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Quick Tip - Configure Nested ESX Cores per CPU for Optimal Licensing

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If you deploy Nested ESX and wish to use it beyond the default 90 day evaluation, you will need to license the ESX host, just like you would with a physical host.

Whether you create your own Nested ESX VM or simply deploy the the Nested ESX Virtual Appliance, make sure the cores per CPU configuration on the VM is correct or you may need a much larger CPU entitlement than what you had expected.

The default behavior of vSphere when you create a VM is to automatically manage the CPU topology (cores per CPU) when the VM is powered on for optimal GuestOS and Application consumption.


However, this automatic assignment or even a manual assignment could have some unexpected consequences when it comes to ESX licensing ...

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Quick Tip - VCF 9.0.1 upgrade files now available on Broadcom Support Portal (BSP)

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When VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0.1 was initially released, some of the upgrade binary files were not published on the Broadcom Support Portal (BSP), but they were available when using the VCF Download Tool (VCFDT). For users that wish to manually download the VCF 9.0.1 installation and/or upgrade files from the BSP, they can now be accessed on the VCF 9.0.1 download section.


Note: VCFDT is the recommended method for downloading VCF software binaries and metadata, which will automatically build the required VCF software depot structure. If you manually download the binaries, ensure you also download the vcf-9.0.1.0-offline-depot-metadata.zip and place all binaries in the respective folders as outlined in my recent VCF Software Depot Structure Deep Dive for Installation & Upgrades. This method can also be used for VMUG Advantage users who have obtained their VCF Certification until 11/24, which is when we expect the new VCF licensing and download token generation to be available for VMUG Advantage users, which mirror the exact same experience as users with VCF entitlements.


In addition, to help users quickly identify the required VCF upgrade files, I have listed them below along with the direct download link from BSP for your convenience.

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Auditing ESX DCUI Logins

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For troubleshooting purposes, users may need to access the ESXi Direct Console User Interface (DCUI), either remotely through an out-of-band system like an iDRAC or iLO, or directly from the physical server.


For auditing purposes, all login methods to ESXi (SSH, API, Host Client, and DCUI) are recorded, and a corresponding vSphere Event called UserLoginSessionEvent is generated for easy filtering.

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