Changing the VMware NSX for vSphere 6.x License from virtual machine to CPU

Products

VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

This article provides details and steps for existing VMware NSX for vSphere 6.x users to correct the issue where the vCenter Server license tracking page displays incorrect metrics for the NSX license keys (CPU entitlements show as VM).

Symptoms:
When running VMware NSX for vSphere 6.0.x or 6.1.x, you experience these symptoms:

When checking your NSX for vSphere licenses in the VMware vSphere Client under Home > Administration > Licensing > Licenses, your NSX for vSphere licenses are incorrectly identified as VM licenses instead of CPU licenses.
CPU license entitlements are incorrectly identified as VM entitlements.
You receive alerts about insufficient virtual machine CPU licenses for NSX for vSphere.
When adding the licenses to the vSphere inventory the license type and amount of CPUs is reported correctly.

Environment

VMware NSX for vSphere 6.1.x
VMware NSX for vSphere 6.0.x

Cause

This issue occurs because the license type is incorrectly encoded with a VM capacity instead of a CPU capacity.

Resolution

This is a known issue affecting VMware NSX for vSphere 6.1.x.

This issue is resolved in VMware NSX for vSphere 6.2.0.

If you are unable to upgrade to NSX 6.2.x, you can work around the issue by upgrading to NSX for vSphere 6.1.2 and upgrading your existing licenses. NSX 6.1.2 partly resolves this issue but is affected by the inconsistent license metric issue listed.

Notes:

Known issue: NSX vSphere CPU licenses are issued in terms of CPU sockets, but license usage is displayed in CPU cores in the vSphere Licensing tab. Although the UI displays inconsistent license metrics, it will not prevent or interfere with functional usage of the product. This issue is resolved in NSX for vSphere 6.2.
If you are running a version of VMware NSX for vSphere prior to 6.1.2, you must upgrade to version 6.1.2 or later to apply your NSX for vSphere license.

After upgrading to VMware NSX for vSphere 6.1.2 and later:

Navigate to the VMware License Management portal to swap your existing license with a new license that carries the correct metric.
Select the NSX license key.
Divide the license key into at least two keys.

Note: You can divide a license key into any number of parts.

For example, if you have a license for 100 CPUs, you can split it to 99, 1, or 50/50 or any such combination.
Combine the newly divided keys into a single key.

Optionally, you can skip this step and use the individual keys as well as they are generated to reflect the correct metric.
Install this new NSX key in the vCenter Server in the License Management portal. You should now see your entitlements reflected with the correct metric.

If you are not able to recover license key after performing the preceding steps (For example, it could be due to having entitlement to 1 CPU, which cannot be subdivided further etc.), file a Support Request with VMware to trigger the license key swap.

Q: What if I purchased additional VMware NSX for vSphere 6.x licenses?

If the new key was purchased after May 3, 2015, then it is already correct.

If you have multiple keys before May 3, 2015, perform the preceding steps for each key.

Q: Why was all this not done automatically for me?

VMware did not proactively change the license keys that are issued to existing customers because that would create inconsistency with the license key on the portal versus the installed key and communications to ensure consistency would be difficult. This gives you the option to continue to use existing license keys until you can perform the preceding procedure and install the new key.

If you need any assistance, you can file a Support Request.

Additional Information

Impact/Risks:
If you have purchased VMware NSX for vSphere 6.x licenses on or before May 2, 2015 and you purchased entitlements based on a per CPU metric (not per virtual machine), then you are impacted.