Licensing Query - moving from ESX 4.0 (cluster) to ESXi 4.1 (cluster)

[CamYoung]

Hello Everyone,

Am very new to VMware so please bear with me.  :smileyconfused:

We have in our existing Production cluster, consisting of three(3) ESX 4.0 servers and the intent is to replace them with ESXi 4.1 (U1) (licensed).

The plan is to progressively drop each ESX 4.0 server and install ESXi 4.1 (U1) from an image from HP directly over the top.

No drama there (?), but what about the licenses ...

I have a few questions that I've not to date been able to acqurie myself.

1. With each of the existing VH's in the Production cluster, are we able to drop one server in the cluster, upgrade to ESXi 4.1 and return to the same cluster ??
   
   
2. If NO to question 1, then what would be the recommended upgrade path where there is one(1) cluster, three VH's (currently ESX 4.0) and we are replacing with ESXi 4.1 (U1).
   
   We have x1 vCenter Server 4 Foundation license and three(x3) vShpere4 Advanced licenses.
   
   Do these licenses need to be upgraded also ?

Am deparate to find answers to the above questions.

Regards,

Cameron

[AndreTheGiant]

Licenses key are generic 4.x version.

The update path is first vCenter Server and VUM.

Then you can use VUM to upgrade the hosts.

For more info see: http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r41/vsp_41_upgrade_guide.pdf

Andre

[CamYoung]

Hi Andre,

Many thanks for your initial response.

Our vSphere Client and vCenter Server has already been upgraded to 4.1.0.

Our concern is removing one of the ESX 4.0 servers from the existing cluster, installing ESXi 4.1 and bringing it back into the same cluster.

Can we do this ??

Can ESX 4.0 and ESXi 4.1 servers co-exist within the same cluster ??

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,
Cameron

[AndreTheGiant]

Yes, ESX and ESXi can coesist-

And serial are the same, so just un-assign the one for the ESX and assign to ESXi.

Andre

[bulletprooffool · Accepted solution]

Hi - welcome to the community.

The answer to your question is YES - you can re-allocate your license from ESX 4.0 to your updated hosts. the license is generic and can be removed from a host and added to another using the license manager.