VMware

Portal Overview

Use the OEM Redemption Portal to redeem your VMware Infrastructure 3 (VI3) and VMware vSphere 4 OEM licenses, including VMware ESX, VMware ESXi, and VMware vCenter Server. You should use this portal if:

  1. You bought a VMware license with your server hardware and received a printed, mailed, or emailed Partner Activation Code (PAC).
  2. You purchased a server with VMware ESXi embedded in the hardware and need to redeem the serial number for your subscription or to activate additional VMware Infrastructure products. (Note: VMware ESXi 4.0 Standalone Single Server without Support and Subscription does not require registration or activation.)

Redeeming Your Licenses:

  1. Navigate to your OEM-specific portal
  2. Log in using your VMware account password (or create an account if you do not have one).
  3. Enter your PACs and/or Serial Numbers for redemption.
  4. Visit the appropriate VMware License Portal to manage your licenses.
    1. For VMware Virtual Infrastructure 3, please login to the Licensing Portal and redeem your License Activation Code. (See step-by-step instructions for assistance.)
    2. For VMware vSphere, you can enter the 25-digital alphanumeric serial number you received as a result of your redemption directly in the product through VMware vCenter. Visit the vSphere/vCenter Server Licensing Portal to divide or combine VMware vSphere 4 licenses.

Locating your PAC or Serial Number

  • Your PAC code is provided by your OEM and is printed on a card or activation code certificate, which is either enclosed in the server carton box or mailed to you separately by your OEM. For VMware Infrastructure 3, it is a 20-digit alphanumeric code divided into four groups of five characters separated by hyphens. For VMware vSphere, the code is a 25-digit alphanumeric serial number divided into five groups of five characters separated by hyphens.
  • Your VMware ESXi serial number is either printed on a card which is enclosed with your server or pre-installed into your product. It is a 25-digit alphanumeric code divided into five groups of five characters separated by hyphens. You can view pre-installed serial numbers through the VI Client (see the “ESXi Configuration Guide” for more details).

Locating your OEM-specific portal

Special conditions for entering ESX 3i serial numbers and Partner Activation Codes (PACs)

You can enter up to 20 serial numbers and/or PACs at the same time as long as the following conditions below are met:

  1. You can only enter serial numbers or PACs from the OEM shown when using one of the sites listed above
  2. Serial numbers and PACs must be for the same VMware Infrastructure 3 product edition (e.g., you cannot enter VI3 Foundation serial numbers at the same time as VI3 Enterprise serial numbers). If you need to activate multiple editions, you must repeat the process for each edition.
  3. Serial numbers entered must have issue dates within 30 days of each other. "Issue date" refers to the date that the OEM generated the serial number (if it is a pre-installed serial number). You can repeat the process multiple times if this condition is not met.
  4. If you purchased VMware support as opposed to support directly from your OEM, the serial numbers/PACs entered must have the same support level (e.g., Gold, Platinum)
  5. Serial numbers or PACs must not have already been registered by someone else.

Special conditions for adding License Administrators (LAs)

You can optionally add LAs when the ESXi serial numbers and/or Partner Activation Codes (PACs) entered entitle you to a subscription contract. LAs have rights to manage licenses and will receive future communications from VMware related to product updates.

  1. You can enter up to 5 additional LAs for each group of serial numbers or PACs.
  2. The email addresses added must match the email domain used by the person who originally activated the PACs.
  3. Each e-mail address entered must have a valid VMware Account associated with it. If an Account Profile does not exist for the e-mail address entered, you will be given the option of creating one.

NOTE: This does not change your designation as an LA on the contract, but gives you the option of designating additional LAs for the contract.

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FAQs

How do I find my Partner Activation Code (PAC) or Serial Number?

Your PAC code is provided by your OEM and is printed on a card or activation code certificate which is either enclosed in the server carton box or mailed to you separately. See "Locating your PAC or Serial Number" above for more information.

I lost my Partner Activation Code (PAC). What do I do now?

Contact the customer support department for the OEM you purchased it from. They will work with VMware to replace your activation codes.

I receive an error when redeeming my activation codes. What do I do now?

Contact VMware Support for assistance.

I am being asked for an old license code to complete my redemption? Where do I find it? What if I can't find it?

You can find old/previous edition license codes by logging into your License Redemption Portal. You can also access any previously registered serial numbers by selecting Find Serial Number link from the Account page. If you can’t find it or need further assistance contact VMware Support.

Definition of Terms

Note: for a complete list of the definition of terms see the VMware Support and Subscription Terms of Conditions.

Partner Activation Code (PAC): A printed code delivered from your OEM reseller that entitles you to VMware licenses. Use this PAC to generate "activation codes" for your VMware products.

Serial Number: A license code embedded within ESXi that enables single server partitioning. If you purchased a VMware Infrastructure 3 or VMware vSphere 4 bundle, the OEM may have encoded your entitlement to the upgrade into this serial number. If no PAC is provided separately by the OEM, you should use this serial number just as you use a PAC to generate "activation codes" and ultimately license files to enable your additional features. After you have redeemed a serial number, you can no longer use it to license an instance of ESXi.

VMware ESXi: A version of VMware's market leading hypervisor that can be embedded in server hardware. It can licensed several ways:

  1. Serial number that enables single server partitioning
  2. Host-based license file that resides locally on the server
  3. Served license centrally managed by a License Server

Please see the Licensing chapter in the Administration Guide for more details.

License Activation Code: A license code for VMware Virtual Infrastructure 3 that entitles certain product features. License Activation Codes are converted into license files in the VMware License Portal. The Portal will track your License Activation Codes and your Support and Subscription entitlements.

License File: The file downloaded from the VMware License Portal and installed in your VMware VI3 Infrastructure product to activate your VMware Infrastructure products and features.

License Administrator: A VMware Store account that has rights to make changes to License Activation Codes and to generate and download license files.

Support Administrator: A VMware Store account that has rights to call VMware for technical support (given a valid support contract).

Upgrade: Purchase of additional functionality for a VMware License Activation Code. This will either require the exchange and replacement of the old License Activation Code or the fulfillment of additional License Activation Codes to enable specific features.

OEM Redemption Portal: A VMware portal that allows you to redeem the Partner Activation Codes and/or Serial Numbers you purchased from a VMware OEM. Redemption of Partner Activation Codes and/or Serial Numbers results in new ”activation codes” that need to be fulfilled in the appropriate portal or for VMware vSphere 4 directly in the product.

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