Upgrading from VMware vCenter Essential 5.0 to VMWare vCenter Essential plus 5.0

[nmedard]

Hi All,

I have a client who actually have 2 servers with ESXI 5.0.  They are currently managed by vCenter 5.0 and licensed with VMware vSphere Essential.  Now the client want to do HA and vMotion and thus has requested to upgrade the license of existing host to vSphere Essential Plus 5.0.

Now I want to know:

1. How this is done,is it just a matter of clicking on licensing tap and changing the product key to the new vSphere Essential plus?

2.  The client currently have Storage API, add-on, etc, will the upgrade affect these APIs and ADD-On?

Thanks

Nicolas

[blabarbera]

There should be no effect. Just update the license. A downgrade is the only thing I could see affecting existing components. I've never upgraded a vCenter license, but I've updated plenty of ESXi licenses and never had a problem with existing components being affected.

[VRBitman]

Yes it is sufficient to just add the new license, there will be no negative effects.
The binaries are the same for all editions of vSphere, and adding a new (different) license merely unlocks (or locks) various features depending on the license.