Site Recovery Manager Licensing

After you install Site Recovery Manager, it remains in evaluation mode until you install a Site Recovery Manager license key.

After the evaluation license expires, existing protection groups remain protected and you can recover them, but you cannot create new protection groups or add virtual machines to an existing protection group until you obtain and assign a valid Site Recovery Manager license key. Obtain and assign Site Recovery Manager license keys as soon as possible after installing Site Recovery Manager.

Site Recovery Manager licenses allow you to protect a set number of virtual machines. To obtain Site Recovery Manager license keys, contact your VMware sales representative.

Site Recovery Manager License Keys and vCenter Server Instances in Linked Mode

If your vCenter Server instances are connected with vCenter Server instances in linked mode, you install the same Site Recovery Manager license on both vCenter Server instances.

Site Recovery Manager License Keys and Protected and Recovery Sites

Site Recovery Manager requires a license key on any site on which you protect virtual machines.

• Install a Site Recovery Manager license key at the protected site to enable protection in one direction from the protected site to the recovery site.
• Install the same Site Recovery Manager license keys at both sites to enable bidirectional protection, including reprotect.

Site Recovery Manager checks for a valid license whenever you add a virtual machine to or remove a virtual machine from a protection group. If licenses are not in compliance, vSphere triggers a licensing alarm and Site Recovery Manager prevents you from protecting further virtual machines. Configure alerts for triggered licensing events so that licensing administrators receive a notification by email.

Site Recovery Manager Licenses Required for Recovery and Reprotect

You have a site that contains 25 virtual machines for Site Recovery Manager to protect.

• For recovery, you require a license for at least 25 virtual machines, that you install on the protected site to allow one-way protection from the protected site to the recovery site.
• For reprotect, you require a license for at least 25 virtual machines for each site, that you install on both the protected and the recovery site to allow bidirectional protection between the sites.

You have two sites that contain 25 virtual machines each for Site Recovery Manager to protect.

• For reprotect, you require a license for at least 50 virtual machines for each site, that you install on both the protected and the recovery site to allow bidirectional protection between the sites.