upgrade esxi free to VMware vSphere Essentials Kit

[nickal]

Hi we are a small business with a 1 new and 1 old server we sent this question to the vmware  sales dept but have had no answer.

We have two questions that we hope someone has had some experience with.

At present we are using esxi5 free on our new server if we buy the VMware vSphere Essentials Kit

1. Is it just a question of entering the license in to the esxi free version to give it the increase functionality so there would be no need to reinstall things?

2 If we have VMware vSphere Essentials Kit would it allow us to use tools such as quest vranger pro or  Acronis vmProtect for backing up and replication.

This would be a lot cheaper than using the VMware vSphere Essentials Kit pro and would seem to do that same job.

Thanks

[aravinds3107 · Accepted solution]

Welcome to the Communities!!

Is it just a question of entering the license in to the esxi free version to give it the increase functionality so there would be no need to reinstall things?

Yes Entering the vSphere Essentials Kit license keys will unlock the features applicable for this Kit, Re-install of ESXi will not be required

If we have VMware vSphere Essentials Kit would it allow us to use tools such as quest vranger pro or  Acronis vmProtect for backing up and replication.

vSphere Essentials Kit inclused vStorage APIs for Data Protection so you should be good to use the third data protection software

[nickal]

Thanks very helpfull

[Miles_Gibson]

So where do we enter the license keys then?  There does not seem to be anyplace to enter them when logged in using vSphere client.

TIA,

Miles

[a_p_]

It depends on whether you are connected to vCenter Server or a single host. In vCenter Server you can use "Home" -> "Licensing", on a single host goto "Configuration" -> "Licensed Features" and use the "Edit..." link.

André

[newbie100]

I am in a similar situation where I have a ESXi 4.1 free version running for > 60 days and it has a license key.

Now I want to upgrade to the Essestial Kit, but am unsure if I will be FORCED to upgrade to 5.1 ?

I have read another post where it looks like I cannot add a license to a 4.1 Host if its been running with a free license and that the essesntial license

is not accepted.

So will I be forced to upgrade to 5.x ?

The post which talks about this issue is :-

http://communities.vmware.com/message/2164800

All I want to do is be able to have an external application (IBM Cloud management) use the management APIs to create VMs. I understand that this

feature is NOT avaliable in the free ESXi versions (read only).

[a_p_]

New license purchases will be for version 5. However, once registered to your "My VMware" account you can downgrade the keys to version 4.

Regarding your question about the API. Yes, with any paid license the API will unlocked which may be required by your application (You'd have to check with the vendor what's required).

André

[newbie100]

Thanks,

My current ESXi have a licesne atached but we cannot find the "My VMWare" account with which it is assoicated.

I assume you are talking about downgrading the license of the Essestial Kit to a new or existing vmware account correct ?

So Am I right in assuming the following :-

1. Purchase Essential Kit and register it with a New / existing vmware login account

2. Downgrade the Essestial Kit licnese to 4.x

3. Change the license in the ESXI hypervisor using vCenter client to a new key that gets generated in step 2 ?

       The current license for my ESXi does not seem to be linked to any known account in vmware.com... it was created a few years ago.

My concern is that 4.1 will no longer have any support.

Would it just be easier to do an inplace upgdate of the free 4.1 ESxi to 5.x and enter a key that i am assuming I will get with the purchase of Essential Kit ?

Thanks

Shahed

[a_p_]

The steps you mentioned are correct.

The free license you are currently using has most likely been registered with someone's email address and will not show up in an account but only on the registration page.

André

PS: Please consider to open a new discussion rather then to adding questions to an old discussion.