VMware Cloud Community
Richlionm2
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

New to vSphere - how does licencing work? Moving licence from one server to another?

Hello,

I have a few VM hosts - currently using vSphere Hypervisor 5.5. One or two servers will be decommissioned, so I wanted to reuse the licences, is it possible to reuse a licence from one server? Does the hardware matter? I am following this post:

http://www.tech-tap.com/2012/01/04/how-to-license-the-free-vmware-vsphere-hypervisor/

When I login using our corporate account only one licence is listed. But it says:

Terms and Conditions

This license key can be deployed on an unlimited number of physical hosts, but is restricted to deployment on less than or equal to 100 Physical Servers.

Does this literally mean I only use 1 key for 5 VM hosts?

Thanks,

Richard

Using vSpehere 5.5 and 6.5 Hypervisor. Oracle, SQL-Server, Progress, Linux/AIX/Win admin
Reply
0 Kudos
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
vmrale
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

Hi,

contact a person who is administering Your corporate licenses and check what You are entitled to. vSphere ESXi is licenced on per CPU (socket) basis. So one key could give You the right to use on several hosts. The answer depends on what license do You have and how did You purchase it. Maybe with a server through OEM channel. Contact Your server sales representative.

You can also contact VMware Support to help You check your license.

Regards
Radek

If you think your question have been answered correctly, please consider marking it as a solution or rewarding me with kudos.

View solution in original post

8 Replies
vmrale
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

Hi,

contact a person who is administering Your corporate licenses and check what You are entitled to. vSphere ESXi is licenced on per CPU (socket) basis. So one key could give You the right to use on several hosts. The answer depends on what license do You have and how did You purchase it. Maybe with a server through OEM channel. Contact Your server sales representative.

You can also contact VMware Support to help You check your license.

Regards
Radek

If you think your question have been answered correctly, please consider marking it as a solution or rewarding me with kudos.
vmrale
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

I'm glad I could help You.

Have a nice day.

Regards
Radek

If you think your question have been answered correctly, please consider marking it as a solution or rewarding me with kudos.
Reply
0 Kudos
IRIX201110141
Champion
Champion
Jump to solution

If you referrer to "vSphere Hypervisor" this the is "free" Version of the Hypervisor and indeed you can use this one single License Key to install up to 100 Hosts. Sure you can try some more because the the Hosts never will phone home and because its free and with limited use for most people VMware offer unlimted use here.

All the other editions are called vSphere and one part is the vSphere ESXi. These are $$$ version which comming in different Editions and Bundles. 2 Main differences are that the $$$ versions have the Backup APIs enabled and its possible to manage all of your hosts trough a single vCenter Server.

Regards,

Joerg

Richlionm2
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

Thanks, easier said and done. The person who maintained this is not working any more, he left a spreadsheet that is not up to date. I am scanning all the VM hosts to check the licences for what I have. The admin who purchased the licences hasn't got a clue as well. The VM admin page says very little about the entitlement and nothing about which licence is assigned to what. It's a total maze, so we are making a review to see if any licences can be reused.

Also I have a licence for a VCentre. For a VM Host I can see the licence key. Does anyone know how I can lookup the licence for the VCentre? There doesn't seem to be a "Configuration" tab.

Many tanks for all your suggestions.

Richard

Using vSpehere 5.5 and 6.5 Hypervisor. Oracle, SQL-Server, Progress, Linux/AIX/Win admin
Reply
0 Kudos
vmrale
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

Hi,

no problem. I assume You are still using vCenter 5.5, so look at this article how to check the license. BTW vCenter is licensed per instance (server).

VMware vSphere 5.1

Regards
Radek

If you think your question have been answered correctly, please consider marking it as a solution or rewarding me with kudos.
Richlionm2
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

Thanks, found it, it's in Administration vCentre Server settings.

Richard

Using vSpehere 5.5 and 6.5 Hypervisor. Oracle, SQL-Server, Progress, Linux/AIX/Win admin
Reply
0 Kudos
vmrale
Expert
Expert
Jump to solution

If You can't track license origin, contact a retailer who sold this licenses perhaps with servers.

Other possibility is contact with Vmware Support, they have the posibility to check the licenses by your enterprise name or email address.

Regards
Radek

If you think your question have been answered correctly, please consider marking it as a solution or rewarding me with kudos.
Reply
0 Kudos
IRIX201110141
Champion
Champion
Jump to solution

If one of my customer is lost in vSphere licensing space i create an IBS Report which includes all Instances with dates and infos about the SnS (Support and Subscription) for them.

If you have access to the Procurement or maybe SuperUser Account in MyVMware Portal you can request a Report for you own. Most of the time a customer have more or less licenses as he thought, because on the past VMware place lics of new products as gifts to existing customers.

Within MyVMware you can add "labels" to every instance and when importing it into the vCenter licensing you can use labels as well. With that you can organize your lics..

Regards,

Joerg

Reply
0 Kudos