Technical Note

Legacy Host Licensing with

vCenter Server 4.x
ESX 3.x/ESXi 3.5 and vCenter Server 4.x

WhenyouusevCenterServer4.xtomanageESX3.x/ESXi3.5hosts,youhaveseveralmutuallyexclusive
choicesinregardstolicenseserverconfiguration:

UseasinglelicenseserverforvCenterServer4.xandtheESX3.x/ESXi3.5hosts.

UseonelicenseserverforvCenterServer4.x,anduseanotherlicenseserverfortheESX 3.x/ESXi 3.5hosts.

UsealicenseserverforvCenterServer4.x,andusehostbasedlicensingfortheESX3.x/ESXi3.5hosts.

Donotusealicenseserver.UpgradeallofyourhoststoESX4.0/ESXi4.0.Thisallowsyoutomanageall
ofyourhostlicensesbyusingthevCenterServer 4.xlicensemanagementandreportingtools.

Considerthefollowingscenarios:

SupposeyouhaveanESXi3.5hostthatiscurrentlynotmanagedbyvCenterServerbecauseithasa
StandaloneESXihostlicense.YouwanttomanagethishostinvCenterServer4.x.Todothis,Youmust
decidewhethertousecentralizedorhostbasedlicensingandthenupgradetheESXihostlicenseto
StandardorEnterprise.Youmustusethelicenseportaltogetthecentralizedorhostbasedlicensefile.
YoumightneedtodownloadandinstallalicenseserverbecausevCenterServer4.xrequiresalicense
servertomanageESX 3.x/ESXi3.5hosts.Finally,youmustloadthehostlicensefileontothelicenseserver.
Ifyoudecidetousehostbasedlicensing,youmustloadthehostlicensefileontothehostaswell.

SupposeyouhaveanESX3.5hostwithahostbasedlicensefile.Youwanttomanagethishostin
vCenter Server 4.x.Ifyoudonothavealicenseserverinstalled,youneedtodownloadandinstallthe
VMwarelicenseserver,usetheportaltogetacentralizedversionofthelicensefile,anduploadthelicense
filetothelicenseserver.

NOTEIfyouperformedaninplaceupgradetovCenterServer,thevCenterServersystemwilllikelyalready
bepointingtoalicenseserver.Inthiscase,youdonotneedtoinstallanewlicenseserver.

Copyright 2009 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved.

Legacy Host Licensing with vCenter Server 4.x

vCenter Server License Server Requirements

TomanageESX 3.x/ESXi3.5hosts,vCenterServer4.xmusthaveaconnectiontoalicenseserver.Thelicense
servercanbethirdparty,oritcanbetheVMwareLicenseServer.Thepurposeofthelicenseserveristoallow
vCenterServertocheckoutVCAgentlicenses,whichallowyoutoaddESX 3.x/ESXi 3.5hoststo
vCenter Server.Thelicenseserveralsomanageshostfeatures,suchasVMwarevMotionand
VMware High Availability.
ThelicenseserverrequirementdoesnotapplywhenvCenterServer4.xisrunninginevaluationmodeorwhen
vCenterServerismanagingonlyESX4.x/ESXi4.xhosts.WhenyouupgradeyourhoststoESX4.0/ESXi4.0,
younolongerneedalicenseserver.
VMwarerecommendsthatyourlicenseserverresidesonthevCenterServer4.xhost.Youcandownloadthe
VMwareLicenseServerattheVMwareWebsite.

Connect vCenter Server 4.x to a License Server

vCenterServerrequiresalicenseserverconnectionwhenitismanagingESX 3.x/ESXi 3.5hosts.
Beforeyoubeginthisprocedure,makesurethatvCenterServerislicensedbychoosingHome>Licensing.
If vCenterServerisinevaluationmodeorisunlicensed,clickManageVI4Licensesandassignalicensekey
tovCenterServer.
To connect vCenter Server to a license server
1

FromthevSphereClient,selectAdministration>vCenterServerSettings.

ClickLicensinginthelistontheleft.

SelectavCenterServerinstancefromtheCurrentvCenterServermenu.

