Unable to assign ESXI host licenses fails with "Cannot add the following license keys. Existing Licenses Fix or remove these license keys to proceed."

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• This article provides steps to resolve ESXi host license issue .
• When assigning the licenses to ESXI host  you see the following error:
• "Cannot add the following license keys. Existing Licenses: ####### Fix or remove these license keys to proceed."

Environment

• VMware vCenter Server 8.x
• VMware vCenter Sever 7.x
• VMware vSphere ESXi 8.x
• VMware vSphere ESXi 7.x

Cause

The issue occurs when you are assigning a higher version license to a lower version of the host .

Example : 

• • A license for vSphere 8.0U2b and above , can only be assigned to the ESXi host which are running above version 8.0U2b.
  • A license for vSphere 8.0U2b and above , Can not be assigned to the host running at 8.0.0a .

Resolution

To resolve the issue :

In the vSphere Web Client:

 

• Navigate to Administration > Licensing > Licenses.

1. Check if the Valid license has been added on vcenter .

• If the added license is valid , Please go ahead and check if the license has been assigned on the ESXi host .

        Administration > Licensing > Licenses > Hosts

• You will see the ESXi hosts that are assigned to the license .

 

     2.If the hosts are not assigned with any licenses , You may see as below .

 

     3.Check from ESXi host .

Inventory > ESXi Host > Configure > Licensing 

• Check whether a valid license is assigned . You might see Evaluation license in case no license has been assigned on the host .

     4.If no license has been assigned , then try and assign the license on to the host .

• Click on ESXI Host > Configure > Licensing > Asign License > New License . A new dialogue box appears ,
• Now enter the license key that was provided to you by Broadcom .
• When you click on OK , If you see the following error 

"Cannot add the following license keys. Existing Licenses: #########  Fix or remove these license keys to proceed."

 

• Then verify , If the ESXi has the required version to satisfy the license .
• If the above conditions are met, you have the following options available to you:

 

Option 1:

Upgrading an ESXi host/hosts to the appropriate licensing version that has been provided by Broadcom .

 

Option 2:

• Downgrade the license to the lowest version of the ESXi host .
• When downgrading vSphere licenses, you can only downgrade one version level at a time.

          1.A license for vSphere 8.0U2b, can only be immediately downgraded to 8.0.0a.
          2.If your license is for 8.0.0a, you can only downgrade to 7.0.

• If you are unsure about how to downgrade the license, please create a service request with Broadcom for further assistance.

Additional Information

You may refer the following KB article to Upgrade and Downgrade VMware License Keys : 
Upgrade and Downgrade VMware License Keys

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