VMware Esxi 5.1 question

[basheerptm]

Hi,

I have recently installed VMware ESXi 5.1 on a server with more than 32Gb memory. I get the message that it is evaluation mode and will expire in 60 days. I learned that there is a limitation of physical memory in free version of ESXi 5.1 upto 32Gb.

My questions are:

- can i purchase the vmware essentials (which is less cost) and overcome this memory limitation?

- If the above possible, is it easy to upgrade? do I need to reinstall the current evaluation edition and recreate my vms? what is the safest procedure here?

I appreciate the expert comment here.

Thank you.

[Troy_Clavell]

adding paid licenses will unlock features associated with the product suite.  Beyond that there is nothing to do.  The paid license key is all you'll need to get the additional feature sets.

[basheerptm]

Thanks for the quick response.

- Do I need to reinstall the free esxi 5.1? or just add the license key? I am not sure the Esxi 5.1 and Essentials are same or separate product.

- What is the memory limit in essentials? i could not find this information anywhere i searched, in otherwords, paying for Essential will unlock the physical memory limit of the free Esxi 5.1?

Thanks agian.

[Troy_Clavell]

you would only need to add the license key, not a reinstall

see below for comparisons of the vSphere Kits.  The 32GB limitation is not part of the vSphere Kits.  You are only bound to the configuration maximums for vSphere 5.1 (2TB) - http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere5/r51/vsphere-51-configuration-maximums.pdf

http://www.vmware.com/products/datacenter-virtualization/vsphere/compare-kits.html

[basheerptm]

So, i can conclude, by just purchasing the SMB essential kit for three servers (actually i have only one server) and adding the license to my existing esxi 5.1 will unlock the memory limit. no need to reinstall. i can also utilize the vcenter for enhanced features like template creation.

pls comment if i am wrong.

Thanks 

[Troy_Clavell]

you are correct

[basheerptm]

One more thing,

what is the difference between Esxi 5.1 hypervisor and vSphere hypervisor!?

[Troy_Clavell]

vSphere is the product suite.

The vSphere Hypervisor is the free version of ESXi 5.1

[basheerptm]

So, by just adding the essentials license, i will get the full benefit (ofcourse, within the maximums of Essentials) of vsphere without reinstalling?

Sorry for the long thread.

[brucekconvergen]

No reinstall needed