Update path from VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) or VMware vSphere Foundation (VVF) V8 to V9

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi
• VMware vSAN
• VMware Aria Operations (formerly vRealize Operations) 8.x
• VCF Operations
• VMware vSphere Foundation
• VMware Cloud Foundation

Issue/Introduction

This article explains how to access V9 licenses for VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) or VMware vSphere Foundation (VVF) V9+. 

Any subscription that is eligible to use version 9 will have the license automatically available at vcf.broadcom.com.

There is no way to upgrade a license key from 8.x to 9.x. If you attempt such an upgrade, you will get an error stating “No data available to upgrade”.

Environment

vCenter Server 8.x
vSphere ESXi 8.x
vSAN 8.x
Aria Operations 8.x
VCF Operations 9.x
vCenter Server 9.x
vSphere ESXi 9.x
vSAN 9.x
VMware vSphere Foundation
VMware vSphere Foundation 9
VMware Cloud Foundation 5.2
VMware Cloud Foundation 9

Resolution

Any subscription that is eligible to use v9+ will have the license automatically available at vcf.broadcom.com.

Pre-requisites
1. You must have a Broadcom Site ID with an entitlement/subscription eligible to use V9+.
2. You must have permission to do licensing in your site ID.
3. You must install or upgrade to VCF Operations Version 9.

How do I use V9 licensing?
Starting with version 9.0 of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) and VMware vSphere Foundation (vSphere Foundation), you license your environment by using a VCF Operations instance and the VMware Cloud Foundation Business Services console (vcf.broadcom.com). Subscription-based license files replace the use of the 25-character license keys. Learn More

How do I install or upgrade to VCF Operations V9?
You can install VCF Operations using the VMware Cloud Foundation Installer. The installer can be downloaded from support.broadcom.com -> My Downloads. For more information, see Deployment, Convergence, and Upgrade.

If you are already using VMware Aria Operations, you can upgrade to VCF Operations V9. For more information, see Upgrade VMware Aria Operations to VCF Operations 9.0.

What permissions do I need to do V9 licensing in my Site ID?
If your account has either of the following site roles, you can access VCF Business Services console for licensing:

1. User Administrator
2. Product Administrator

If you do not have these roles, then you may still get access for licensing if you have been granted access to a VCF Business Services console tenant. To have access to a tenant, you must still have the “Site Access” role for the site AND one of the following tenant roles:

1. Tenant Administrator
2. License Manager
3. License Refresh (usage upload and subsequent license download only)
4. License Read Only (read only access to licenses)

How do I know if my entitlement or subscription is eligible to upgrade to use V9?
Go to vcf.broadcom.com -> Licenses. If you do not see any error messages and you see a license in the Licenses table, you have an entitlement that is eligible for V9.