Please explain me about VMware vSphere 7 Essentials Kit licensing

[Tuteks]

Hi,

I just bought VMware vSphere 7 Essentials Kit :

VMware vSphere 7 Essentials Kit for 3 hosts (Max 2 processors per host)(VS7-ESSL-KIT-C)

Subscription only for VMware vSphere 7 Essentials Kit for 3 years(VS7-ESSL-3SUB-C)

but on my.wmware.com lin licencing section I see this:

vSphere 7 Essentials      1                         6 CPU(s)

So with this licence I can install six Esxi host (with one CPU each), or max ESXi host number is three no matter how many CPU it have?

thank you.

[a_p_]

Welcome to the Community,

Essentials Kits are limited to 3 hosts (technical, and in the license agreement).

Essentials Editions contain a license for 1 instance of vCenter Server for Essentials + 6 CPU licenses for up to 3 hosts, each of them with up to two physical CPUs.

André

[Tuteks]

So please tell me where I could check status of my bought licences, I mean to check what number of licence is in use and what is not ?

[a_p_]

In case you are managing the ESXi hosts using vCenter Server, you will find the this information in the Administration->Licensing section.

If you assigned the license keys to the hosts manually (i.e. hosts not managed by vCenter Server), you need to keep track of the assigned license usage yourself.

André

[scott28tt]

3 physical servers maximum - as per this document: https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/vsphere/vmw-flyr-vspherecomparekit...

A vCenter Server licensed with the Essentials license can also only manage up to 3 hosts maximum.

[Tuteks]

Please tell me if I would buy new Vsphere Essentials licence for three host, but I would connect these hosts to already configured Vcenter Essentials (that already manage my Esxi hosts) - is this possible? I don't want to create second Vcenter for new hosts.

What licence I need if I would add more than three Esxi Essentials hosts?

[scott28tt]

Your existing vCenter Server won't be able to manage additional hosts with your current vCenter Server Essentials license.

For managing 5 or more ESXi hosts, you need a vCenter Server Standard license for your vCenter Server.

I've never managed ESXi hosts licensed with vSphere Essentials licenses with a vCenter Server licensed with vCenter Server Standard, so don't know if that is possible - others should be able to answer that.

[IRIX201110141]

Disclosure: Iam a VMware reseller

If you bought the Essentials kit its true that VMware deliver 2 license keys

- One for vCenter Essentials instance

- A 1x 6 CPU Key vSphere ESXi Essentials

Yes the 1x6 CPU Key in the MyVMware portal can be confusing but the docs and SKU description say clearly that a max 3x2 CPU Host license is meaning.

Only Essentials based SKU can interact each other.

- You cant add any non Essentials vSphere SKU to a existing Essentials

Also buying a 2nd. Essentials Kit

- You cant add a 4. Hosts to your first Kit because the vCenter Essentials Instance is limited to manage 3 Hosts

- For sure you can setup a new "island" of 1-3 Hosts managed by a 2nd. vCenter Essentials Island

- vCenter Essentials cant linked together

About the question of managing more than 3 Hosts

- vCenter Foundation (max 4. Hosts) + vSphere ESXi Std./Enterprise+ and RoBo

- vCenter Standard (unlim. Hosts) + vSphere ESXi Std./Enterprise+ and RoBo

Just a price information. Your Ess Kit costs around 500,-.  A vCenter Standard around 4500,- + Subscription and Support. An ESXi Std. around 950,- + 260,- for SnS.

Regards,
Joerg