SUMMARY
This article will discuss the steps required to exclude a VMware host socket(s) from using a Unitrends Enterprise Backup socket license, even though the host is registered in vCenter.
ISSUE
An unused VMware host is being inadvertently licensed by the Untrends backup solution because the host is registered in vCenter.
RESOLUTION
To exclude a VMware host from the socket license count:
- Create a "backup user" account within vCenter for the UEB/RS appliance to leverage for host access. This user must be "administrator" and not a lesser permission.
- in hosts/clusters view assign this user rights to the entire vcetner subsystem recursively, from the very top level
- Change to storage view and repeat the same ensureing the "backup user" is applied to all children
- Switch back to hosts/clusters viewChange the permissions to "no access" for the backup user account on the cluster(s) or host(s) not to be protected
- note, you cannot exclude one node in a cluster, ALL esxi nodes in a cluster must be accounted for in license
- Initiate an "Inventory Sync"; in the Unitrends UI to remove the host sockets from the license count
If backups were prior taken from guests on a host, that host will not be removed from inventory or licensing. This is intentional as archived or replicated backups that might be later recovered to the appliance may still reference that host. When hosts are added where backups were already in use additional socket licensing will be required.
NOTES
Note the specific steps to implement the security changes discussing in this article will vary depending on your edition of VMWare as well as which of VMWare's UI tools you are leveraging. For specific instructions to configure these permissions, please contact your VMWare support team or a vCenter certified partner.