it is which solution is taking over?

Thanks a lot.

Regards

J

[rcporto]

The VMware Lifecycle Product Matrix not shows End of Availability date for vCenter Server Heartbeat.

[rcporto]

I think your provider is confounding vCenter Server Heartbeat with vCenter Chargeback Manager that will be on End of Availability next month: VMware vCenter Chargeback Manager for IT Cost Management | United States

[JJBN]

Hi Richardson,

thanks for the reply.

On the link you provided it says VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat 6.6  EOL 2013/09/19.  I cannot find any Heartbeat 6.7 version available in the market.

Do you know which version is taking over, or Heartbeat will be eliminated? No other solution is in the market?

Thanks a lot.

Regards,

JJBN

[rcporto]

Hi,

2013/09/19 is the date of GA (General Availability) not EOL.

For more info about VMware Lifecycle check: VMware Product Lifecycle Policies | United States

[JJBN]

Hi Richardson,

thanks a lot for the clarification.

My issue is to know if I am allowed to buy it or not. In case I am not which is the alternative?

thanks.

Regards,

JJBN

[rcporto]

Check this KB: Supported vCenter Server high availability options (1024051)

But the supported options are vCenter Server Heartbeat and HA/FDM... and now with version 5.5 VMware introduced support for using Microsoft SQL Cluster Service for use as a back end database.

[MikeRyder]

I just got this in my inbox this morning -- I don't see how it can be read any other way -- this sounds like the end of Heartbeat as a product line.  I wish I knew what was replacing it...

Dear Valued Customer,

VMware is announcing the End of Availability of all VMware® vCenter™ Server Heartbeat™ versions effective June 2, 2014. As a result, all versions of vCenter Server Heartbeat will be removed from the VMware price list on June 2, 2014. After this date, you will no longer be able to purchase these products.

All support and maintenance for the removed versions will be unaffected and will continue on per theVMware Life Cycle Support Policy through the published support period ending September 19, 2018.

This notification in no way impacts your ability to use VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat past June 2, 2014, and you are not required to take any immediate action. Customers receive perpetual licenses when purchasing VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat and are thus entitled to continued use of the licenses regardless of the end of availability or end of support.

For any further inquiries, please contact VMware Support.

Thank You,

The VMware Team

[MikeRyder]

Well here it is... just like the message in my inbox:

High Availability for Virtual Infrastructure: vCenter Server Heartbeat | United States

vCenter Server Heartbeat End of Availability FAQs

What is VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat?

VMware vCenter Server Heartbeat is a software product that protects vCenter Server against outages–from application, operating system, hardware and network failures to external events–regardless of whether vCenter Server is deployed on a physical or virtual machine.

Why is vCenter Server Heartbeat availability ending?

VMware has chosen to readdress availability options to protect vCenter Server from outages based on internal availability solution offerings.

When is vCenter Server Heartbeat EoA effective?

vCenter Server Heartbeat will be made EoA June 2, 2014.

When is the end of support for vCenter Server Heartbeat?

End of support is planned for September 19, 2018.

Is VMware introducing another product that will take the place of vCenter Server Heartbeat?

There are no immediate plans to introduce another product.

What are the alternatives to vCenter Server Heartbeat?

Customers can leverage vSphere High Availability, and leverage best practices to deploy vCenter Server in a management cluster to ensure availability of managed resources.

How do customers maintain high availability for vCenter Server deployed on a physical server?

VMware best practice recommends deployment of vCenter Server as a virtual machine and to use vSphere High Availability to provide high availability functionality. However, customers can still retain high availability and backup of their physically deployed vCenter Server and associated databases through the use of physical backup software/systems provided by several storage backup vendors.

- See more at: http://www.vmware.com/products/vcenter-server-heartbeat#sthash.lE3Ctu0q.dpuf

[admin]

Based on this blogpost I suggest you to wait, if time allows it, and see how VMware will address the protection of vCenter server in the future.

vCenter Heartbeat End of Availability | VMware vSphere Blog - VMware Blogs

\Ibrar