How to remove evaluation license from vcenter 8?
Just went through this headache last week with our vCenter 8 deployment. Here's the reality - you can't exactly "remove" the evaluation license, but you can replace it with a proper license.Step-by-step from my experience:1. Log into vCenter with administrator privileges2. Navigate to Administration > Licensing > Licenses3. You'll see your current Evaluation Mode license listed4. Click Add License and paste your purchased license key5. Go to Assets > vCenter Server Systems6. Select your vCenter instance and click Assign License7. Choose your new license from the dropdownWhat happens next:- Services might restart automatically- All features become available immediately- No data loss occurs during the transitionWarning: Don't let the evaluation expire completely - it can cause service interruptions. We learned this the hard way when our VM operations started failing!If you're stuck, VMware support is actually pretty helpful with license transitions.
VMware admin here! I've dealt with this exact scenario when our evaluation period expired. Here's the proper way to remove evaluation license from vCenter 8:1. Access vSphere Client through your web browser2. Go to Menu > Administration > Licensing3. Select Licenses tab and click + ADD button4. Enter your valid license key (purchased from VMware or partner)5. Assign the new license to your vCenter Server instance6. The evaluation license will automatically be replacedIf you don't have a paid license yet:- You can contact VMware sales for extension- Or deploy a new vCenter with evaluation license (not recommended for production)Important: The evaluation license automatically converts to Basic Edition (limited features) when it expires, so some functionality might be disabled until you apply a proper license.The VMware docs have detailed steps: https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/8.0/vsphere-esxi-vcenter-server-80-installation-configuration-guide.pdf
From a virtualization consultant's perspective, here are some additional considerations when dealing with vCenter 8 evaluation licenses:Before making changes:- Back up your vCenter Server - just in case something goes wrong- Check license compatibility - ensure your new license supports your current configuration- Plan for downtime - license changes might require brief service restartsIf you're in a bind:- 60-day evaluation can sometimes be reset by redeploying vCenter- VMware partners can often provide temporary licenses while purchasing- Free ESXi licenses are available for very small environmentsCommon pitfalls:- Trying to use expired evaluation features that become unavailable- License assignment errors when mixing different edition licenses- SSO domain issues when redeploying with new evaluationFor homelab users: Consider VMware's VMUG Advantage program which provides affordable annual licensing for personal use rather than dealing with evaluation limitations.The process is generally smooth, but always have a rollback plan when working with production environments!