VCenter 4 server licensing and limitations

[albertwt]

Hi All,

I’ve got VMware vsphere essentials license but somehow i cannot make the two VCenter talking to each other for migration and template deployment across two different VCenter.

and so i open up the PDF brochure from VMware for the upgrade to the next level of VCenter where i can use more than three ESXi hosts
URL: http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/vsphere_pricing.pdf

my questions are:

1. if i buy vcenter standard edition, from what i know is that the licensing is calculated per CPU sockets and it is already included VCenter mgmt. server forthe ESXi to join ?
2. if i buy the stand alone VCenter Server 4 USD $ 4995 does this means i can join as many ESXi host as possible since the price is just one off ?

my current 2x VSphere Essentials license will become useless after I take either one of those options.

My goal here is to be able to manage more than 3x ESXi hosts within single VCenter which consists of:

ESXi01 – 2x Intel Quadcore
ESXi02 – 2x Intel Quadcore
ESXi03 – 1x Intel Quadcore
ESXi04 – 2x Intel Hexcore
ESXi05 - 1x Intel Core2Duo

can anyone please help me about this licensing please ?

Thanks.

[apaton]

To manage 4 or more ESX hosts you need to purchase vCenter Server Standard. vCenter Server is not licensed by CPU/Socket but Foundation and Essentials are limited to 3 ESX servers.

I think you have an option to upgrade option from vCenter Foundation to Standard.

To connect to vCenter Servers together (Linked-Mode) you will two vCenter Server Standard licenses.

Andy

[albertwt]

thanks man, now I understand the licensing scheme.

Cheers.