About subscription expiration

[terhand]

Hello to everyone,

I am using Vsphere Standard 7.0.1 and Vcenter Standard 7.0.2 on hosts. My active subscription contract is ending. I'm investigating what could happen next. I know I can't open Case.

my questions

1) Can I make a minor upgrade when my subscription contract expires? 7.0.1 > 7.5.0

2) I didn't renew my contract for example 1-2 years and Vcenter - Vsphere switched to new major versions (like 8.0-9.0). If I want to switch to these versions, is it possible to upgrade with a subscription agreement by paying a penalty fee? Or should I be asked to buy a new socket license?

Can you share any other information I need to know?

I found some information but I wanted to ask again because it is not up to date.

Is VMware SNS required for acquiring esxi "maintenance release" updates

Thanks.

[scott28tt]

This should help: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1005526

Talk to whoever you bought your vSphere licenses through, they should be able to advise on SnS renewals (or the lack of)

[terhand]

scott28tt thank you very much for your reply.

Sometimes it is difficult to reach the representative and I want to find out myself and get clear information. By the way, I am aware of the importance of renewing the contract, but the managers make the payment 🙂 so I have to provide clear information.

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1005526 

For example, customers with valid Support and Subscription are entitled to receive any new major and minor releases made generally available by VMware. For such customers, moving from VMware vSphere 4 to VMware Sphere 5 does not entail an additional charge.
If you have a list of VMware SnS contracts, ensure to renew them before they expire.

VMware vSphere 4 to VMware Vsphere 5 ok no major update.

what about minor update 4.0 > 4.5 and bug updates is it possible ?

[e_espinel · Accepted solution]

Hello.
The SnS contract is a support and subscription contract, this means that the customer is entitled to open support cases with VMware, in addition to being entitled to upgrades, as long as the contract is in force.

If the SnS contract is expired for a considerable period of time, the cost of reactivating it plus the penalty plus the cost of the new period may be equal or higher than the cost of a new license.

If new versions are developed in the future (e.g. 8, 9, 10) and your SnS contract is expired you will not be able to upgrade or install these new versions.

With each version the license key format changes, so a license 6 is not valid for a version 7, just as a license 7 is not valid for a version 6 product.

Other examples:
The version 6 license is technically valid for versions 6.0, 6.5 and 6.7. But you must have your SNS contract valid on the date these versions were released, for legal use.

To install the latest patches or cumulative patches (Build) you must have your SNS contract in force.

If your SNS contract expired, you can install patches released up to the date the contract expired.

I understand the need to reduce costs in these difficult pandemic times, but using VMware vSphere without support is not good business going forward.

[terhand]

e_espinel Thanks  detailed answer.

[flyaway3]

We have 26-CPU licenses and SnS contracts for all the licenses.  There are 8-10 Active contracts because the licenses were purchased at different times.  The contract for 1-CPU expires in a few months, while all the rest expire next year.

If we don't renew the contract for the 1-CPU does that affect all the other CPU's in any way? We we still be able to upgrade and open cases for all the other hosts?

[e_espinel]

Hello.
VMware vSphere licenses do not expire, they are perpetual. What expires is the SnS contract.
You are entitled to upgrades and case opening with VMware only on licenses where the SnS contract is in effect.

If the SnS contract is expired for a considerable period of time, the cost of reactivating it plus the penalty plus the cost of the new period may be equal or higher than the cost of a new license.

[flyaway3]

Thanks for your response.  I do understand that, but I have this idea from who-knows-where that if one contract expires all the other contracts are as though they expired as well.  I must be thinking of another Vendor. Thanks again!