License renewal is a NIGHTMARE.

[mclark]

Ok, I'm looking for guidance....

I have some licenses that I need to renew for VI/vSphere and vCenter. I've chatted with VMware via the "Chat with a Licensing Specialist", which ended with no help other than "send an email to <x>". The email bounced because the address I was given was not valid, so I found a web form to submit, which I have not gotten a response to in 17 days. We've been trying to work with a reseller, who says that trying to get anything meaningful or understandable from VMWare on our licenses is next to impossible. I need to know what the best way is to go about finding what we need and how much it will cost. I have contract IDs, and I have order numbers. Is there phone # I can call, or a person I can email, that will get me reliable, useful, helpful (and correct) answers about our licenses in a reasonable time frame? We've been trying to find out what we need for about 2 months - it's ridiculous. I would think that VMware would make it extremely easy to renew licenses because it's easy money for them. Maybe my experience is not usual, but so far I am not impressed.

Sorry for the partial rant, and I look forward to any help/information I can get on this.

[admin · Accepted solution]

We are sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience with Licensing. Do you currently have a Support Request open on this issue? Maybe I could assist you with escalating this issue. The correct email alias to contact licensing is:

vi-hotline@vmware.com

or via phone at, 1-877-486-9273, then choose licensing option.

As long as the support contracts are active, you will automatically receive free vSphere upgrade licenses. Here's the web form to contact the renewal team:

http://www.vmware.com/support/form/contract_renewal.html

I'd suggest you to contact the licensing team using any of the above given method and open a Support Request, as it will have the issue documented.

VMware-GSS,

VMware Communities User Moderator

[mclark]

Thank you very much for your quick response. I will email or call and try to get this sorted out.

[kenneya]

Hi Clark,

since i'm from the Global Support Services(Licensing team), i can help you on this issue if you have a ticket open now and please reply with the ticket number so that i can provide you some help by assisting you in a way that it will really help you and i'm sorry for the inconvinience that has happened from VMware's end and please do get back with the ticket number so that i can provide you some assistance if not surely i can escalate the issue to my higher authority so that you can expect for a good response.

[JRink]

I have to agree with the original poster. What a pain this process is. Why can't I just get a quote from someone human instead of going through auto-attended he!! just to end up being told I have to fill out a stupid web form. BAH.

[vmisgreat]

It's a really painful experience to do renewals. I completed the renewal request form and got a quote back from VMWare, but on the quote email, there is no instruction on how to pay for it. Should I call VMWare on the phone and give them my credit card number or go to the the store on VMWare to pay for a renewal? ( I tried finding a way to pay for the renewal in the VMWare store, but was unable to find anything there.)

                CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO PAY FOR MY VMWARE RENEWAL AFTER I RECEIVED THE QUOTE???

thanks, you help is greatly appreciated.

R.

[Gawie]

Hi

I have the same problem.

I have received my quotation for renewal but am at a lost on how to pay for it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

[cdc1]

You have to engage a VMware Partner, provide them with your VMware Contract ID (or send them a copy of the quote VMware sent you), and then get the partner on the phone to provide your payment details (PO Number or Credit Card number, usually) and then wait for the status to change in VMware's records (check the "Manage Orders" area of your account on VMware's website.)

It's "supposed" to take 3 to 5 business days to be reflected in your VMware account after it's been submitted to VMware by the Partner, but for me, I'm having other nonsensical issues with mine at the moment, and I've currently been waiting for over a month now for mine to process.

Convoluted?  You bet!

Should be easier?  Of course it should!

Ridiculous?  Without a doubt!

[GWOH]

Fast forward to December 2023, 10+ years after this thread was started, and there is still no streamlined way to renew VMWare licenses!

The renewal link takes me nowhere, and surfing around the menus takes me nowhere (I was hoping to just find a few menus to click on for renewal, add the credit card info, and purchase - but that would be way too easy for VMWare), and leaving a voicemail with renewals has also taken me nowhere.

What a nightmare!