VMWare license merge for multi-host , multi-customer environment

[ccockle]

We are a VI3.0.1, VC2 sp2 , multi-client shop and each client buys their own ESX, DRS, HA etc licenses and we'd like to use only 1 license server to manage all.

Is this possible?

These clients intend to purchase their own licenses for ESX (Enterprise or standard) and we would like to host them on our license server if possible.

The new VC2.0.1 patch 2 allows for a directory-based approach to licensing (as opposed to a merge into a single file) which leads me to believe that I can simply rename each customer's vmware.lic to something identifiable with their purchase (ex. custo1esx01jan07.lic) and distribute the licensed features accordingly.

Is something like this now possible with the update?

If so, is there a risk inherited by mixing standard and enterprise?

I assume we would have a liability of tracking the licensed feature expiration (could be a manual process), and there could be risk that the license could terminate the wrong set of ESX hosts.

I can't see any reason why we can't fire up other license servers and then point the appropriate hosts to their respective license server but I thought we could reduce the management and cost overhead of using many license servers.

Thoughts?

[esiebert7625]

Check out this post...

http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=527049&#527049

fyi...if you find this post helpful, please award points using the Helpful/Correct buttons...thanks

[ccockle]

Incorrect. With VC Sp2, you can install multiple lic in a dir.

[esiebert7625]

Sorry, did not know that.

[oreeh]

You can rename the licenses - although it seems to be a bit more stable to join all the licenses in one file.

The only risk with mixing is that YOU have to make sure that the ESX servers have the correct licenses assigned.

[Jae_Ellers · Accepted solution]

This will work with patch2 as you've outlined. Put variously named files in the proper directory and they will all roll up together.

Of course, as others have said, your customers may realize that they can keep going to the well.

You may be able to specify different ports for different lic files, in which case you'd have the best of all worlds, but I have not tinkered with the flex license server to see how this works, although I know it's possible on other flex license nodes we have.