Cisco C220 M3 - ESXi install - is ESXi free ?

[Bogdan Voiculescu]

Hi guys,

I want to install ESXi on C220 M3 server. I think that ESXi is free but I am not sure. Do I need a license for the Cisco custom ESXi image ?

Also I have anothe C220 M3 server separate from the other one. For this one I have a vSphere license Enterprise license. Do I need another ESXi license here ?

Thank you.

[Keny Perez]

Hello,

You may download the image for free, here is the image for 5.5:   https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?productId=353&downloadGroup=OEM-ESXI55GA-CISCO

Now, you need to keep in mind that VMware will give you a free trial of 60 days for you to use all features and then decide the license you´ll need.

License will depend on the amount of CPUs installed and the feautes you need in the virtualization infrastructure.

-Kenny

-Kenny

[Reuben Farrelly · Accepted solution]

At the end of the 60 days you have to "relicense" the ESXi installation to get a perpetual license key (with much reduced features) from VMware.

Basic VMware and virtuallisation managed with the vi client is included in the free license, but no vCenter and all the goodies that come with it.

[Bogdan Voiculescu]

I am only talking about the ESXi - only the hypervisor not vSphere or vCenter. I think that in this situation VMWare ESXi is free for 1 server. 

For the other server I have vCenter & vSphere ENT Plus licenses, but I am not sure about the .iso for the ESXi.

Thanks.

[Keny Perez]

For all I know, ESXi is free for download and has a period of 60 days free usage with full access to all features, after those 60 days you cannot manage the Hypervisor anymore, for instance, when the grace period is over I cannot create any more VMs. 

So I dont think there is such "free for one server" but you might want to discuss that with your VMware Sales Rep instead.

If any of the comments here answers your questions, please mark it as such as rate it, same as other useful comments.

-Kenny

[YrvingBlanco9584]

Buenas

Después de expirados los 60 días el ESXI pasa a ser modo free (usted debe tener a la mano la licencia free obtenida al momento de descargar el ESXI para ingresarla cuando finalice el periodo de 60 dias), esto limitara todo lo referente a administración avanzada de la solución, sin embargo usted podrá seguir creando maquinas virtuales sin mayor inconveniente, saludos.

[Kirk J]

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2107518

Free version limits you to:

• 2 physical CPUs per host
• Max 8 virtual CPUs per guestvm
• read-only API access (causes issues when trying to do backups, etc)
• no support

Kirk...