OEM Portal Help

Portal Overview

Use the OEM Redemption Portal to redeem your VMware vSphere 5 OEM licenses, including 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 vSphere Hypervisor [ESXi 5.x+] without Support and Subscription does not require registration or activation.)

   (Note: This is not applicable to Unisys customers. They do not need to convert the PAC and the serial numbers that they already have is correct.)

Redeeming Your Licenses:

1. Navigate to your OEM-specific portal
2. Log in using your existing username and password (or create a profile if you do not have one).
3. Enter your PACs and/or Serial Numbers for redemption.
4. Select the Account for the Order/Contract that you wish to use for this purchase or create a new account.
5. Visit the My VMware site to manage your licenses.
6. 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 My VMware portal to divide or combine VMware vSphere 5 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

Giving other users access to the License Keys

1. The SU/PC or anyone with “Manage Folders & User Permissions” permission can give general users access to the registered license keys by adding them to the folder in which the license key is contained.
2. Changing permissions for a user on a folder can restrict the capabilities that the user has with the license. E.g. Upgrade, Downgrade.

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FAQs

How to view web page headers if they are missing when using Google Chrome browser?

Please refer to the attached PDF document for more details.

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 the My VMware site. You can also access any previously registered serial numbers on the view license page in the My VMware site. 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.

A Super User is the user who has been given privileges to manage entitlements and users on behalf of a specific account.

A Procurement Contact is primary contact for the account, on behalf of the customer organization, for ordering, renewing, and quoting transactions. Although their primary responsibilities can be procurement tasks, the Procurement Contact will also be able to manage entitlements and users on behalf of a specific account.

Upgrade: The purchase of additional functionality for a VMware License Key. This will either require the exchange and replacement of the old License Keys or the redemption of additional Partner 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 5 directly in the product.