Running VMWare in a server with more cpus than license

[nikf]

Hi There,

I need to get info if we were to install/implement VMware with number of license less than the server physical CPUs, will it work???

(eg. VMware esx 5 with 2 licenses in a 4 socket cpu server)

Please advice.

Rgds

NikF

[beckham007fifa]

vsphere 5.0 licenses is not like vsphere 4.1 license, they are based on vRAM. Its no more cpu socket based.

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/vsphere_pricing.pdf

[golddiggie]

From everything I've seen, it's still licensed per socket of the host. So for a dual socket host, you purchase two socket/CPU licenses. You're not limited like you were for how many cores are on each socket. License level will determine how many vCPUs you can allocate to a VM though. Such as 8 with Enterprise and 32 with Enterprise Plus.

[Troy_Clavell]

...also, if you only have a two socket license, you probably won't even be able to license your four socket Host.  You'll need four socket licenses to license a four socket host.

[beckham007fifa]

my bad, Thanks for that. Now I got it.

[nikf]

Hi Guys thanks for the responce.

It seems that i have to purchase the same number of license with the physical/socket in the server to be installed. The issue is i have separate budget, to purchase a 4 socket server and only 2 license for VMWare vSphere  5  Enterprise, will this implementation work, as my plan is to later add additional licenses to match with the number of physical cpus in the server when budget permits,...

[golddiggie]

You'll need to check with VMware on this, but I suspect that you won't be able to apply less CPU licenses to the host than it has installed for CPU's.

Best case, you'll be running a powerful server, hamstrung. Worst case, it won't allow you to short count on the licenses. I just did a small check, you cannot pick how many CPU licenses to apply to a host server.

IMO, you'd be better off getting a higher core count, two socket server. If you were looking to get four six core sockets, go with two 12 core sockets instead.

[eeg3]

You may be able to disable sockets in the BIOS... or physically remove the extra sockets.