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VMware vSphere 5
SnSisrequiredforallvSpherepurchases
Q: I have received an alert from VMware vCenter that I have
exceeded the available pooled vRAM, but the product did
not prevent me from deploying a new virtual machine.
What is going on?
A: Only VMware vSphere Essentials and Essentials Plus implement
hard enforcement of vRAM capacity. VMware vCenter Server
Standard will not prevent you from exceeding the available vRAM
capacity; it will only signal that the licensing of the environment
is out of compliance. VMware licensing policy is that customers
should buy licenses in advance of use, so we recommend
monitoring the vRAM consumption and extending the
available pooled vRAM capacity before exceeding it.
Q: What is the process through which I add VMware vSphere
licensing to the vRAM pool?
A: There are two ways to add VMware vSphere licenses to the pool:
•Introduceanewhosttothepoolandassignprocessor
licenses to its CPUs
•Addnewprocessorlicenses,combiningthemtoexisting
ones using the VMware licensing portal
Q: Can I add vRAM to an Essentials or Essentials Plus kit?
A: No, the total vRAM capacity of Essentials and Essentials Plus
kits cannot be extended.
Q: Does my SnS calculation change?
A: SnS continues to be linked to VMware vSphere processor licenses.
Q: Do the licensing terms dier depending on which server I
deploy VMware vSphere 5 on?
A: No VMware vSphere license entitlement is linked to physical
characteristics of the server on which VMware vSphere is deployed.
Q: How do I procure more vRAM?
A: You simply need to buy and assign more VMware vSphere
CPU licenses.
Q: Will this licensing model cost me more?
A: Although it is impossible to predict the eects of the new model
in every type of environment, the licensing model has been
designed to minimize the risk of potential impacts in existing
environments while also providing room for growth. vRAM
entitlements have been set to provide enough capacity to
scale well beyond today’s average consolidation ratios.
Q. Which customers are eligible for vSphere Desktop?
A. vSphere Desktop is available to all commercial, academic, and
government customers who want to purchase new licenses of
vSphere to host desktop virtualization. Customers who purchase
the VMware View bundles get vSphere Desktop with unlimited
vRAM entitlement. Customers who purchased licenses for vSphere
4.x(orpreviousversions)priortoSeptember30,2011tohost
FAQ
Q: Does the new VMware vSphere 5 licensing model apply
to existing licenses of VMware vSphere 4.x or prior?
A: No. The new VMware vSphere licensing model applies only
to new purchases of VMware vSphere licenses or to existing
licenses of VMware vSphere 4.x or older that are upgraded
to VMware vSphere 5
Q: When upgrading to existing licenses for VMware vSphere
4.x or older to VMware vSphere 5, may I maintain the
VMware vSphere 4.x licensing model?
A: No. In order to complete the upgrade, the new VMware vSphere 5
EULA must be accepted.
Q: What is vRAM?
A: vRAM or virtual RAM is the total memory configured to
a virtual machine.
Q: What is the available pooled vRAM of my environment?
A: Available pooled vRAM is equal to the sum total of vRAM
entitlements for all VMware vSphere licenses of a single
edition, managed by a single instance of VMware vCenter
Server or by multiple instances of VMware vCenter Server
in Linked Mode.
Q: How is configured vRAM capacity determined?
A: Configured vRAM is equal to the sum total of vRAM configured
to all powered-on virtual machines managed by a single instance
of VMware vCenter Server or by multiple instances of VMware
vCenter Server in Linked Mode.
Q: How big a vRAM pool can I make?
A: The pooled vRAM capacity can be extended indefinitely by adding
more VMware vSphere licenses to VMware vCenter Server.
Q: Can the pooled vRAM capacity be extended by using any
VMware vSphere edition?
A: No, vRAM entitlements are pooled by VMware vSphere edition.
Therefore, a vRAM pool can be extended by adding VMware
vSphere licenses of the same edition.
Q: How am I compliant with this licensing model? Is there a
“hard stop” at my vRAM limit?
A: To be compliant, the 12 month rolling average of the daily high
watermark of configured vRAM must be equal to or less than
the available pooled vRAM capacity. VMware vCenter Server
will not impose a hard limit (with the exception of VMware
vCenter Server for Essentials) on configured vRAM, but will
provide alerts that configured vRAM is approaching or has
surpassed available pooled capacity. The VMware policy is
that customers should buy licenses in advance of use.