Can I install vcsa on Free esxi?

[lsmith254]

Hi All, I have one esxi host and I would like to use vCenter to manage it - in particular, I would like to have update manager. The problem is that I do not want to buy a Windows Server license. I was wondering if is possible to stand up another esxi host in my environment - using free license, just to put the VCSA on it for updating my other licensed esxi instance? I am not sure if the free eSXI would allow me to run VCSA on it? Thanks.

[daphnissov]

I believe that's possible, but it makes very little sense to stand up a dedicated vCenter to manage one ESXi host for the sole purpose of using Update Manager. Learn how to patch an ESXi host using the command line instead. It eliminates complexity you don't need.

[IRIX201110141]

Yes its possible for sure!

I have a couble of customers which have Hosts with local storage managed by a vSphere Essentials VCSA which runs on a different Cluster or Hosts and this hosts runs free vSphere Hypervisor. Keep in mind than backup of this VM than is not possible!

Regards

Joerg

[RajeevVCP4]

Yes , but once license expired you can not manage esxi host.

[daphnissov]

Well, vCenter cannot manage ESXi free edition to begin with. If the host is in evaluation mode that's another story, but evaluation mode ≠ free edition.

[IRIX201110141]

Nobody talks about that this Host is managed by a vCenter.  The OP ask if VCSA can run on vSphere Hypervisor.... yes for sure.

Regards

Joerg

[daphnissov]

I wasn't talking about that, but RajeevVCP4​ was implying that. I'm simply clarifying that ESXi free edition isn't the same thing as leaving the host in evaluation mode.

[Raj1988]

Well from VCSA 6.5 onwards you cannot deploy VCSA on ESXi Free Hypervisor .

VMware Knowledge Base

Regards,

AJ