VMware ESX Manual

A SERVICE OF

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ESX Server 3 and VirtualCenter Installation Guide

64 VMware, Inc.

Checking the License File

Ifyourlicenseserverisoperatingproperlyorifyouareusingsingle‐hostlicensing,but

youcannotuselicensedfeatures,youhaveaproblemwithyourlicensefile.Checkthe

following:

 Validateyourlicensefileathttp://www.vmware.com/checklicense/.

 Ensurethatyouareusingthecorrecttypeoflicensefile.Ifyouareusingalicense

server,useacentralizedfile.Ifyouareusingsingle‐hostlicensing,makesurethat

youareusingasingle‐hostlicensefileoneachhost.

Centralizedfilescontainablockofheadertext

atthetop,andthestring

‘VENDOR_STRING=licenseType=Server’appearsineachlicensekeyinthefile.

Single‐hostlicensefileshavenoheadertext,andthestring

‘VENDOR_STRING=licenseType=Host’appearsineachlicensekeyinthefile.

 Ifyouareusingacentralizedlicensefile,checkthatthelicensetypeheader

informationappearsonlyonceandatthetopofthefile.

 Checkthatthelicensefilecontainsthecorrectkeysforthefeaturesyouwanttouse.

See Table 5‐1,“LicenseKeys,”onpage 57foralistofkeys.

 Ifyoueditedthelicensefile,checkthatyoudidnotmixcentralizedandsingle‐host

keysinasinglefile.

Checking License Configuration

Ifyourlicenseserver(ifused)isworkingcorrectly,andyourlicensefileiscorrect,check

thatyoucorrectlyconfiguredlicensingforyourhostsusingtheVI Client:

 Ifyouareusingcentralizedlicensing,followtheinstructionsin“Configuring

LicenseServerLicensing”onpage 50.

 Ifyouareusingsingle‐hostlicensing,followtheinstructions“Configuringan

ESX ServerMachineforSingle‐HostLicensing”onpage 53.