This guide covers the essential commands using the and the embedded vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) Shell .
John rubbed his temples; he knew how crucial vCenter was for managing their virtual infrastructure. "Okay, let me see what I can do," he said calmly.
To manage licenses via the CLI, you must interact with the or the vSphere Automation API . Unlike older versions of ESXi that relied heavily on local vim-cmd syntax for licensing, modern vCenter Server Appliances utilize the vapi-cli utility or direct API calls to communicate with the VMware License Service. Prerequisites for CLI Administration
vcenter.license.unassign --asset Host --asset-id <Host_UUID>
Get-VMHost -Name "esxi01.domain.com" | Set-VMHost -LicenseKey $null vcenter license key command line
To check the expiration date of the current vCenter license:
For a standalone ESXi host, you can apply a license directly using the ESXi Shell. After connecting to the host via SSH, run the following command as the root user. This is a direct method for licensing a host not managed by vCenter or for applying a license before adding it to vCenter.
The appliance shell must be toggled to allow the BASH environment if you are running advanced scripts. Step-by-Step: Adding a vCenter License Key via CLI
You need root credentials for the vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA). This guide covers the essential commands using the
Connect to vCenter and run the high-level status command:
vim-cmd vimsvc/license/set_license XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX Use code with caution. Method B: Using esxcli
If license information is not updating, the vmware-cis-license service might be stuck. Restart it via SSH:
# Save as set_license.py on the VCSA from pyVim.connect import SmartConnectNoSSL from pyVmomi import vim si = SmartConnectNoSSL(host="localhost", user="administrator@vsphere.local", pwd="YourPassword") lic_mgr = si.content.licenseManager lic_mgr.AddLicense(licenseKey="AAAAA-BBBBB-CCCCC-DDDDD-EEEEE") # Assigning to the local vCenter asset lic_mgr.ConfigureLicenseSource(licenseSource=vim.LicenseManager.LicenseServerSource()) Use code with caution. Run the script using the internal vCenter Python binary: python set_license.py Use code with caution. Troubleshooting Common Errors Error: "License key is not valid for this product" To manage licenses via the CLI, you must
The inventory service web server has cached the old license data. Fix: Restart all vCenter UI services using the 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.
First, install the VMware PowerCLI module: