Vcenter License Key Command Line link Site

This report outlines the methods for viewing and managing vCenter Server and ESXi license keys via the command line interface (CLI), primarily using the vSphere Command-Line Interface (vCLI) and PowerCLI.

1. Viewing Licenses via vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) Shell

To view the currently assigned assets and license information directly from the vCenter Server Appliance, you can inspect the configuration files or use embedded tools:

Config File Inspection: You can use the cat and grep commands to find the instance ID or assigned asset details within the vCenter configuration files. cat /etc/vmware-vpx/vpxd.cfg | grep -i instanceid Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard

vim-cmd: This utility is embedded in the VCSA and provides direct management capabilities for the environment. 2. Managing ESXi Host Licenses via CLI

While vCenter manages the central pool, you often need to check or set licenses on individual hosts. This is typically done via the ESXi Shell or SSH.

View Current License: Use the following command to retrieve the current license key on an ESXi host: vim-cmd vimsvc/license --show Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard

Assign New License: To set a new license key via the command line: vim-cmd vimsvc/license --set "YOUR-LICENSE-KEY-HERE" Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard 3. Managing Licenses with VMware PowerCLI

PowerCLI is the preferred method for automated license reporting across an entire vCenter environment.

Get All Licenses: To list every license key available in your vCenter inventory: powershell Get-vInventory -License Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Assign a License to a Host: powershell

Set-VMHost -VMHost "ESXi_Hostname" -LicenseKey "XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX" Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard 4. Summary of Key Resources Tool / Path Local VCSA vpxd.cfg Identify instance IDs and basic asset assignments. ESXi Shell vim-cmd Retrieve or set the license for a specific host. Automation PowerCLI

Bulk export or management of licenses across the data center. GUI Alternative Broadcom Support Portal Download, split, or export license keys in Excel format.

For high-level management, such as splitting keys or downloading new entitlements, users must now use the Broadcom Support - My Dashboard under the "My Entitlements" section.

Download license keys for Broadcom, CA, Symantec, and VMware products vcenter license key command line

Managing VMware vCenter licenses via command line is primarily achieved through PowerCLI, as there is no direct "license set" command within the standard vCenter Appliance (VCSA) bash shell or appliance shell. Managing Licenses with PowerCLI

PowerCLI is the standard tool for automating vSphere management. To update or add a license, you must first connect to your vCenter Server. 1. Add a New License Key to the Inventory

To add a license key to the vCenter license manager without immediately assigning it: powershell

$licKey = 'XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX' $licMgr = Get-View LicenseManager $licMgr.AddLicense($licKey, $null) Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard

Source Reference: vCenter assign license key - Powershell script. 2. Assign a License Key to the vCenter Instance

Once a license is in the inventory, you must assign it to the vCenter asset using its unique Instance UUID: powershell

$vCenter = Connect-VIServer -Server "://example.com" $licAssMgr = Get-View $licMgr.LicenseAssignmentManager $licAssMgr.UpdateAssignedLicense($vCenter.InstanceUuid, $licKey, $vCenter.Name) Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard

Actionable Guide: For a full script including credential handling, refer to Updating the VMware vCenter License Key using PowerCLI. 3. Assign a License to ESXi Hosts

While vCenter itself requires the UpdateAssignedLicense method, individual ESXi hosts managed by vCenter can be licensed more simply: powershell

Get-VMHost "HostName" | Set-VMHost -LicenseKey "XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX" Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Retrieving License Information

To view current license details, such as expiration dates and CPU usage, you can use the following commands: View Host Keys: Get-VMHost | Select Name, LicenseKey.

Check vCenter Status: Get-VCLicense -Status (available in PowerCLI 6.5+) provides a summary of licensed vs. used CPUs. Summary of Key Commands PowerCLI Command / Method Add Key $licMgr.AddLicense("KEY", $null) Assign to vCenter $licAssMgr.UpdateAssignedLicense($uuid, "KEY", "Name") Assign to Host Set-VMHost -LicenseKey "KEY" View Keys Get-VMHost | Select Name, LicenseKey

Alternative: If you cannot use PowerCLI, you must use the vSphere Client GUI by navigating to Administration > Licensing > Licenses to manually add and assign keys. VCenter assign license key - Powershell script | PowerCLI This report outlines the methods for viewing and

To manage vCenter license keys via the command line, you primarily use (VMware's PowerShell module) or

. Standard SSH commands within the vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA) shell are generally not used for license assignment, as licensing is an application-level service. 1. Using PowerCLI (Recommended)

PowerCLI is the standard command-line interface for managing vSphere. You can add and assign licenses using the LicenseManager LicenseAssignmentManager To Add a License to the Inventory: powershell # Connect to your vCenter Connect-VIServer -Server "vcenter_fqdn" "administrator@vsphere.local" "your_password" # Get the License Manager view

$licenseMgr = Get-View (Get-View ServiceInstance).Content.LicenseManager # Add the license key $licenseMgr.AddLicense( "XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX" Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard TheCloudXpert To Assign the License to the vCenter Server: powershell

