Adding ESXi host to vCenter fails due to the hosts license

[mathewsnyder]

I have been handed an ESXi 5.5.0 server which has a vSphere 5 Hypervisor license. Unfortunately, vCenter Server (evaluation license) appears to not support the management of such hosts: "The host is licensed with VMware vSphere 5 Hypervisor. The license edition of vCenter Server does not support VMware vSphere 5 Hypervisor." That is the error I get when attempting to add the host to vCenter.

I have two questions regarding this:

1. Will a paid vCenter Server license support vSphere 5 Hypervisor hosts?

2. Will removing the license from the host leave me with an evaluation license of ESXi which vCenter will support?

2.1 If so, how do I remove the license?

I'm further confused by the fact that despite the license type, the standalone vSphere client has a link to the VMware downloads stating "Manage this host through VMware vCenter." I'm trying, dang it! vCenter won't let me.

[akkayyakapisett]

Dont confuse with ESXi license and Vcenter license

vCenter is licensed on standard or essentials

ESXi is licensed on free, standard, enterprise and enterprise plus.

In order to manage ESXi by vcenter use evaluation, standard, enterprise and enterprise plus on it.

Regards,

Venkat

http://www.peeradmin.com/

[schepp]

Hey, welcome to the communities,

the vSphere 5 Hypervisor license is the free license you get when you register. Those hosts can't be managed by vCenter. Only paid version can be managed.

If you get the evaluation time when you remove the license depends on when or whether your evaluation period of that host has already started and if there are some days left. When it's over, you won't get a new one from removing the license.

You can reinstall the host to get a new evaluation period for testing.

Regards

Tim