Before you deploy VMware Cloud Foundation, ensure that you have appropriate license keys for the required VMware software. The license keys must match with the version of the product installed. See the Bill of Materials (BOM) in the VMware Cloud Foundation Release Notes for information on the specific product versions supported in each release.

You will need a license key for each of the following:
  • SDDC Manager
  • VMware vSphere
  • VMware vCenter Server
  • VMware vSAN
  • VMware NSX for vSphere

    VMware NSX-T uses an evaluation license for 60 days. After that time period, a license is required.

  • VMware vRealize Log Insight
  • VMware vRealize Automation (optional); you can also use a vRealize Suite or vCloud Suite license key.
  • VMware vRealize Operations (optional); you can also use a vRealize Suite or vCloud Suite license key.
Note: Although part of the platform deployed by Cloud Foundation, vCenter Server is sold and licensed separately and you must provide a separate vCenter Server license for Cloud Foundation. Only one vCenter Server license is needed per Cloud Foundation instance, regardless of the number of workload domains in the environment.