SRM with Essentials Plus, licensing vcenter Q.

[jlong]

I see that SRM is compatible with essentials plus, Compatibility Matrixes for vCenter Site Recovery Manager 5.1

My question is can I run 2 vcenter servers in 2 different sites using the same vcenter server license?

When I look at my license it says 1 INSTANCE(s). If I can't run 2 vcenter servers then it sounds like SRM won't work as designed, or like I want it to.

I have 2 DC's in different cities, 2 hosts in the main site and 1 in the DR site.

[sajal1]

Hello jlong,

You would need two different instances of vCenter server at two different sites. You can not use the same license (technically possible if they are isolated, not with SRM and definitely against legal).

Also SRM installation works with two different instances with vCenter server.

[jlong]

So I wonder how SRM is compatible with Essentials Plus but I can only license 1 vcenter server. Would I have to purchase another vcenter server license? Is that even possible with essentials plus?

[bayupw]

Hi jlong

Per VMware product guide: http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/vmware-product-guide.pdf, there is no limit on the number of Essentials Kits a user can purchase/use per site.

The limitation with vCenter Server Essentials is that we can manage only 3 hosts per vCenter.

So you can have something like below.

- Site 1/DC: 3 hosts, 1 vCenter server, SRM, 1 Essentials Plus (1st license)

- Site 2/DRC: 3 hosts, 1 vCenter Server, SRM, 1 Essentials Plus (2nd license/different Essentials Plus license)

Consult an authorized VMware partner, reseller, or VMware to confirm about this.

Thanks,

Bayu

[jlong]

I kind of thought that might be a possibility. I wonder if I could manage all the hosts from one vcenter server even though they are associated with different vcenter servers.

It's definitely time to talk to vmware about this!