Perpetual License Functionality After Support and Subscription (SnS) Expiration
Article ID: 429208
Updated On:
Products
Issue/Introduction
Customers transitioning from perpetual licensing models to VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) or VMware vSphere Foundation (VVF) subscription models may experience a gap in contract coverage.
Concerns typically involve the operational state of the environment, Virtual Machine (VM) availability, and access to software updates during this interim period.
Symptoms/Keywords: Perpetual license, SnS expiration, EOA (End of Availability), License enforcement, VM impact, patch access.
Environment
VMware vSphere ESXi,
vCenter Server
Cause
Perpetual licenses are granted for the life of the software version. The Support and Subscription (SnS) contract is a separate service agreement that provides access to technical support and software updates. The expiration of the SnS does not revoke the underlying software entitlement.
Resolution
The following operational facts apply when a perpetual license SnS expires:
- ESXi hosts and vCenter Server will continue to operate normally. There is no automated shutdown or disconnection mechanism triggered by the expiration of the support contract.
- All running Virtual Machines remain powered on. Power operations (On/Off/Reset) and management tasks (vMotion, Snapshot) remain fully functional.
- All features entitled by the specific license edition (e.g., Enterprise Plus) remain unlocked.
Impacted workflows:
- Access to the Broadcom Support Portal for downloading new patches, security updates, and major/minor version releases is restricted to accounts with an active SnS.
- The ability to open a Support Request (SR) with VMware/Broadcom Technical Support is terminated upon SnS expiration.
- Security posture is at risk as non-critical patches cannot be retrieved.
- Ensure no new ESXi hosts are added or major version upgrades (e.g., 7.x to 8.x) are attempted during the gap, as this requires active SnS for license conversion.
Additional Information
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