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geowins
Contributor
Contributor

MacOS on ESXi - how many VMs am I allowed to run?

Hello everyone,

First of all, I am well aware that I cannot run MacOS VM on non-Apple hardware, so my plan is to grab VMware-compatible Apple hardware and install ESXi atop of it.

Now, the real question is how many VMs am I allowed to run and how do I get more licenses if I need more than "x" VMs?

Apple EULA (https://www.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/macOSCatalina.pdf ) is very vague about it and there is no mention of other hypervisors:

<…>

2. Permitted License Uses and Restrictions.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions of this License, unless you obtained the Apple Software from the Mac App Store, through an automatic download or under a volume license, maintenance or other written agreement from Apple, you are granted a limited, non-exclusive license to install, use and run one (1) copy of the Apple Software on a single Apple-branded computer at any one time. For example, these single-copy license terms apply to you if you obtained the Apple Software preinstalled on Apple-branded hardware.

B. Mac App Store License.

<...>

(ii) If you are a commercial enterprise or educational institution, to download, install, use and run one (1) copy of the Apple Software for use either: (a) by a single individual on each of the Mac Computer(s) that you own or control, or (b) by multiple individuals on a single shared Mac Computer that you own or control. For example, a single employee may use the Apple Software on both the employee’s desktop Mac Computer and laptop Mac Computer, or multiple students may serially use the Apple Software on a single Mac Computer located at a resource center or library; and

(iii) to install, use and run up to two (2) additional copies or instances of the Apple Software within virtual operating system environments on each Mac Computer you own or control that is already running the Apple Software, for purposes of:

(a) software development; (b) testing during software development; (c) using macOS Server; or (d) personal, non-commercial use.

  The grant set forth in Section 2B (iii) above does not permit you to use the virtualized copies or instances of the Apple Software in connection with service bureau, time-sharing, terminal sharing or other similar types of services. <...>

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daphnissov
Immortal
Immortal

To my knowledge, I don't believe I've ever seen/heard of a limit as to the number of virtualized instances permitted so long as you have official hardware.

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geowins
Contributor
Contributor

Well, I think it says it right there:

"<...>to install, use and run up to two (2) additional copies or instances of the Apple Software within virtual operating system environments on each Mac Computer you own or control that is already running the Apple Software,<...>"

That is, it's pretty much clear that I can run no more than two macOS instances in Parallels installed on physical macOS, also I can run no more than two VMs inside Fusion installed on physical macOS. However, the clause doesn't say anything about running MacOS VMs inside ESXi (apparently that implies it is not running in Apple Software), hence the question.

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sjesse
Leadership
Leadership

I really ask apple as they are the ones who enforce it, but thats the impression I got from what you shared, your only able to run an extra 2. Technically anything thats allowed to run macos was at one point already a apple computer so if its esxi or fusion it doesn't matter.

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