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vCenter Essentials - 3 Host Limit (not 6 CPU)

1 min read #Management #vSphere #Administration #VMware

vSphere Essentials is a package that is for the SMB. At present there is a promotional offer (Until June 15, 2010) reducing the price from $995 to $495.

In this package you receive vCenter and 3 ESX host licenses (up to 6 CPU Licenses)

Of course this a basic package - with only the basic features - no HA, Vmotion etc.

This is ideal for a small business starting out.

I tried today to see if the limit is actually 6 CPU’s or 3 hosts.

Here I have an Essentials License with 3 ESX hosts - but each of them only have 1 Physical CPU

vCenter licensing report showing vSphere 4 Essentials using 3 of 6 CPUs across three lab ESX hosts, never expiring

Trying to add the 4th host I got this

Error dialog stating this edition of vCenter only supports 3 hosts in the inventory

What I did find strange though was that it did take up an extra CPU from my license

vSphere licensing view with vSphere 4 Essentials boxed in red showing 4 of 6 CPUs assigned across hosts

The new host was disconnected but still taking up a CPU license

vCenter inventory tree showing LAB-CLUSTER with a disconnected host and three it-lab-esx hosts

After removing the Host - it went back to the correct state

vSphere licensing view: vCenter Server 4 Essentials and vSphere 4 Essentials using 3 of 6 CPUs across three ESX hosts

What did I learn from this experience?

  • The limit is 3 ESX hosts - not the amount of CPU’s
  • This is still an amazing package for a lab setup!!