Or my actual concern: if one of my ESX servers blows up, will I have any trouble building a new machine with my existing license?
no. the license is not tied to a machine ID of any sort
No problem at all, if you use Host based licensing the VC server will free the licenses that are not being used. If you are using Server based licensing you simply re-install the file on the ESX server.
No problem, I already did it.
Nothing really is preventing you from sharing your License, however, it DOES have your registration info, and if VM Ware get's a hold of it, and figures out that you used your license improperly, you could forfeit ALL privileges and lose any and all money invested.
Misuse of a license is covered under Software Piracy, and it is a FEDERAL law. Do you feel like doing prison time?
I think he doesn't want to share it but use it on an other ESX server if his production server goes down.
Well from the original posting, I construed this as "sharing" his license with others, not simply another machine.
My mistake.
Your License is based on number of CPU's, if you have a disaster and one of your ESX Servers blows up, as you put it then you are free to simply re-install to a new server..
Ok that answers my question, thanks guys.