Unable to apply a license key to vCenter Server

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Cannot apply a license key to vCenter Server
• Applying a license key to vCenter Server fails
• You see the error:
  
  A specified parameter was not correct. licenseKey
  
  
• Attempting to re-apply the license key also fails

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x

Resolution

To workaround this issue:

1. Configure the VirtualCenter Server service to log on as Local System.
2. Restart the VirtualCenter Server service. *
3. Apply the license key.
4. Reconfigure the VirtualCenter Server service to log on as the normal user.
5. Restart the VirtualCenter Server service. *

Note: If you are using a remote database for vCenter Server, ensure that the local system account is able to authenticate with the database before restarting the service. Otherwise, it may fail to start as Local System.

*Stopping, starting or restarting VMware vCenter Server Appliance services.