Unable to remove expired Pre-Version 9.x license keys from VCF Operations

Products

• VCF Operations

Issue/Introduction

• VCF Operations 9.x UI displays a warning banner: "There are expired or expiring license keys in your inventory."
• Attempts to remove the expired license key from VCF Operations > License Management > Licenses > Pre-Version 9 result in an error or the removal option is unavailable.
  
  Your selection contains license(s) that cannot be removed.  To remove those license(s) from VCF Operations, you must first remove them from vCenter.
• The license appears to be unassigned but persists in the VCF Operations inventory.

Environment

VCF Operations 9.0.2

vCenter 9.0.2

Cause

VCF Operations 9.x maintains synchronization with connected vCenter instances. If an expired or evaluation license key (legacy 25-character key) remains assigned to any asset in vCenter, including inactive solutions, decommissioned hosts, or disabled features like vSAN, VCF Operations will prevent the deletion of the key.

Resolution

To successfully purge the expired keys, they must first be cleared from the vCenter inventory and then allowed to synchronize.

1. Unassign in vCenter:
   • Log into the vSphere Client which contains the legacy licenses.
   • Navigate to Administration > Licensing > Pre-Version 9 Licenses > Assets.
   • Check the vCenter Server, Hosts, and Solutions tabs for any asset still mapped to the expired license.
   • Reassign the asset to a valid Version 9+ license or, if the asset is an inactive solution, unassign the license.
2. Synchronize VCF Operations:
   1. • Log into the VCF Operations UI.
      • Navigate to License Management > Registration.
      • Click Update Licenses to trigger a manual sync.
3. Final Removal:
   • • Wait approximately 15 minutes for the inventory sync to complete.
     • Navigate back to License Management > Licenses > Pre-Version 9 and remove the expired key.