After you install and set up ESXi, you can use manage hosts by various interfaces, license the hosts, and back up your configuration.

After ESXi is installed and set up, you can manage the host by using the vSphere Client and vCenter Server, license the host, and back up your ESXi configuration. You can also use the VMware Host Client to connect directly to the ESXi host and to manage it. For information about installing and using the VMware Host Client, see vSphere Single Host Management.

Note: When you install a standalone ESXi host with TMP enabled that is not connected to a vCenter Server instance, create a backup of the ESXi configuration recovery key. To get the recovery key, run the command esxcli system settings encryption recovery list on the ESXi host and note it down. It is possible that the host might not be able to complete booting due to host configuration encryption related problems and in such cases, you can restore the host configuration by using the recovery key and running the configuration recovery process.

For best practices and VMware recommendations, see Best Practices for Secure ESXi Configuration.

Licensing ESXi Hosts

After you install ESXi, it has a 60-day evaluation period during which you can explore the full set of vSphere features provided with a vSphere Enterprise Plus license. You must assign the host an appropriate license before the evaluation period expires.

ESXi hosts are licensed with vSphere licenses that have per-CPU capacity. To license hosts correctly, you must assign them a vSphere license that has enough CPU capacity to cover all CPUs in the hosts. The license must support all features that the hosts are using. For example, if the hosts are connected to a vSphere Distributed Switch, you must assign a license that has the vSphere Distributed Switch feature.

You can use one of following methods to license ESXi hosts:

  • License multiple hosts at a time by using the license management function in the vSphere Client. The hosts must be connected to a vCenter Server system. For more information, see vCenter Server and Host Management.
  • Set up bulk licensing by using PowerCLI commands. Bulk licensing works for all ESXi hosts, but is especially useful for hosts provisioned with Auto Deploy. See Set Up Bulk Licensing
  • License individual ESXi hosts by using a direct connection with the VMware Host Client. For information about assigning a license key to an ESXi host, see vSphere Single Host Management.

    For more information, see Licensing and Subscription in vSphere.

Recording the License Key of an ESXi Host

If a host becomes inaccessible or unbootable, you should have a record of its license key. You can write down the license key and tape it to the server, or put the license key in a secure location. You can access the license key from the direct console user interface or the vSphere Client.

View the License Keys of ESXi Hosts from the vSphere Client

You can view the license keys of the hosts that are connected to a vCenter Server system through the vSphere Client.

Procedure

  1. In the vSphere Client, select Administration.
  2. Under Licensing, select Licenses.
  3. On the Assets tab, select Hosts.
  4. In the License column, click a license.

Results

You view information about the license, such as its usage and license key.

Access the ESXi License Key from the Direct Console

If you have physical access to the host or remote access to the direct console, you can use the direct console to access the ESXi license key.

Procedure

  • ♦ From the direct console, select View Support Information.
    The license key appears in the form XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX, labeled License Serial Number.
    Note: The physical machine serial number also appears, labeled Serial Number. Do not confuse the license key with the physical machine serial number.

View System Logs

System logs provide detailed information about system operational events.

Procedure

  1. From the direct console, select View System Logs.
  2. Press a corresponding number key to view a log.
    vCenter Server Agent (vpxa) logs appear if you add the host to vCenter Server.
  3. Press Enter or the spacebar to scroll through the messages.
  4. Perform a regular expression search.
    1. Press the slash key (/).
    2. Type the text to find.
    3. Press Enter.
    The found text is highlighted on the screen.
  5. Press q to return to the direct console.

What to do next

See also Configure Syslog on ESXi Hosts.