Can i use free VMWare ESXi for commercial use.?

[lnn100]

Hi,

I know that this question have come up before but I can't find any

definitive answers. Can i use free VMWare ESXi for commercial use. We

would like to host

several customers on a machine running VMWare ESXi. I want a clear answer so we can do it without any further discussion.

Thank you all in advance,

LNN

[Rockapot]

Yes you can use the free ESXi product for commercial use.., you should however consider purchasing support from VMware (http://www.vmware.com/products/esxi/support.html) in case you experience issues.

The VMTN forums are however very well maintained and users quick to respond so most support issues you could get help on via the forums in the first instance.

Carl

[lnn100]

Thank you Rockapot for the fast answer. Do you know a place I can read this? I most be absolutley certain. Is there anybody else with a different opinion.

Best regard,

LNN

[weinstein5]

You need to understand that is same technology that is used in both ESX and ESXi is the same - the hypervisor for both is the vmkernel - this is what does the virtualization - the difference between the two is ESX has, in essence, a RHEL virtual machine called the service console that is used to communicate and manage the vmkernel while in ESXi that functionality is part of the vmkernel - ESXi is acrually the next generation of VI-3 and is the direction that ESX is moving its architecture - it does everything that ESX does including vmotion/DRS/HA but you will need to buy the licenses -

If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer correct or helpful

[lnn100]

Hi weinstein5,

Thanks for the answer. I do know the difference but I don't understand for which version you mean that I need to buy a licence, free ESXi?

Ragards,

LNN

[javelin]

I'm also new to VMware. If I understood the documentations correctly, and as already been mentioned from others, ESXi differs

from ESX in that it does not rely on a running OS for some management functions. You download the image, put it on a CD and

begin installing. You don't need a running OS(Linux or Windows for examle) to install it into...ESXi is its own "OS" to put it bluntly.

In ESXi, the exclusion of the service console is replaced by RCLI, I think, which I'll be playing around with soon.

ESXi is free in terms of its basic functions. If you need additonal features like, VirtualCenter, vmotion, HA, DRS, to be used

with ESXi, you will need license(fee) for these.

Good luck,

jav

[weinstein5]

Technically to run ESXi you will need a license but the base license is free - this base license will allow you to create virtual machines with 1,2 or virtual CPUs and you will be able to install it onto physocal hardware with upto 32 cores and 256 GB of RAM - if you want to manage this ESXi server with Virtual Center or use VMware DRS/HA/VCB you will need to buy the approriate licenses - that is what I meant by the licenses you would have to buy -

If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer correct or helpful

[Dave_Mishchenko]

If you plan on renting out a VM, then you need to look at the hosting programs - http://www.vmware.com/solutions/hosting/index.html. The base EULA for ESX and ESXi do not allow for the rental of VMs but I believe it may be possible to get an exemption to that.

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1016993#1016993

VMware grants you a nonexclusive, non-transferable license, without rights to sublicense, to install or have installed a single instance of the Software and each Licensed Additional Module on a single Server, unless permitted to have multiple instances on a single Server or to have multiple instances on multiple Servers by the payment of applicable license fees (whether such fees are based on a per Processor, a per Virtual Machine, a per user or any other VMware approved licensing model); (ii) use the Software and each Licensed Additional Module solely for information processing and computing purposes, including the hosting of computer application-based services from a Virtual Machine and provision of such services via an internal or external network, provided such services may not consist of services to a third party that provide primarily computing or processing power (such as utility computing or grid computing) or any computer application-based service that is traded, rented, leased or sold on a Virtual Machine basis; and (iii) use and reproduce the VMware Virtual Infrastructure Client Software or VMware WebAccess (in object code form only) for the purposes of installation and operation on an unlimited number of your own internal computers or terminals solely for the purpose of accessing the Server on which the Software is installed.

[lnn100]

Thanks Dave for the answer.

I think it´s really confusing. So you mean that even if i buy ESX I can't use it for a commercial hosted instance on a virtual server?

[Dave_Mishchenko]

The way I read it and I'm trying to get some clarification myself is that you couldn't rent out a VM, but if you were hosting apps that would be fine.

[Degel3030]

Great read, only I still am not sure if it is OK to use in the Corp world. I understand if you want to distribute it or if you are renting space that is running on it, but what if you are just running it to run your servers, for example a POS (point of sale)? I am trying to read this EULA and it does not seem clear cut...

[sudanA]

Hi guys,

Even i couldn't come to a conclusion, where we can use esxi hypervisor in a commercial environment eventhough it limits the application supports. Also i would like to know will the key which they gave us during the download, will expire or not? will that key expire in a period of time or we can use it without renewing it(The key the VMWare gives you when you downloading the ISO file of ESXI)?

Thanks in advance