VMware vSphere 5.5 can upgrade to 6.5 with no cost?

[nuwan_tharanga]

Hi friends,

We have following Vsphere environment,

Existing ESXI version - 5.5 U2

vCenter version          - vCenter Server 5.5 U2

Aslo we have following licenses,

VMware vsphere 5 enterprise plus

vCenetr 5 standard

vCenetr site recovery manager standard

Kindly let me know, can i update this environment to Vsphere 6.5 with no cost within the support periods?

Existing  licenses can we update to vsphere 6.0 or vsphere 6.5 with no cost since we have vmware support until august 2018

Thanks,

Nuwan

[scott28tt]

Moderator note: This is not a question about VCP certification, thread moved to the vSphere Upgrade area.

[Magneet]

you should be able to do so, first upgrade the licenses in my.vmware and if you are able to do so over there you can upgrade you systems. It might be handy to copy all the 5.5 licenses up front so you have them available if needed.

[Nick_Andreev · Accepted solution]

Hi Nuwan,

As long as you have a valid support contract (which you do), you can upgrade your licences with no additional cost. You can proceed to https://my.vmware.com to do that. Find your licences under "Manage License Keys" section and you can upgrade them there.

[uramanat]

Hello,

I have a question here.

Our current version is 5.5 U2 and planning to upgrade to 6.5 U1.

Total host is 32 no's with single license key (I don't want to split the license keys);

Each host is dual cpu hosts.so total 64 capacity licenses with single key.

Now which is the best method:

1. To upgrade license keys to version 6.0 and then upgrade the esxi hosts? or

2. Upgrade esxi hosts and then upgrade license keys in portal?

Please note all 32 hosts upgrade will be done in phase wise and will take 1 to 2 weeks for the completion of upgrade.

So if I'm following the point :2, then will my hosts be in evaluation mode for 60 days? or will go disconnected? or any issues would happen? Issues to VMS in it?

[daphnissov]

See answer provided in duplicate post here.