Can't connect ESX Host to VirtualCenter Server

[MOBDBD]

Hello,

first of all, i am new at working with VMWare ESX Server and all the Stuff belonging to this. So sorry for stupid questions and my bad English.

We have an ESX 3 Enterprise Server and now we bought a second ESX and a VirtualCenter Management Server.

The second ESX is not running at the moment but the first and the VirtualCenter. My problem is to connect the VirtualCenter to the ESX Server Host. I always get the message: "A required license VirtualCenter Agent for ESX Server is not reserved." The second message is "Not enough CPU licenses."

Where do I have to add the licenses to get that problem fixed? What is an VirtualCenter Agent license? The ESX is licensed by an Single Host license File, is that the Problem?

Thanks in Advance and Greetings from Berlin.

MOB

[Erik_Zandboer]

Hi,

Because you previously had a single ESX server without Virtualcenter, I assume you have been using a local license file on the ESX host. Now tht you are switching to VC, you will need a served license file. You an obtain the license file by logging into the license manager:

http://www.vmware.com/download/licensing.html

Obtain your license as a "served" license, and insert the *.lic file into the virtualcenter installer (when the installer asks about a licensing server choose to install it locally and feed it the *.lic file).

greetz from the Netherlands

[MOBDBD]

Hello,

thanks for your help, but this is not my problem i think. I've add the Server based license File but the error message still appears when I try to connect.

Should I try to change the license File on the ESX Server? Because there is still the Single Host File installed.

Bye,

MOB

[Erik_Zandboer]

Ah. You must tell the ESX host to start using the license file located on the VC server. To do this, login to the ESX host directly using the VI-client, go to the "configuration" tab, and go to the "licenced features". Make sure you select "use license server" and enter the VC server as server. After that, edit the licenses on the ESX host to make sure it is licenced properly using the centralised lic.

[MichaelSteinkuh]

Hello Mob,

this is obviously a problem with your license-file.

At first you should check how much licenses your VC has.

Start the VI-Client and connect to the VC. Then select the Button "Admin" and then change to "Licenses"-Tab. There you will find the item "VirtualCenter Agent for ESX Server" and you'll see how many licenses are remaining.

For me it seams as if you have used all licenses for your first ESX-Hosts. If you have more licenses goto the link mentioned above (http://www.vmware.com/download/licensing.html) and create a new serverbased license-file with all your licenses in it and install this to your license-server.

After that change the licensing in your ESX-Hosts from Host-File to Serverbased. You'll find this in the Configuration-Tab - Licensing features.

Cheers,

Michael

[MOBDBD]

Hello,

thanks for all the Answers. This will help me i think. But before I beginn one last Question.

If I change the ESX Server from Single Host file to Serverbased do I have to reboot the Server or the VirtualMachines?

Thanks and Greetings from Berlin

MOB

[MichaelSteinkuh]

of course not - we are talking about a high availability system

[Erik_Zandboer]

No you do not. The licence is simply checked whenever you perform actions on the systems. As long as the source of the license is valid all is well. So no reboots required at all!

[Erik_Zandboer]

Damn he beat me to it

[MOBDBD]

Hello,

sorry for all english spoken Guys. one question in German to Michael.

Hallo Michael,

ich wollte meine Frage mal in Deutsch stellen um es besser zu verstehen.

Ich habe im VirtualCenter unter Admin mal bei Lincenses geschaut und dort steht Cost 1 Remaining 0. Ich habe auf der Website nun ein Serverbases License File erstellt als kombination aus allen vorhandenen Produkten. Wie kann ich das jetzt dem VirtualCenter zur Verfügung stellen? Wenn ich auf Administration --> VC Manag. Configuration gehe kann ich nicht angeben das er den Lizenzserver unter der eingestellten IP nehmen soll, denn dann bekomme ich immer die Meldung "There are not enough licenses installed to perform this operation."

Was nun?

Danke und Gruß

MOB

[Erik_Zandboer]

As far as my German goes... I think your VC is already licensed (cost 1 remaining 0). This should not be the issue; check how many CPUs are licensed for ESX hosts. This should determine if you can add ESX hosts or not.

[MichaelSteinkuh]

Answers in both languages, just to be fair to our english-speaking colleagues here:

Where do you have the license-server running? In my environment it is running on the VC-Server.

Anyway, go to your license-server and select the tab "config services" and browse to the path of your newly created license-file. After that goto the "Start/Stop/Reread"-Tab select "reread-licensefile" and see the result.

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---

Wo läuft dein Lizenzserver? In meiner Umgebung läuft dieser mit auf dem VC-Server.

Wenn du im Lizenzserver auf den Reiter "config services" gehst kannst du unter Browse den Pfad zur neuerstellten Lizenzdatei wählen.

Im Anschluss im Reiter "Start/Stop/Reread" einmal ein "ReRead-Licensefile" durchführen und nach dem Ergebnis schauen.

[MichaelSteinkuh]

and these ones are the importent license to add new ESX-Server:

"VirtualCenter Agent for ESX Server" (to add a server that is already licensed - for example by an Host-File)

"ESX Server Standard" (to add a server that is not licensed and should get a license from the license-server)

[MOBDBD]

Hello,

Sorry but the Server is still not running.

Thanks for all but now I contact the Technical Support from VMWare.

Greets,

MOB

[fabianra]

Hello,

i have a similar problem. I have installed a license file in our license server. Under Server Status TAB i see all my installed licenses but in virtual center console there are no licenses.

License Server and VC are on the same server.

Have you got any idea whats wrong.

Thanks ... Ralph

[Erik_Zandboer]

Ralph,

If you click within virtualcenter on the "admin" button on top, then select the "licenses" tab, what do you see (cost/remaining/total of the items listed)

[admin]

A virtual Center Agent license is a license for the virtual center agent that is pushed to each ESX host (an agent used by Virtual Center to communicate with a host) hence it is required to be licensed.

If you are using Virtual Center Server you also need to install the License server and change your license to the 'served' license type from host based license.

Once that is done, do the following

Use VI Client to connect directly to your ESX host. then go to the Configuration tab.

Click "Edit" on License Sources and enter the IP address of your license server (to change from hosted to served licenses)

Click "Edit" beside the ESX Server License Type

Change to Unlicensed

On VC Server system restart license server service then virtual center server service - this should free up any used served licenses in use.

Add your ESX host to Virtual Center

Change the License Type back to ESX Server Standard for your host.

[MOBDBD]

Hello everyone,

now all is running. All we have done is to do every step again. After repeating every step the VirtualCenter reads the License correct and all is fine.

Maybe the problem is that i had not restart the license Server. First i only Reread the license File.

But one Problem now remains. The Support Engineer said that after adding the License Server to VirtualCenter I have to unlicense the Licenses on the ESX Server Console. But when I have unlicensed the ESX i can't start the VM's. On the VirtualCenter Console the Licensed Features are only to see when the ESX is Licensed as Starter Edition on the ESX Service Console.

Maybe i have to call again the Support. :-((

Greetings

MOB

[Erik_Zandboer]

I am not sure what you mean. You should simply make sure that each ESX host does not use a local LIC file, but uses the license server. If all that is in place, you should be able to add these servers to Virtualcenter (if you hadn't already) and all should be well.