Cheapest license for standalone ESXi

[vmnomad]

Hi Community,

can't answer the simple question by myself. We have powerful standalone server with only 1 VM that requires 24 vCPUs. Unfortunately ESXi free license has limitation of 8 vCPUs per VM.

I was thinking about buying vSphere Essentials license, but in its datasheet i found the following statement "VMware vSphere Virtual Symmetric Multiprocessing enables the use of ultrapowerful virtual machines that have up to four virtual CPUs".

So, what are my options now?

[vmnomad]

The only suitable options I have found so far is vSphere Standard license, but that is too expensive for just 1 VM considering that the physical host has 2 CPUs and I will need two licenses.

[a_p_]

>>> "VMware vSphere Virtual Symmetric Multiprocessing enables the use of ultrapowerful virtual machines that have up to four virtual CPUs"

Where did you find this? As of vSphere 5.5 there are no more restriction on the number of vCPUs in paid editions. (see http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2064117)

André

[vmnomad]

that was from the VMware document - http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/products/vsphere/VMware-vSphere-Essentials-Kits-DataSheet.pdf

check the bottom of the second page.

How else can I check it before placing an order?

[a_p_ · Accepted solution]

According to the PDF document's properties, it was created in June 2013, when vSphere version 5.1 was the current one. The limits have been removed with vSphere 5.5 which was released in September. So you can safely trust the knowledgebase.

André

[vmnomad]

thanks a lot.

I have opened a ticket with VMware yesterday to clarify this mismatch of information and VMware confirmed that this limit was removed in vSphere 5.5.

I have also asked them to update PDF document to avoid confusion.

[snapfast]

It looks like the technical limit has been lifted, however in the ESXi free version the virtual CPU limit (vCPU) is still 8 cpu. If you remove the trial license from your host and apply the free license it will show an error if you try and create a VM with more than 8 vCPU.

Seems like the cheapest would be the essentials kit (about $600) which is for 3 servers with 2x physical cpu in each server, but also lifts the 8 vCPU maximum for all your vms.