UnderLicenseServer,enterthefullyqualifieddomainnameortheIPaddressofthelicenseserverand,
optionally,aport.
Forexample,yourentrymightlooklikethis:
27000@license.vmware.com

Ifyoudonotspecifyaport,thedefaultport,27000isused.
IfyoudonotusethefullyqualifieddomainnameortheIPaddressofthelicenseserver,legacyhosts
cannotresolvethelicenseserverhostname.
5

(Optional)SelectReconfigureESX3hostsusinglicenseserverstousethisserverifyouwanteach
ESX 3.x/ESXi3.xhostthatyouaddtotheinventorytousethesamelicenseserverasthisvCenterServer
system.
Ifyouselectthisoption,vCenterServeraltersthehostsettingswhenyouaddthehosttothe
vCenter ServerinventoryorwhenyouchangethelicenseserverconfigurationinvCenterServer.Ifyou
leavethisoptionunselected,youcaneitherconfigureanotherlicenseserverforthehostsorconfigurethe
hoststousehostbasedlicensefiles.

ClickOK.

SelectHome>Licensingtoviewthetotalnumberoflicensesusedandavailableonthelicenseserver.
Forinformationaboutsettingupalicenseserverandconfiguringhostbasedlicensing,seethe
VMware Infrastructure3documentation.

Copyright 2009 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved.

Legacy Host Licensing with vCenter Server 4.x

Connect ESX 3.x/ESXi 3.x Hosts to a Separate License Server

FollowthisprocedureifyouwantyourESX 3.x/ESXi3.xhoststoconnecttoadifferentlicenseserverthanthe
onethatvCenterServer4.xisconnectedto.
To configure a license server for an ESX/ESXi host
1

UsetheVIClient2.5toconnecttotheESX/ESXihost.

FromtheVIClient2.5,selectthehostintheinventory.

ClicktheConfigurationtab.

UnderSoftware,clickLicensedFeatures.

Configurethelicenseserverconnection:
a

ClickEdittotherightofLicenseSources.

ClickUseLicenseServer.
Thisisthedefaultconfiguration.

EntertheportnumberandlicenseservermachinenameintheAddressfield,asinport@host.
Forexample,yourentrymightlooklikethis:
27000@license-1.vmware.com

d
6

ClickOK.

SettheESXedition:
a

ClickEdittotherightofESXLicenseType.

Specifytheeditionforthehost,orselectUnlicensedtoreleasethishostslicensesbacktothelicense
server.TheESXLicenseTypedialogboxdisplaysonlythoseeditionsthatareavailabletoyourESX
host.

ClickOK.

Configureaddonlicenses:
a

ClickEdittotherightofAddOns.

SelecttheaddonproductstouseandclickOK.

TheHome>Licensingscreensummarizesthetotalnumberoflicensesusedandavailableonthelicense
server.
Forinformationaboutsettingupalicenseserverandconfiguringhostbasedlicensing,seethe
VMware Infrastructure3documentation.

Host-Based License Files for Legacy ESX Hosts

IfyourESX 3.x/ESXi 3.5hostshavehostbasedlicensefiles,youcancontinuetousethelicensefiles.However,
hostbasedlicensefilesarenotasubstituteforthelicenseserverthatisrequiredbyvCenterServer4.xwhen
vCenterServerismanaginglegacyhosts.

Monitor License Information

LicensemonitoringenablesyoutoensurethatyourvSpheredeploymentremainsincompliance.Tomonitor
ESX 3.x/ESXi 3.5licensesinvCenterServer4.x,selectHome>Licensing.Forlargedeployments,displaying
ESX 3.x/ESXi 3.5hostinformationmighttakemoretimebecausethelicenseservermustbepolled.

Copyright 2009 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved.

Legacy Host Licensing with vCenter Server 4.x

About License Management

vCenterServer4.xhasaManagevSphereLicenseswizardthatallowsyoutoadd,assign,unassign,and
removelicensekeysfromthecentralizedlicenseinventory.ThiswizarddoesnotsupportESX 3.x/ESXi 3.5or
VirtualCenter2.xlicenses.Instead,youmustperformthesetasksinyourlicenseserver.

Troubleshooting License Management for ESX 3.x/ESXi 3.5 Hosts

IfvCenterServerismanagingESX3.x/ESXi3.5hosts,vCenterServermustcheckoutvCenterServerAgent
licensesfromthelicenseserver.IfvCenterServerishavingtroublecommunicatingwithyourlicenseserver,
dothefollowing:

CheckthatthelicenseserverWindowsserviceisrunning.

Checkthatthelicenseserverislistening.

Checkthelicenseserverstatus.

