You must assign a license to a vCenter Server system before its evaluation period expires or its currently assigned license expires. If you upgrade, combine, or divide vCenter Server licenses in Customer Connect, you must assign the new licenses to vCenter Server systems and remove the old licenses.

Prerequisites

  • To view and manage licenses in the vSphere environment, you must have the Global.Licenses privilege on the vCenter Server system, where the vSphere Web Client runs.

Procedure

  1. In the vSphere Web Client, navigate to the vCenter Server system.
  2. Select the Configure tab.
  3. Under System, select Licensing.
  4. Click Assign License.
  5. Select a licensing method.
    • Select an existing license and click OK.
    • Create a new license.
      1. Click the Create New License (Create license icon) icon.
      2. In the New Licenses dialog box, type or copy and paste a license key and click Next.
      3. On the Edit license names page, rename the new license as appropriate and click Next.
      4. Click Finish.
      5. In the Assign License dialog, select the newly-created license, and click OK.

Results

The license is assigned to the vCenter Server system, and one instance from the license capacity is allocated for thevCenter Server system.