vCenter‑host connectivity or partitioned management plane
Go to in the left sidebar, then select the Licensing tab. Click Assign License and paste your key. vCenter Server : Navigate to the host in the vSphere inventory. Click the Configure tab and select System > Licensing . Click Assign License to update the key. Command Line (CLI) :
If a host remains in "evaluation mode" even after a key is applied, it is often due to an existing evaluation license or stale license data that must be removed. Addressing Core Count Mismatch:
: For new enterprise keys, Broadcom now requires purchasing through Advantage Partners .
| Type | Duration | vCenter Managed? | Backup API | |------|----------|----------------|------------| | Evaluation (default) | 60 days | Yes (if trial) | Yes | | Free (unlicensed) | Unlimited | No | No | | Fixed (paid, e.g., ROBO/Standard/Enterprise Plus) | Unlimited | Yes (depending on edition) | Yes |
: Broadcom has officially discontinued the free version of ESXi (VMware vSphere Hypervisor). If you were using a free key, you may find that it no longer works on newer versions or cannot be re-applied after a clean install. How to Apply or Update a License Key
vCenter‑host connectivity or partitioned management plane
Go to in the left sidebar, then select the Licensing tab. Click Assign License and paste your key. vCenter Server : Navigate to the host in the vSphere inventory. Click the Configure tab and select System > Licensing . Click Assign License to update the key. Command Line (CLI) : vmware esxi license key fixed
If a host remains in "evaluation mode" even after a key is applied, it is often due to an existing evaluation license or stale license data that must be removed. Addressing Core Count Mismatch: Click the Configure tab and select System > Licensing
: For new enterprise keys, Broadcom now requires purchasing through Advantage Partners . Addressing Core Count Mismatch: : For new enterprise
| Type | Duration | vCenter Managed? | Backup API | |------|----------|----------------|------------| | Evaluation (default) | 60 days | Yes (if trial) | Yes | | Free (unlicensed) | Unlimited | No | No | | Fixed (paid, e.g., ROBO/Standard/Enterprise Plus) | Unlimited | Yes (depending on edition) | Yes |
: Broadcom has officially discontinued the free version of ESXi (VMware vSphere Hypervisor). If you were using a free key, you may find that it no longer works on newer versions or cannot be re-applied after a clean install. How to Apply or Update a License Key