Check that the License Server Windows Service Is Running

LicensemanagementfailsifthelicenseserverWindowsserviceisnotrunning.
To check that the license server Windows service is running
1

Onthemachineonwhichthelicenseserverisinstalled,selectStart>ControlPanel>
Administrative Tools>ServicestodisplaytheServicescontrolpanel.

VerifythattheStatuscolumnfortheVMwareLicenseServerentryreadsStarted.

IftheVMwareLicenseServerisnotstarted,rightclicktheserviceandselectStart.

Check That the License Server Is Listening

Thisprocedureallowsyoutoverifythatthelicenseserverisinstalledandisstarted.
To check that the license server is listening
1

Onthemachineonwhichthelicenseserverisinstalled,selectStart>CommandPrompt.

Typenetstat -abatthecommandline.

Verifythatthelmgrd.exeprocessislisteningonport27000andthattheVMWARELM.exeprocessis
listeningonport27010.
Ifnot,thelicenseservermightnotbeinstalledormightnotbestarted.

Copyright 2009 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved.

Legacy Host Licensing with vCenter Server 4.x

Check the License Server Status

Totroubleshootlicensesthatarenotapplied,youmightneedtolaunchtheVMwareLicenseServerToolsand
performaserverstatusenquiry.
To check the license server status
1

Onthemachineonwhichthelicenseserverisinstalled,selectStart>Programs>VMware>VMware
LicenseServer>VMwareLicenseServerToolstolaunchtheLMTOOLSutility.

ClicktheServerStatustabtodisplaytheServerStatuspage.

ClickPerformStatusInquiry.
Licenseserverinformation,includingthelocationofthelicensefile,appearsatthebottomofthepage.

Check the License File

Ifyourlicenseserverisoperatingproperlyorifyourlegacyhostsareusingsinglehostlicensingbutyou
cannotuselicensedfeatures,youmighthaveaproblemwithyourlicensefile.Checkthefollowing:

Validateyourlicensefileathttp://www.vmware.com/checklicense.

Ensurethatyouareusingthecorrecttypeoflicensefile.Ifyouareusingalicenseserver,useacentralized
file.Ifyouareusingsinglehostlicensing,makesurethatyouareusingasinglehostlicensefileoneach
host.
Centralizedfilescontainablockofheadertextatthetop,andthestring
VENDOR_STRING=licenseType=Serverappearsineachlicensekeyinthefile.Singlehostlicensefiles
havenoheadertext,andthestringVENDOR_STRING=licenseType=Hostappearsineachlicensekeyin
thefile.

Ifyouareusingacentralizedlicensefile,checkthatthelicensetypeheaderinformationappearsonlyonce
andatthetopofthefile.

Ifyoueditedthelicensefile,checkthatyoudidnotmixcentralizedandsinglehostkeysinasinglefile.

Checkthatthelicensefilecontainsthecorrectkeysforthefeaturesthatyouwanttouse.Table 11liststhe
availablelicensekeys.
Table 1-1. License Keys
Feature Name

License File Key

License Type Available

ESXFoundationedition

PROD_ESX_STARTER

Centralizedorsinglehost

ESXStandardedition
ESXEnterpriseedition

PROD_ESX_FULL

Centralizedorsinglehost

ConsolidatedBackup

ESX_FULL_BACKUP

Centralizedorsinglehost

vCenterServerAgent

VC_ESXHOST

Centralized

VMwareServerVMotion
VMwareStorageVMotion

VC_VMOTION

Centralized

VMwareDRS

VC_DRS

Centralized

VC_DAS

Centralized

VMwareDPM
VMware HA

Check License Configuration for ESX 3.x/ESX 3.5 Hosts

Ifyourlicenseserverisworkingcorrectly,andyourlicensefileiscorrect,checkthatyoucorrectlyconfigured
centralizedorsinglehostlicensing,asappropriatetoyourenvironment.Forconfigurationinstructions,see
theInstallationGuideortheSetupGuideforVMwareInfrastructure3.

Copyright 2009 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved.

Legacy Host Licensing with vCenter Server 4.x

If you have comments about this documentation, submit your feedback to: docfeedback@vmware.com
VMware, Inc. 3401 Hillview Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304 www.vmware.com
Copyright 2009 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved. This product is protected by U.S. and international copyright and intellectual property laws. VMware products are covered by
one or more patents listed at http://www.vmware.com/go/patents. VMware, the VMware boxes logo and design, Virtual SMP, and VMotion are registered trademarks or
trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.