Evaluation / Essentials Kit basic questions

[RMackGMF]

Hello,

I have an ESXi 6.0 evaluation (single host system) that expired; I can no longer start VMs.  I have an ESXi 6.5 evaluation (single host system) that I installed.  I imported VMs from the 6.0 host without issues.  This evaluation period has not expired.  I want to keep this test host up under the ESXi free license key.  I am not concerned about getting ESXi 6.0 host up and running again.  I do want to avoid the evaluation license expiration issues on this 6.5 host.  I purchased a vSphere Essentials Kit 6 for a new host computer that I have on order.  Currently, I have not installed or used any vCenter Server components for the two single hosts systems mentioned above.  I am assuming that there are benefits in having vCenter Server Essentials features for the new host computer.

Questions:

1. What is the procedure to obtain the free ESXi 6.5 license key to downgrade my active evaluation?

2. Can the vCenter Server Appliance be used to provide the vCenter Essential Server component?  I do not see a download for VCSA in My Products under the purchased Essentials Kit.  Is the vCenter Server Appliance provided with the vSphere Essentials Kit?

3. If used would the vCenter Server Appliance be run on a separate computer or installed as a VM on the ESXi host?

4. I am new to vSphere / ESXi in general. What vCenter Essentials Server features would help in management of a single ESXi host system; ESXi update capabilities, adding second host, etc?

5. Is there a documented procedure for installing certificates for the Edge browser to manage via the web client?

Thanks,

Bob McCormack

[a_p_]

Each Essential Kit contains licenses for up to 3 ESXi hosts (each with a maximum of 2 physical processors), as well as a license for an instance of vCenter Server for Essentials.

Assuming that the existing 2 hosts do not have more that 2 CPUs, you can assign your purchased licenses to the hosts (see e.g. "Licensing a standalone ESXi host" at Licensing ESXi 6.x and vCenter Server 6.x (2107538) | VMware KB). Installing vCenter Server is optional, but will provide a few additional features.

1.) License keys are for major versions (e.g. 5.5, or 6.x), i.e. you only need to downgrade license keys if you want to run a previous major version.

2.) You should be able to download the vCSA while logged in with the account for which the license is registered. Using vCenter Server for Windows, or the vCSA is optional, and up to you. However, I'd suggest you go with the vCSA if you decide to use it.

3.) You may install it on the same ESXi host that's managed by the vCSA. However, with Essentials licensing (no vMotion included), you cannot use some features like Update Manager for the host, on which the vCSA is running.

4.) The Essentials Kit license doesn't provide many features except for a central management for multiple hosts, and an unlocked API which allows the use of e.g. 3rd party VM based backup applications. In case of a single ESXi host, using the vCSA will probably not provide many benefits. Some benefits that I can think of are cloning, and provisioning from templates.

5.) vCSA as well as the ESXi hosts create self-signed certificates which - after accepting them once - should work well. If you want to replace the certificates anyway, you will find the required steps in the documentation.

André