Upgrading license keys

[VisaB]

I want to upgrade over a 1,000 end users at my company from Workstation 15 to Workstation 16, but our process requires that we build a package internally with the license key included and test it out before we deploy to the end users.  This process takes 7-10 days, so there is a time period when I need the Key so I can test with it, but still require the old key to function.

If I convert all 1,000+ keys we own to a single key for version 16, how long will the old key continue to work for the end users still on version 15 that have NOT yet been upgraded?   Or put another way, once a key (version 15) is marked as "inactive", how long are the users allowed to use the inactive (version 15) key?

[scott28tt]

Are you asking from a legal perspective, or from a technical one?

Maybe you should contact VMware: https://www.vmware.com/company/contact_sales.html

[VisaB]

Thank you for the reply.  I was asking from a technical perspective.  

I have tried contacting VMWare and opened tickets, but at this point they only seem interested in closing my ticket as soon as possible without actually providing me the answers I'm seeking.  I get refered to this community site and KB articles and then they hush me away.

[wila]

Hi,

I think I understand what you are asking...

If you upgrade your key to a workstation 16 key then the old key keeps on working without a problem.

To put it in another way, VMware does not use activation servers that render old license keys inactive.
I often use the analogy that VMware uses the "honor system" whereby VMware trusts its users to do the right thing and makes sure that the user has enough licenses for the Workstation instances that they use.

Does that help?
--
Wil