ESXi serial number

[Ramses_Ulises]

I´ve been looking for the serial number of my ESXi embbeded server but i couldn´t find it. In a paper called "ESX Server 3i Embedded Setup Guide" from VMware says "For the ESX Server 3i Standalone edition, each host

has a serial number that is supplied by the hardware vendor and is typically preinstalled. If the serial number is not preinstalled, it might be enclosed on a sticker or a card." I didn´t find any card nor sticker and is not preinstalled. Can I remove the USB Key and see if the sticker is on it?

Could this action make any error on my server configuration?

Regards.

[amirs · Accepted solution]

Hi Ramses,

You can remove the USB stick while the server is running ESXi. ESXi updates config information periodically. There are 2 possibilities for things going wrong:

- If the server comes down for any reason while the USB stick is out, you may lose the last config write to the stick. If your configuration has changed in the previous 60 minutes, you will not get the last config written and will revert to the one before it.

- As a corrolar, you may lose one config write cycle (assuming that you do the complete operation within 60 minutes). Again, if the configuration has changed and the server goes down, you will revert to the config file that was written.

Unless your environment changes frequently, you should be OK.

[Ramses_Ulises]

Thanks for your reply amirs...

I did remove the USB stick and the configuration and server were ok but there is no sticker with serial number. Do you know if the serial number is inside the USB as a file?

Thanks.

[weinstein5]

Why are you looking for a serial number? If you are talking for licensing you should get that from vmware -

[Ramses_Ulises]

But I have understand that ESXi works with a serial number that is shipped or preinstalled with the server. In the paper mentioned in the first post said that.

On an ESX 3.5 installation have to redeem your licenses but this version haven´t.

[amirs]

What is the make and model of the server, and how did you purchase it - meanign did you buy it directly or through a third vendor?

[weinstein5]

Like the other poster said - I would go back to whoever you purchased this fromand get the serial number so you can get your ESXi license -

[jgilmartin]

Ramses - Just to make sure we've covered all our bases, have you tried locating the serial number through the VI client? If you go to the configuration tab, select "licensed features" on the left menu, and then click "edit..." next to "License Source", what is selected?

[Ramses_Ulises]

jgilmartin -

I´ve tried that too. On VIC and license features tab is selected trial version (some like that) and at the local console there's a server number but no ESXi serial number.

In fact, I´m talking to my providers and told me the serial number is on a card or a sticker. I´ll contact my vendor and ask for a serial number and see what they told me.