4 socket vSphere ESXi licensing for View?

[AUPhil]

Hey Folks,  We're considering some new ESXi servers to expand our View cluster.  I noticed from this URL: http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/VMware-View45-Pricing-Licensing-Support-FAQ.pdf the following excerpt:  ----- Q: What vSphere edition does the View 100 pack contain? How many licenses are included?   A: All View bundles include vSphere for Desktops which has the same functionalities and features as vSphere 4.1 Enterprise Plus. The vSphere for Desktops is licensed per concurrent connection. This means is that you deploy as many hosts as needed to support the number of concurrent connections for which you are licensed. -----  Can anyone comment on how the licensing manager on the controlling vCenter will treat quad socket hosts?  The excerpt above seems to imply that, if I had more money than sense, I could deploy 50 ESXi hosts to support 100 vaniila View desktops. However, there's no mention of how a host with > 2 sockets is treated.  Thanks, Phil

[mittim12]

I don't think you would have any problems until you hit the 12 core per proc limit of enterprise plus.   If you can't find anyone using 4 socket boxes to answer your questions you can always email the licensing group and get their validation. 

[LarryBlanco2]

Here is the way I interpret it.   They state that you can use as many ESX(i) hosts as need to support your desktops.  They don't license per server.. They license per socket.  Therefore you can use as many sockets needed to host your desktop.  If the server has 1 socket great if it has 2,4,8,16, it doesn't matter.  Even if the core counts were greater than 12, I would imaging that they would just require you to purchase an additional socket license.  This being a view implementation, there would be no need to purchase an additional socket as you can use as many as needed to support for view desktops.

Larry

[Linjo]

Correct, you will be bound by the EULA that states that you can only run desktop operating systems (windows) and supporting infrastructure servers on as many hosts as you need to power the users that you have licences for.

// Linjo

[khenry567]

Hey folks,

I am looking for an answer to a question, "If I have 10 licenses for vSphere Enterprise Plus for View 5 and I have a 4 socket host to run this on, will I have to pull two of the four processors to make it work OK?".  I would like to just let all four processors stay in the machine whether they are used or not.  The box will have 32gb of RAM so I am way under the Enterprise Plus max on vRAM.  Is not the ESXi server for View licensed per socket or is there a different licensing for View? or, is the licensing still follow the vSphere 5 rules for max of vRAM?

The bottom line is "Do I have to pull 2 of the 4 processors to make my licensing work and also legal?"

Thanks for your help.