How to Install and Activate the VMware Live Site Recovery (formerly Site Recovery Manager) License Key
Article ID: 397942
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
This article provides step-by-step instructions for installing and activating the VMware Live Site Recovery (formerly known as Site Recovery Manager) license key in a vSphere environment. Proper licensing is essential to protect and recover virtual machines across production and recovery sites using Site Recovery Manager.
For more information, see Rebranding of Site Recovery Manager and Cloud Disaster Recovery Products.
Prerequisites
Ensure you have the correct number of licenses matching the total virtual machines across both production and recovery sites.
For example, a 25-VM license covers 25 VMs combined on both sites (e.g., 14 VMs on production and 11 on recovery).
Confirm that Site Recovery Manager is installed on the relevant vCenter Server instances.
Environment
VMware vSphere Foundation, VMware Cloud Foundation, VMware Live Site Recovery (formerly known as Site Recovery Manager).
Cause
Licensing issues can arise if the SRM license key is not properly assigned or activated on the vCenter Server instances and SRM appliances. Additionally, misunderstanding the subscription model—such as the total number of virtual machines covered by a single license—can lead to insufficient protection coverage.
Resolution
Installing the License Key
- Log in to the vSphere Client.
- Navigate to Menu > Administration.
- Expand Licensing and click Licenses.
- On the Assets tab, select the Solutions tab.
- Select the vCenter Server instance where Site Recovery Manager is installed.
- Click Assign License.
- In the dialog box, navigate to the New License tab, enter or paste your license key, and click OK.
- Name the new license and confirm. Details about the product and license will be displayed.
- Select the newly created license and click OK.
- Repeat these steps for all applicable vCenter Server instances.
Activating the License
- After deploying the SRM appliance, log into the vSphere Client.
- Navigate to Menu > Administration > Licensing.
- Assign the license key to the SRM appliance either via the Assign License option or by entering the key directly.
- Follow any on-screen prompts to complete activation.
Subscription Plan Considerations
- Verify that your subscription plan matches the number of virtual machines you intend to protect.
- VMware Live Site Recovery supports one-way protection (from protected site to recovery site) and bidirectional protection (between both sites).
- Ensure you have subscriptions covering “N” virtual machines on the protected site for one-way protection and “N” virtual machines on both sites for re-protect scenarios.
Additional Information
- The SRM license uses the vSphere licensing infrastructure, so managing licenses through vSphere Client ensures consistency across your environment.
- Always keep track of the total number of virtual machines under protection to avoid exceeding license limits.
- For detailed deployment guidance, refer to the parent topic: Deploying the Site Recovery Manager Appliance.
Also, see:
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