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asacsrl
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VMware vSphere Essentials Kit licence clarifications and hardware related questions

Hello to all the forum,

I'm starting to learn about VMware vSphere Essentials Kit (not the Plus) licence, and it's not clear to me the hardware requirements and limitations.

This is the message I can read on VMWare site:

The vSphere Essentials Kit licenses are perpetual and does not expire. It includes 6 CPU licenses of vSphere Essentials (for 3 servers with up to 2 processors each) and 1 license for vCenter Server Essentials The support term includes updates and new releases of the selected product during the time frame selected. Support for the selected product can be chosen on per incident basis. For more information per incident support, click here.

Now, I have 3 physical servers in my company:

1^ main server: 2x physical processors, 8 core each, WIndows Server 2016

2^ tech server: 1x physical processor, 8 core, 2nd CPU socket free, Windows Server 2012

3^ web server: 1x physical processor, 8 core, Windows Server 2012

I want to be sure to have well undrestand the "Essential Kit" rules, so:

  1. I can buy the "Essential Kit" licence and install Hypervisor on all the three servers, because thay are <= 3 hosts (server) and the total count of physical CPU is 2+1+1=4, right?
  2. I can add in the future a second CPU to the tech server, because i have 2 CPU licences left from the total of 6 provided by the licence
  3. I cannot reuse the remaining licence on a 4th physical server because the physical server should be max 3
  4. There is no limitations about amount of memory for each server
  5. There is no limitations about disk space on each server, and in the use of external NAS to imrove network disk space
  6. I can create, run and manage as many VM I want, on all the 3 physical servers
  7. vCenter Server Essentials can be installed on a dedicated physical PC, but also virtualized as one of the VM I will run in one of the 3 hosts

Thanks for the replies!

Massimo

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berndweyand
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Hello Massimo,

i agree with you completely with points 1 to 6

for point 7: on a physical server you can only install the windows-version of vcenter - but this is end of life and should not be used anymore. so your only option is to deploy the virtual appliance of vcenter

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berndweyand
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Hello Massimo,

i agree with you completely with points 1 to 6

for point 7: on a physical server you can only install the windows-version of vcenter - but this is end of life and should not be used anymore. so your only option is to deploy the virtual appliance of vcenter

scott28tt
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From what you've said I would say "yes" to 1-6, but for 7 you should run the vCenter Server Appliance (it's a VM)


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IRIX201110141
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Like the others.... a strong yes for 1-6 and for 7.... the "current" vSphere vCenter 6.7 for Windows would be the last version for a phys. and manual install. The VCSA is there for years and with the upcomming 7.0 its a Appliance.

Regards,
Joerg

Sraman007
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Also could you please confirm how much storage I would need to allocate for a 2 host Essential Plus vCenter instance?

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scott28tt
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@Sraman007 

Not sure that question makes sense, can you elaborate on what you mean…


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Sraman007
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My question was is there a best practice on how much storage/disk needs to be allocated for the vCenter Server Essentials instance that comes with the vSphere essential kit?I assume 2 vCPUs and 10-12GB Memory would suffice.

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scott28tt
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See here: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/7.0/com.vmware.vcenter.install.doc/GUID-752FCA83-1A9B-499E...

 


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Sraman007
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Thanks I did find that link when I was looking for this information and was wondering why would the vCenter require 579Gigs and stumbled upon this KB article.

List of VMDKs/Partitions for a vCenter Server 7.0 - Size Mount point and Purpose (78515)

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/78515

 

Thanks again Scott!

 

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