Click on the host node in the left-hand inventory hierarchy. Select the tab in the main right-hand panel.
Log into the via your web browser ( https:// :9443/vsphere-client ).
Licensing an ESXi 5.5 host can be performed via the legacy desktop client or centrally via VMware vCenter Server. Method 1: Using the Standalone vSphere Client (C# Client)
Unlike ESXi 5.0, version 5.5 removed the hard physical memory limitation (previously 32 GB), allowing hosts to utilize maximum hardware RAM. license key vmware esxi 5.5
To obtain a VMware ESXi 5.5 license key, follow these steps:
: Go to the Configuration tab, then select Licensed Features under the Software section.
If your ESXi 5.5 host is managed centrally by a vCenter Server 5.5 instance, you should assign license keys through the web browser portal. Click on the host node in the left-hand inventory hierarchy
A single virtual machine on a free ESXi 5.5 host cannot have more than 8 virtual CPUs (vCPUs) assigned to it.
Select the or Assets tab, then find your specific ESXi host under the Hosts sub-tab. Right-click the target ESXi host and select Assign License .
VMware offers several types of licenses for ESXi 5.5, including: Licensing an ESXi 5
| License Type | Key Features & Capabilities | Restrictions & Best For | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | 🆓 Free for 60 days. Grants full access to all vSphere Enterprise Plus features (e.g., vMotion, High Availability). | ⏱️ 60-day limit after installation. Use for testing, proof-of-concept, or to fully explore VMware's advanced capabilities. | | Free Hypervisor (vSphere Hypervisor) | 🔓 Free perpetual license. Provides core virtualization capabilities for production use. Allows unlimited physical RAM per host. | 🛑 No vCenter Server management ; hosts can only be managed individually. Single VM limited to 8 vCPUs. Ideal for small labs, a single server, or basic virtualization needs. | | Paid Editions (Standard, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus) | 💰 License required (per-socket pricing). Unlocks advanced features like vMotion, High Availability (HA), Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), and Storage vMotion. vSphere with Operations Management (vSOM) bundles offered additional capabilities. | 🏢 Centralized management via vCenter Server. Access to enterprise-grade features. Best for business-critical workloads and clusters. Requires active subscription for support. |
As of this writing, ESXi 5.5 is a legacy product that has reached its End of General Support (EOGS). While no new security patches or technical support are provided by VMware, you can still use it with a valid license, but you do so at your own risk.
: In some cases, if you have a valid perpetual license for a newer version (like vSphere 6.x), the licensing portal may allow you to "downgrade" that key to a 5.x version for legacy hardware compatibility.
Version 5.5 does not receive security patches, leaving it exposed to modern ransomware and hypervisor-level exploits.