R&D w/ VMware ESX 3.x

[khughes]

I'm getting ready to do some R&D testing with ESX 3.0.2 (DR) and 3.5 (we own 4 esx 3.0.2 hosts currently) and I ran into the brick wall when I forgot about licensing the ESX host. Not looking to get any black market keys but what does everyone else do for R&D and esx licensees? Can you get a trial from VMware for time period to do DR tests?

- Kyle

[Troy_Clavell]

You can evaluate the product for 60 days.

https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/?eval=vi3

[khughes]

We haven't upgraded to 3.5 yet so I'm trying to do everything matching up which means using 3.0.2 u1. I saw that 60day trial earlier today but didn't see a way to get 3.0.2 =/

- Kyle

[weinstein5]

As troy pointed out VI-3 components (ESX and VC) come with 60 day evaluation licenses - I would also think if you check with VMware their license agreement might allow you to run the same license as long as you are moving to 3.5 - but that is something VMware will have to answer -

[Troy_Clavell]

Here's my thoughts... If you are truly using it as a R&D scenario, then I would think with the blessing of VMware you can use your license file twice. That would double your licenses you own (just for a set period of time). Once R&D is complete, you would destroy it and be back to a single license source. If I were you I would get ahold of VMware sales and see what they can do for you. After all if the R&D goes well, there probably is a purchase of more licenses sometime in the future...

my two cents.

[khughes]

I completely agree, but I just don't want to use my license then out of some random unforseen event, having that license cut from our production machines, because that would be my head on the block. I'll shoot them an email and see what they say. I figured that there would be quite a few people in the same boat as me with the r&d unless everyone has purchased the extra licenses just for that purpose

- Kyle

[Troy_Clavell]

We are lucky we have extra licenses, but not everyone does. I am pretty confident this is not a scenario VMware hasn't heard before. When all is said and done, they will work with you to get you what is needed.

Good luck!!

[Troy_Clavell]

One other thing.. Those evaluation licenses are backward compatible. So, if you have a 3.5 license you can use it on 3.x.

[khughes]

One other thing.. Those evaluation licenses are backward compatible. So, if you have a 3.5 license you can use it on 3.x.

Only problem is that the license is built into the .ISO download (which they only offer a 3.5) So there is no license file to deal with after instalation.

• Kyle

[RParker]

If you are truly using it as a R&D scenario, then I would think

> with the blessing of VMware you can use your license file twice. That

> would double your licenses you own (just for a set period of time).

> Once R&D is complete, you would destroy it and be back to a single

> license source.

Wow technically if that were the case, we could have 20 servers ALL free, but we spent $140,000 for R&D. WE don't technically have any of these servers in "production" but VM Ware didn't mention this, so I am guessing we still have 20 "licensed" servers we are using their software on, so I don't think this is accurate.

As you say, he should contact VM Ware sales, but I am pretty sure they will tell him he needs to buy a license for his R&D servers. In the end VM ware doesn't really have VMTN licenses anymore, which is what that was for, so they must have ditched it for a reason, a la not profitable for VM Ware.

So each and EVERY ESX server in a corportate environment NEEDS it's own license, period. If you are running VM ware, and you have ESX, it requires a license beyond the trial period. Normally servers under the trial period are pretty much limited to 1, that's what a trial period is for. But VM Ware Sales may have a different answer, in our region that's how it pretty much works. They expect you to either buy or don't use, it's hard but that's why they extended to 60 days (instead of 30) to give you a chance to use it. Certainly you can tell in 60 days if ESX will work for you or not.

[Troy_Clavell]

...

[khughes]

Thanks for your input. Last thing I want to do is fudge a license or somehow screw our production license up so thats why I came on here. Not sure if our IT department can get away with buying another 2 vi3 enterprise licenses but if that's what we have to do, then I guess we'll have to budget for it. It was weird though I called up the licensing people and he said I could use my current license for it, but it sounded completely bogus and I think he had no idea what I was asking, called back again and somehow he thought I was asking about licensing DRS and then went on to tell me I had it already since we own vi3 enterprise.... so i just left it at that.

R&D I'm seeing that we would need our own license but for a DR run through (over 48 hours) you would think you could get a temp license. Guess I could always just use 3.5 for the DR test.

- Kyle

[Troy_Clavell]

I wrote a long winded response last night but then deleted it. I can tell you this: When were first started setting up our enviornment, not for R&D but for a POC, VMware gave us a 30 day eval license. I would hope/think that they may be able to do this for you as well, but you have to find out from them. I mean after all is said and done and things go well, wouldn't you end up buying more production licenses?