$si = Get-View ServiceInstance $assignmentMgr = Get-View $licenseMgr.LicenseAssignmentManager $vCenterUuid = $si.Content.About.InstanceUuid # Assign the key to the vCenter instance $assignmentMgr.UpdateAssignedLicense($vCenterUuid, "XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX" "vCenter License Name" Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard LucD Notes To Check Existing Licenses on Hosts: powershell Get-VMHost | Select-Object Name, LicenseKey Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Broadcom Community 2. Using Ansible If you use automation tools, the community.vmware.vcenter_license module allows you to manage keys declaratively. Example Playbook Task: : Add a new vCenter license community.vmware.vcenter_license " vcenter_hostname " " vcenter_username " " vcenter_password " "XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX" Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Ansible Documentation 3. Local Shell (ESXi Only)

While you cannot license vCenter itself directly through its own local SSH shell easily, you can view or set an ESXi host's license key via its local shell using Show License: vim-cmd vimsvc/license --show Set License: vim-cmd vimsvc/license --set XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX Broadcom Community PowerCLI script that connects, adds, and assigns the license in one go?

How to display license key | VMware vSphere - Broadcom Community

vim-cmd vimsvc/license --show This will list the key under the field "serial:" if one exists. Broadcom Community Manage VMware vCenter license keys - Ansible documentation

Managing vCenter license keys via the command line is a critical skill for administrators looking to automate deployments or maintain environments without relying on the vSphere Client. While VMware (now Broadcom) primarily emphasizes the GUI for licensing, you can perform these tasks efficiently using VMware PowerCLI or by interacting with the vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) API. Managing Licenses with PowerCLI

PowerCLI is the most powerful tool for CLI-based license management. It allows you to add keys to the vCenter inventory and then assign them to specific assets like the vCenter Server itself or ESXi hosts. 1. Adding a License Key to the Inventory

To add a new key to your vCenter Server’s central repository, use the following snippet to access the LicenseManager: powershell

# Connect to your vCenter Connect-VIServer -Server "://example.com" -User "Administrator@vsphere.local" -Password "YourPassword" # Access the License Manager $vCenter = Get-VIServer -Server "://example.com" $licenseManager = Get-View $vCenter.ExtensionData.Content.LicenseManager # Add the new license key $licenseManager.AddLicense("XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX", "Optional Label") Use code with caution.

Note: Using AddLicense only puts the key in the "Available" pool. You must still assign it to an asset to activate it. 2. Assigning the Key to vCenter Server --asset-type Host --cluster &lt

Once the key is in the inventory, you can assign it to the vCenter instance itself using the LicenseAssignmentManager. How to Manage vCenter and ESXi License Keys via PowerCLI

Managing vCenter Server License Keys via Command Line: A Technical Overview

VMware vCenter Server is a central management platform for virtualized environments, and proper license management is critical for compliance and functionality. While the vSphere Client (web interface) offers a graphical method for license management, advanced administrators often turn to the command line for efficiency, automation, and troubleshooting. This essay explores the primary command-line tools and methods used to manage vCenter Server license keys, focusing on the VMware vSphere Command-Line Interface (vCLI) and PowerCLI.

3. Remove License (Revert to Evaluation)

If you need to remove a specific license and revert the host to Evaluation Mode (60 days), the vim-cmd does not have a direct "remove" switch. Instead, you typically re-apply the evaluation mode logic or re-install.

However, you can decode the current license status:

vim-cmd vimsvc/license --decode

1. View Current License Information

To see the currently applied license and features:

vim-cmd vimsvc/license --show

5. Security & Best Practices

Avoid plaintext passwords in command lines. Use credential files or Read-Host in PowerCLI.
Log all license changes – integrate with SIEM via PowerCLI Start-Transcript.
Do not modify license files manually in /etc/vmware-vpx/ – use CLI tools only.
Test in a non-production vCenter first when scripting license assignment.

Verification

$remainingHosts = Get-VMHost | Where-Object $_.LicenseKey -eq $oldKey if ($remainingHosts.Count -eq 0) Write-Host "No hosts remain on old license. Removing old key." Remove-VMLicense -LicenseKey $oldKey -Confirm:$false else Write-Warning "Some hosts still use the old license."

Disconnect-VIServer -Server $vcServer -Confirm:$false

3. Assign a License to a vCenter Instance

Each vCenter system itself (not just hosts) requires a license.

vcenter.license.assign --license <LICENSE_KEY> --system <vCenter_UUID>

How to find the vCenter UUID:

vcenter.system.info

Look for id in the output.

Example:

vcenter.license.assign --license 12345-67890-ABCDE-FGHIJ-KLMNO --system a1234567-b89c-12d3-e456-789012345678

To assign a license to all hosts in a datacenter or cluster (requires --asset-type):

vcenter.license.assign --license <KEY> --asset-type Host --cluster <Cluster_Name>

Vcenter License Key Command Line __link__ Site