Using a product feature fails with the error: Feature is not licensed with this edition

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Cannot attempt to use a product feature (such as hot-add RAM, vMotion, or FT)
• Attempting to use a product feature (such as hot-add RAM, vMotion, or FT) fails with the error:
• You see the error: |
  
  Feature <feature> is not licensed with this edition
  
  For example:
  
  Feature vmotion is not licensed with this edition.
  Feature hotplug is not licensed with this edition.
  Feature ft is not licensed with this edition.
  
  
• You are unable to use the feature.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 6.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 4.1.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0

Cause

This error occurs when you try to use a product feature that is missing from your license key.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, you must upgrade with a license key for another edition (for example, from Enterprise to Enterprise Plus).

For some editions, VMware supports keys with up to five add-ons. Add-ons are features that are individually unlocked by the key without upgrading to a different edition. For more information, see Compare vSphere Editions.

If you want to try a feature and the evaluation period has not expired, revert to evaluation mode. Evaluation mode has all product features enabled by default.