vSphere 4 Essentials Plus + vSphere Standard Acceleration Kit

[esuarez78]

VMWare is offering an promotional upgrade from vSphere Essentials Plus to the Standard Acceleration Kit.http://www.vmware.com/landing_pages/standard-ak-promo/

I'm trying to understand the added features of the Standard Acceleration Kit to my current license of Essentials Plus.

From how I understand it, vMotion would be an added feature as well as 8 physical processors total which would give 2 more available to me since I already have 6 being used for 3 hosts(2 per host).  This would allow me to implement 1 other host with 2 CPUs without having to pay for an addtional license.  And I would only be able to do this because I'd be using vCenter Standard whcih allows me to scale beyond 3 hosts, but up to only 8 physical processors.  Any addtional hosts wanting to be added could be done, but would be licensed by the number of processors.

Any misunderstanding I may have, please correct me.

[a_p_]

Almost correct. However, Essentials Plus in the current version already includes vMotion. So it's basically only the scalability from which you will benefit.

see http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/buy/small_business_editions_comparison.html

André

[esuarez78]

For clarification, the Essentials Plus Kit comes standard with vMotion, however the Essentials Plus license without the kit doesn't come with vMotion.

Again, correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks Andre.

[a_p_]

Both Essentials Editions are always sold as kits which include 1 vCenter Server for Essentials as well as 6 CPU licenses for up to 3 dual processor hosts.

see http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/vsphere_pricing.pdf

André

[marktbreaux]

So it is licensed per processor? no matter how many servers? I currently have 3 dual processor dual core machines and I am moving to single processor 6 core blades. Would the Standard Acceleration kit allow 8 servers with one processor each?

Thanks!

[a_p_]

So it is licensed per processor?

Essentials Kits: Up to 3 hosts, 2 CPUs each.

The Standard Acceleration Kit comes with vCenter Server Standard, which allows any number of hosts regardless of the number of CPUs (up to the supported limit). See the link in my first post.

André