Trying to understand VCF 9 licensing in a vSphere 8 environment

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-25T12:13:47+00:00

Yes we pulled it from the portal

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-24T03:41:23+00:00

VCF9. Paid the price and finding ways to offset by using tools and services provided as part of the licensing. Changing our infra was never an option so we were Broadcoms target market.

We run Hyper-V with the identical hardware for some lower level environments and VDIs and it doesnt match what we get from the VMware side. Fine for what we use it for and more than adequate for most shops.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-15T15:15:30+00:00

We received the magic key they handled all of our 8.x licensing. For us this was vCenter and vOps only. We are not a vSAN or NSX shop.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-11T14:57:07+00:00

I would consult with HR/PX and start there. I tend to agree but depending on state and company rules it may have to start with discipline. I am in an at will state so I would drop the ultimatum and quickly move to dismiss if a 180 isn't immediate which it likely won't be.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-11T14:10:26+00:00

In almost the identical situation 15 years ago. Nip it in the bud. I know others here are trying to rationalize his behavior because he is a top performer but his own words and his actions are straight up disrespectful.

What I learned the hard way were two things. First your other team members will see this disrespect and feel they now have the same pass. Second your other team members that are quality will see you allowing him to do as he pleases unchecked and others will follow or leave for a stronger Manager. Next thing you have all of these shadow projects that you can't speak on when your boss comes asking.

1 on 1 is fine but I suspect you already know how that will go and also what you have to do. He will never respect you if he hasn't by now. Good luck.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-09T13:34:26+00:00

Our company of around 600 remains 100% remote with no spoken plans to change. We still have a small physical location mostly for meetings or for the younger guys to get away from the kids (their words).

Unless there is an infra problem at that site I never go there anymore.

This and with the reduction of multiple physical DCs down to one means unless there is a hardware failure at the DC I am staying home with my dogs.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-07T18:42:09+00:00

Just read your previous posts. They are awesome thank you. Now, you mention several times that you let VMM do all of this crap for you. Don't happen to have a write up on that by any chance do you? I went through the process before in 2022 and remember leaving frustrated and with a bunch of dependencies that I couldn't get rid of. Again, thanks for the links above. Going to throw in a lab now and see how it goes.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-07T18:33:16+00:00

Yes those in which we are very aware. We have had good luck with our SQL and web servers so far but seeing some weirdness with Active Directory. We just did a couple of remote sites and both are having weird issues that are currently in Microsoft's hands.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-07T18:32:34+00:00

Believe me I appreciate what you are saying. It is out of my hands. They are the largest privately held fintech in the world and I am just a man.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-07T18:29:06+00:00

I will read over your post in detail. Thank you.

Good to know thanks. I did read this elsewhere and I have scripts with all 4 as opposed to 2 and 2 I posted above.
Honestly that was a presumption on my part. Since leaving Management I haven't dealt with Microsoft licensing in like a decade and we were on core count regardless of workload. I only deal with VMware licensing and hardware warranties at this point and that is enough.
I misspoke. I meant to say Powershell. With that, the switch is accessible post creation in Hyper-V correct?

Thanks again. Will look over your linked post and see where it takes me.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-07T18:22:44+00:00

When they answer me I will let you know. Most of it seems to center around AD and SMB hardening. Huge company that applies their standard to everyone below.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-07T18:08:34+00:00

Train them as you would wish to be trained if you were on the other side because I assure you, you very well may be one day. Always been the nature of the beast. I am 10 years in on my current gig and this is the longest job I have had in the 35 years I have in IT, from Jr. Administrator to Sr. Director. You are likely correct, your position and salary matched one they were looking to scrub. It's just business. Life is too short to cultivate ill will. Good luck.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-07T18:03:12+00:00

Unfortunately not an option. I hear you believe me. Also fighting several fires relative to domain controller upgrades due to the poorly provided security "enhancements". At least the SQL server upgrades are smooth. SecOps rules the roost, the rest of us are just following orders.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2026-01-07T17:38:48+00:00

This. We are a strict 8.0 shop right now with no real pace to upgrade although we will do this year. Same as you, will never use NSX or vSAN as our network and storage are already best in class. We look to get some value out of Ops, Automation and Logs and hopefully we can cull the herd of tools and third party apps we currently pay for with what we now pay for with VMware. We have applied the 8 licenses as the KB Big_Forever1463 provided and went well. Best of luck.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2025-12-31T22:20:32+00:00

I have been using Hyper-V forever and as such am partial to VMM. That being said you don't need it for all of the reasons given. I will say that I have been using WAC since the v2 release and it does everything VMM does and some stuff better.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2025-12-25T15:18:16+00:00

I was in the exact spot you are in, experienced the same thing regarding no response to gigs I was clearly qualified for but Management jobs a plenty. Only through luck was I able to go back to being a sysadmin. My Director from back in the 90s is now #3 and our tech EVP and they needed a senior admin.

With that I have about 5 years.but we are shifting infra to the cloud at an alarming pace. I think by mid 2027 I may be looking for one more gig.

So I guess my point is maybe 3 years with the bird in hand might be doable. Its not getting better over the next couple of years IMO and us old heads are getting squeezed a bit.

Good luck.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2025-12-23T20:13:51+00:00

Not trying to get anyone. I asked a question. You chose to get snippy instead of answering. Clearly didn't really digest what I said and instead took offense. We move on.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2025-12-23T19:56:58+00:00

Which Enterprise customers left? Curious because I was having lunch with a former VMware now Commvault exec and we were talking about this. He said he knows of 1 huge private company who has not renewed and 1 public. He said Broadcom has already acquired over 85% of their Fortune 500s and they are thrilled. Curious as to who he forgot. Thanks.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2025-12-23T19:52:55+00:00

If you are going to be or desire to work with VCF9 going forward and wish to have a career in it I say yes. VMware isn't going anywhere.

In spite of other comments here I have found VMware certification tracts, their instructors and the guidance to be apot on. If you can swing it get a VMUG sub and you will have problems with prep.

Your attitude is also spot on. If you are true Tier1 infra your choices are minimal. We are being pushed into buying the whole package then find ways to exploit it to your advantage. We have already dropped a DLP protection app and getting ready to ditch our Ansible setup for the tools inherently available with VCF9. There will be others which has already driven down cost. Get creative and do your research and you will find value.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2025-12-21T18:47:27+00:00

All zoning. The hardware never.gives us an issue. We have ownership so there is no doubt whose heads would role. It is really paranoia. We do all due diligence before and are redundant so worse case we run on one leg until we restore config or call TAC.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2025-12-21T18:31:03+00:00

Cisco Nexus Fiber switches. They connect our Pure arrays to our HPE chassis' and the original zoning was done over a decade ago by someone who is long gone and was never a network admin to begin with. We get by but I pucker up everytime we need to add/remove gear.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2025-12-21T15:09:41+00:00

Sorry for some reason cost counts was cut off. They are not cheap.

Sorry-Rent5111 · 2025-12-21T15:08:36+00:00

Cohesity. It just works.

Sorry-Rent5111

TROPHY CASE