VMware ESX Licensing

[RabbieBurns]

Hoping someone can help with an ESX licensing question please.

 

Ive got 3 hosts on a Nutanix block, so they're using a shared datastore, and currently it is configured where the 3 hosts are part of a cluster. But I don't need any of the enterprise features such as clustering, vmotion / highavailability, etc.

 

I have a VMWare Essentials 6.5 license as I was led to believe the 3 hosts license and our non use of the enterprise features would mean this license was sufficient for our needs, but I think currently its created as a cluster, its not letting me add this Essentials license, or it could be that because I currently have vApps set up on each host?

 

I use this infrastructure as a training environment for the students and need to shutdown, revert and power on these VMs frequently and in bulk, each student having their own vAPP, so I have created a nice little PowerCLI script to do this.

 

So my question is can I use vaPPs and manage them with PowerCLI if I break the cluster and just operate vSphere with 3 standalone hosts and an Essentials license? I have 10 days left in Evaluation mode and need to get something sorted.

[kmount]

Hi there,

 

I recently put two blocks in on essentials plus licensing that worked fine but on essentials (without the plus) it's more restricted with no HA or vMotion but as long as HA is off on your cluster it shold be OK I'd have thought from that perspective.

 

What happens when you try and put the license in, it should tell you what is annoying it?

 

The vApp is another one though, I've had problems in the past deploying those (such as vRealize Ops Mgr) because it looks for DRS that isn't in place on the cluster but I couldn't find anything to suggest it wouldn't work (or to say it would!)

 

Just had a look on an Enterprise Plus host licensing tab and it doesn't mention anything specific to vApp other than App HA but we're not bothered about that.

 

In short, if you can't get a decent message out of why it won't let you put the license on, make sure HA is off on the cluster and if still no joy take a host out of the cluster (watch out for nutanix shenanigans) and apply it there to see if it is happy and put it back in and try your vApp.

 

Good luck

[Davit2005]

I don't think there is any point having shared storage if you are not using HA, I know it gives a bit more flexibility on the Host side and consolidation for the disks. Is the Essentials Plus that much of an uplift in cost??

 

I don't work for VMWare or a distributor in any capacity, jus putting the thought out there :-) .

Edited November 30, 2017 by Davit2005