Running VC 2.x in a VM

[SeanDA]

Can I run the VC 2.x server and the license server on the same VM?

How does ESX start the first VM - it needs a license and the license server is a VM? Chicken and Egg?

Thanks.

[MR-T]

Yes you can run them on the same server and inside a VM.

Regarding licences, the first host you build which then runs the licence server must use a host based licence.

Also, keep the database for VC on a seperate machine (physical or virtual) I prefer virtual.

[psharpley]

Yes. If you have an existing db server to use - point to that, but I usually install everything that is VC on the same VM.

The hardest part is using the 'manage license' website to get host based license and then redeem a server based license

[SeanDA]

Does the first host then stay as a host based license?

[pdrace]

Yes. If you have an existing db server to use -

point to that, but I usually install everything that

is VC on the same VM.

The hardest part is using the 'manage license'

website to get host based license and then redeem a

server based license

I've considered this problem myself in terms of virtualizing my VC server.

I've already redeemed all my ESX licenses as server based so I assume I'm going to have to go to VMWare to trade in a license for a host based license.

[psharpley]

You only need to manage your licenses by unchecking out a redeemed license and re-checking it back out as a host based license. I would give a URL but it's secure and for my session but in essence, you can manage the license yourself - you bought them so you can redeem them and generate a host based file or served file. Just make sure you activate enough host based licenses to support the host number of CPUs.

Like I said, it's the hardest part!

[esiebert7625]

Download an eval license and set the ESX server up as Host based and then switch to Server based when you get your license server up.

You can also switch your license from host to server as outlined in the kb article below...

Understanding VI3 Licensing: Server and Host-based licensing models - http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=1013698

[psharpley]

No - regenerate a served file for

all

of your entitlement. Get the Converter lic while you're there!

[SeanDA]

Sorry for being confused....

So in my simple configuration of 2 x ESX hosts and VC running as a VM, how do I start the VC VM if there are no licenses until the VC VM is available?

If I have one of the ESX hosts using host based licensing (to get the VC VM started), does this mean VMotion, DRS and HA will staill work?

[esiebert7625]

All features will work with either licensing, you do need VC to setup HA, DRS and Vmotion.

Upload a host based license to each ESX Server

Create a VC VM and install VC and the License Server

Setup the License Server with the Server based licenses

Switch the ESX Servers from Host based licensing to Server based licensing

[SeanDA]

Am I missing a trick here?

After I switch the ESX hosts to Server based licenses, and I restart my whole solution, doesn't my ESX host require a license to startup the first VM (VC License server) ? If so my licenses are now 'hosted' on the VM which cannot start????

[esiebert7625 · Accepted solution]

You do not need to restart anything to switch over from Host to Server based. If you are talking about restarting afterwards, once ESX is setup using a Server based license it can run without a license server for up to 14 days. So there is not problem with restarts...

From the install guide:

The server-based licensing mechanisms used by VMware software are designed to prevent the license server from being a single point of failure. If your license server stops being available, all VirtualCenter licensed features continue to operate indefinitely, relying on a cached version of the license state. For ESX Server licensed features, there is a 14 day grace period during which hosts continue operation, relying on a cached version of the license state, even across reboots. After the grace period expires, certain ESX Server operations, such as powering on virtual machines, become unavailable.

[SeanDA]

Perfect! I was aware that everything would continue to function, until the server was restarted. What I didnt know was that there was a 14 day grace period in which the ESX servers could be restarted.

Thanks as always!