Splitting vSphere 8.0 Licenses: Grace Periods and System Impact Timeframes

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

When splitting a vSphere license key in the Broadcom Support Portal to rearrange allocations across different environments, administrators need to determine the timeframe available to assign newly generated split licenses before system functionality or workloads are impacted.

Environment

• VMware vSphere 8.0
• VMware ESXi 8.0

Resolution

When a license key is split, the timeframe for reassignment depends on whether the keys are applied to an existing deployment or a new environment.

Scenario 1: Existing Environments

Existing vCenter Server and ESXi hosts currently using the pre-split key will experience no immediate technical impact

• Details: When a parent key is split and deactivated in the licensing portal, active vCenter Server and ESXi host setups do not instantly synchronize to invalidate the current assignment. Workloads and management functions continue operating normally.
• Required Action: Although no automated countdown restricts the hosts, the environment is administratively out of compliance once the original key is split. Replace the old license key with the new split key in the vSphere Client at your earliest convenience.

Scenario 2: New Environments

Newly installed vCenter Servers and ESXi hosts awaiting split licenses have a 60-day grace period.

• Details: New installations automatically begin in Evaluation Mode, granting full feature access for 60 days from the installation date.
• Required Action: Environments can be built and workloads migrated immediately. Assign the split licenses within this 60-day window to maintain functionality.