vCenter Essentials license question

[zmanho]

Hello, i would like to buy a vCenter Essentials license for the POC site. May i know where can i buy it?

Checked VMware store, it just have VMware vCenter Server Foundation and standard license only..And they are including the 1 year VMware support. Is it means that i need to purchase the license every year? if i don't need VMware support, Can i keep using that Lic key after 1 year? Thanks

[fabio1975]

Ciao

Already licensed for ESXi hosts?
There are essential kits (Plus and not) that differentiate some features (for example in the plus there is the vMotion and the HA)

While the subscription I confirm that the license continues to go but you are not entitled to updates etc ...

[zmanho]

Hello Fabio, 

Yes, I have standard license for the ESXI hosts. Should I need to purchase the essentials kits?

another question is: I am unable to patch the ESXI and vcsa if I have not subscribe the VMware support?

currently, I am using offline bundle to patch my standalone ESXI hosts. Is it allowed by VMware?

thanks again

[fabio1975 · Accepted solution]

Ciao 

From

https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/products/vsphere/vmware-vsphere-pr...

vCenter Server is available in the following packages:

• vCenter Server for Essentials – Integrated management for vSphere Essentials Kits.

• vCenterServer Foundation –Powerful management tool for smaller environments
looking to rapidly provision, monitor and controlVMs.

• vCenter Server Standard – Highly scalable management with rapid provisioning,
monitoring, orchestration and control of all VMs in a vSphere environment. vCenter
ServerHighAvailabilitydoesnotrequire a separate vCenterServerStandard license
for the passive or witness node.

then you have two possibilities:

- buy the vCenter Server Foundation license and keep the standard ESXi licenses you have

- check the possibility of transforming ESXi Standard licenses into vSphere Essential Plus (where you have included the vCenter Server for Essentials)

For the patch or major upgrade:

When you purchase your license, you are entitled to all minor upgrades for the life of the product. So if you purchase vSphere 6.x licensing and let your subscription expire, you will still be able to download all 6.x patches and upgrades.. so 6.0, 6.5, and 6.7 would have been covered by your 6.x licensing with all patches in between. You would NOT be able to download 7.x software though without current support.

If you let the support expire when you go to renew you may be asked for an extra 20%.
However, I recommend that you speak directly to a VMware sales representative or a sales representative from a partner company

[zmanho]

Thank you so much, I will check with VMware sales