6.0.1

Licensing ESXi Hosts After Upgrade
If you upgrade an ESXi host to a version that starts with the same number, you do not need to replace the
existing license with a new one. For example, if you upgrade a host from ESXi 5.1 to 5.5, you can use the
same license for the host.
If you upgrade an ESXi host to a version that starts with a dierent number, you must apply a new license.
For example, if you upgrade an ESXi host from 5.x to 6.x, you need to license the host with a vSphere 6
license.
vSphere Desktop
vSphere Desktop is intended for VDI environments such as Horizon View. The license usage for vSphere
Desktop equals the total number of powered on desktop virtual machines running on the hosts that are
assigned a vSphere Desktop license.
Licensing for vCenter Server
vCenter Server systems are licensed with vCenter Server licenses that have per-instance capacity.
To license a vCenter Server system, you need a vCenter Server license that has the capacity for at least one
instance.
Evaluation Mode
When you install a vCenter Server system, it is in evaluation mode. An evaluation mode license of a
vCenter Server system expires 60 days after the product is installed no maer whether you assign a license
to vCenter Server or not . You can set vCenter Server back to evaluation mode only within 60 days after its
installation.
For example, suppose that you install a vCenter Server system and use it in evaluation mode for 20 days and
assign the system an appropriate license. The evaluation mode license of vCenter Server will expire after the
remaining 40 days of the evaluation period.
License and Evaluation Period Expiry
When the license or evaluation period of a vCenter Server system expires, all hosts disconnect from that
vCenter Server system.
Licensing vCenter Server after Upgrade
If you upgradevCenter Server to a version that starts with the same number, you can keep the same license.
For example, if you upgrade a vCenter Server system from vCenter Server 5.1 to 5.5., you can keep the same
license on the system.
If you upgrade vCenter Server to a version that starts with a dierent number, you must apply a new
license. For example, if you upgrade a vCenter Server system from 5.x to 6.x, you must license the system
with a vCenter Server 6 license.
If you upgrade the edition of the license, for example, from vCenter Server Foundation to vCenter Server
Standard, you must replace the existing license on the system with the upgraded license.
Chapter 9 License Management and Reporting
VMware, Inc. 95