Virtual Infrastructure License Manager APIs

Virtual Infrastructure License Manager APIs

This managed object type controls entitlements for a given VMware platform.

VMware platforms include VirtualCenter, ESX Server, VMware Server, Workstation and Player. Entitlements define what software capabilities this host may use.

Entitlements are identified by a short string 'key'. Keys can represent either a particular edition (Full, Starter) or a particular feature/function (featureKey) (backup, nas). An edition implies zero one or more functions which are express, denied or optional. For example a 'Full' edition includes 'iscsi' function but a Starter edition might disallow it.

Which edition a given VMware platform uses can be defined at any time. Generally this is done right after first install and boot as installation software may not set it. For editions that are similar in nature, any future changes to edition type will only impact future requests for functionality. Current functionality is left unaffected. The same is true for optional functions enabled/disabled after some period of time. For dissimilar editions, such transitions may require entering maintenance mode first else an exception of InvalidState will be thrown.

To specify the edition type and any optional functions, use updateLicense for ESX Server and addLicense follow by LicenseAssingmentManager.updateAssignedLicense for VirtualCenter.

When an edition is specified for a given host, the cost of that edition (how many licenses are needed) is determined. The cost is computed using the license's CostUnit value multiplied by the number of units activated. For example, when a VMware platform is set to an edition which uses a 'cpuPackage' on a two socket server, two licenses would be needed to successfully install that edition.

Here is a diagram of the unit costs supported by this API and their relationships.

   +------------------------------+   +--------+      +-------+
   | +-----------+ +-----------+  |   | Server |      |  Host |
   | |           | |           |  |   +--------+      +-------+
   | |  cpuCore  | |   cpuCore |  |                   +-------+
   | +-----------+ +-----------+  |   +--------+      |  Host |
   |                  cpuPackage  |   |  VM    |      +-------+
   +------------------------------+   +--------+

Operations
POST
License Manager Add License
Adds a license to the inventory of available licenses.
POST
License Manager Check License Feature
Returns whether or not a given feature is enabled.
POST
License Manager Configure License Source
Allows for reconfiguration of the License Manager license source.
POST
License Manager Decode License
Decodes licensing information on the license specified.
POST
License Manager Disable Feature
Release licenses for an optional feature.
POST
License Manager Enable Feature
Enable a feature that has an optional state.
GET
License Manager Get Diagnostics
Return current diagnostic information.
GET
License Manager Get Evaluation
GET
License Manager Get Feature Info
The list of features that can be licensed.
GET
License Manager Get License Assignment Manager
License Assignment Manager
GET
License Manager Get Licensed Edition
The product's license edition.
GET
License Manager Get Licenses
Get information about all the licenses available.
GET
License Manager Get Source
Set or return a data object type of LocalLicense or LicenseServer.
GET
License Manager Get Source Available
Current state of the license source.
POST
License Manager Query License Source Availability
Queries the current license source for total and available licenses available for each feature known to this system.
POST
License Manager Query License Usage
Returns the license usage.
POST
License Manager Query Supported Features
Queries the current license source for a list of available licenses that can be licensed from this system.
POST
License Manager Remove License
Remove license from the available set.
POST
License Manager Remove License Label
Removed a license's label.
POST
License Manager Set License Edition
Defines the product's license edition.
POST
License Manager Update License
Updates the available licenses to the one provided in licenseKey.
POST
License Manager Update License Label
Update a license's label.