Vmware License questions...

[CyberTron12]

Hi!

I have tried reading about vmware licensing model, and from what I have understand I can have 4 servers, each licensed accordingly. Then I can have 4 spares, replacements if you like, that can be in "standby" mode. And if one licensed Hosts goes down, I can boot up 1 spare and all is fine again, am I correct?

I have this scenario in my test environment, but Can't get it to work. If i take one of my licensed hosts and change license to "unlicensed" and then i boot up my new spare server I still get "there are not enought licenses"

anyone care to help me, or explain if I am thinking wrong?

[krishna11]

I believe you are not providing licnese to spare server from existing server.

[CyberTron12]

i forgot to mention that I am using a VC server, with central licensing. so everything related to licenseing should go through the vc server correct?

[madda]

I believe you cannot have them connected to the VC as using centralised licensing from the licensing server will require a valid license for all connected servers.

So when a server fails, you will have to power up the spare server and then connect it to VC and get teh VMs across somehow.

So it is possible, but much better to get licenses for the servers and utilise HA for automatic failover

[CyberTron12]

yes you are correct.

although, this is for my disaster recovery site so it doesn't need automatic failover. So my scenario is just as you say madda, when the server fails (or in reality all my servers must fail and my serverhall must be damaged in some way) I will power up my spare and then reconnect to my secondary site storage (which has replicated all vm's and such)

Myu problem is that despite that I decommision the license from "licensed to unlicensed" i get not enought licenses from the vc server when trying to add it.

[madda]

In your VC, go to Administration -> VirtualCenter Management Server Configuration, under the License Server page is the 2nd checkbox (Change host license server settings to match these VirtualCenter Server settings whenever a host is added to the inventory) checked?

If checked that will change the license model when you add a host to VC

[CyberTron12]

hi again,

yes it is checked.

do I have to restart the license server for licensechanges to take affect?

[madda]

Nope should apply immediately, as it only applies when you add a new host to VC