Embedded VMware License

[endrefarago]

We have 2 servers running VMWare vSphere 6 Embedded Essentials, it was purchased as a part of our CUCM server from Cisco. We are looking to change the way we manage these 2 servers. Are we able to join these servers to our vCenter standard, and apply a standard license to the 2 servers? Would we lose any data in the process of doing that?

When we first purchased the hosts with the “Embedded” VMWare license, we asked about changing the license and were told we would have to wipe the entire system if you wanted to change from the “Embedded” version.

I am trying to figure out if this is possible, any insight is much appreciated. 

[Jaime Valencia · Accepted solution]

AFAIK that's no the case, I know people removed the embedded licensing in order to use PCD when the license with the APIs to use it was not provided and then reinstalled the embedded license. 

You probably want to ask this to VMWare directly.

[endrefarago]

Will do, thank you Jaime!

[Chris Deren]

I concur changing vmware license is transparent to the virtual machines and will not affect them.

[James Hawkins]

I am fairly sure you can change the VMware license key to standard without effecting virtual machines installed on the UCS as long as the VMware main version remains the same. I did this for a lab BE6000 with Cisco's cut down version of ESXi a few years ago. I wanted to test PCD when it was first released and needed an ESXI version that supported the correct hooks and so installed a Standard key. I shut down the VMs hosted on the box before doing this and, if I remember correctly, the version used was 5.5. I would second the advice to check with VMware though or maybe export your VM's before trying it.