vSphere HA & DRS

[9990374530]

Hi experts,

If we disable only DRS, but HA is enabled, do we need to license all the virtual hosts for all the machines.

Example:

3 VMs on a single host needs 2 x Win Svr 16 core licenses (assuming a normal machine not over 16 cores).

If we have 2 VMware hosts with HA & DRS, we definitely need 2 x 2 = 4 x Win Svr 16 core

If we disable DRS and manually distribute 1VM on one host, 2VMs on the other, but HA is enabled. May we assume, that we need to license each host with only 1 x Win Srv 16 Core?

Do we have to disable HA as well to be compliant?

Regards

PK

[daphnissov]

HA will still allow a VM to be powered up on a potentially non-licensed host, so what is usually done is to use DRS with host groups and create a MUST rule for those Windows VMs. HA will then respect said rule and won't power up a VM on a host outside of the licensed set.

[9990374530]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for your reply!

But I need to understand, how can a VM is powered up on a potentially non-licensed host. As per my understanding, esxi host has to be licensed during adding in vcenter or vsphere cluster.

Regards

PK

[daphnissov]

If a host is in a cluster and if HA is enabled, if a VM dies and is accessible by another host in that same cluster, it will be powered on unless it would violate a DRS rule. HA and DRS are features enabled at the cluster level, therefore all hosts in the cluster abide by their settings.

[9990374530]

Hi,

I agree with you but when you said "HA will still allow a VM to be powered up on a potentially non-licensed host" what does that mean?

Regards

PK

[daphnissov · Accepted solution]

Read my first reply to you again:

what is usually done is to use DRS with host groups and create a MUST rule for those Windows VMs. HA will then respect said rule and won't power up a VM on a host outside of the licensed set.

[9990374530]

Thanks a lot!