Multiple vCenter Server instance on single vCenter Standard Server license

[asharma25]

Hi Team,

We have deployed single vCenter Server 7  (Standard license) and added around 100 ESXi hosts from multiple locations in separate clusters.

All these hosts are provisioned with vSphere Enterprise Plus license. We want to isolate some esxi hosts into separate vCenter Server instance with linked mode enabled.

Can someone please confirm if we can deploy multiple vCenter server instance via single vCenter Server license? We will connect the same number of hosts across the multiple instance of vCenter servers (100 Esxi hosts).

[scott28tt]

vCenter Server licenses are per instance, if you want another instance you'll need another license.

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.vsphere.vcenterhost.doc/GUID-F2B7886A-A4A6-...

Your ESXi hosts are licenses with vSphere licenses, so you'll have no change there.

[asharma25]

Hi Scott,

Thank you for the quick response.

Does it mean, we need 2 separate vCenter Server Standard edition license if we want to isolate the existing esxi hosts in 50-50 ratio? (Currently we have 100 hosts running on enterprise plus license). 

Do we also require separate license for VCHA?

[scott28tt]

Yes, vCenter is licensed per instance as stated in the documentation link I posted previously, whether each instance is managing 10 hosts, 50 hosts, or 100 hosts.

So 2 instances of vCenter means you need 2 licenses for vCenter.

I've never setup vCHA, but this page suggests there's no additional licensing just the vCenter license itself (per instance): https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.vsphere.avail.doc/GUID-8FD87389-8CC9-4298-8...

[Ajay1988]

One License one vCenter. For vCHA no separate license needed. You can even buy one vCenter license for 2 vCenter instances (linked mode). You need to discuss this with VMware licensing team if they still provide them.