Trial license for vSphere4.1

[Dizzy34]

We have 2 ESXi 4.0 hosts installed w/ valid and unlimited licenses.

I just requested and downloaded a 60-days trial license for vSphere 4.1 and installed vCenter successfully. Added 1st host ok, but when trying to add the second host, I get the error message "The ESXi 4 Single Server license for Host does not include vMotion. Upgrade the license.". I understand the trial license includes vMotion, but the unlimited ESXi license does not, but I just don't care about vMotion for my trial !! So what shoul I do from here to be able to add the second ESXi host w/o changing its current licensing ?

[lnairn]

Hi,

just put the ESXi back to Evaluation Mode "no license" and then add it to Vcenter.

[a_p_]

It's interesting that you were able to add the first host at all (if this also has the free license).

The free license does not include the "host agent" license, needed for managing a host in vCenter Server.

If you want to try vCenter Server with your existing hosts, you may need to contact VMware or your reseller. Maybe they can give you a time limited licence key for your hosts.

If you installed your ESXi hosts just now (less than 60 days ago), you could remove the license key from the host to set it back to the 60 day evaluation period. This way the hosts will offer all features of the "Enterprise Plus" edition.

André

[Dizzy34]

If the license has been installed since more than 60 days, you cannot put the ESXi server back into evaluation mode which has expired

[Dizzy34]

It's interesting that you were able to add the first host at all (if this also has the free license).
The free license does not include the "host agent" license, needed for managing a host in vCenter Server.
If you want to try vCenter Server with your existing hosts, you may need to contact VMware or your reseller. Maybe they can give you a time limited licence key for your hosts.
If you installed your ESXi hosts just now (less than 60 days ago), you could remove the license key from the host to set it back to the 60 day evaluation period. This way the hosts will offer all features of the "Enterprise Plus" edition.

Again, the ESXi-hosts where installed a year ago. When adding the first host, the host agent (or vCenter agent) was indeed added to the host. I'll contact VMware and let you know the outcome.

[Dizzy34]

This case is solved: indeed, the ESXi free license did not include the required features to be part of the vSphere trial in evaluation mode. VMware Techsupport sent me 120days trial licenses for both vSphere and the ESX-hosts with the Enterprise Plus features and everything works fine now.