VMware OEM Licence
Activation Process
Customer Edition
Activation Process
The purchase of a VMware OEM licence is activated by a Partner Activation Code (PAC), which
Step 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 is used to generate the serial number(s) of the licence(s). Delivery and activation of licences is
carried out in two phases. This process is common to all vendors offering VMware OEM licences.
Step 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Previously, activation was brought about by placing a coupon in the package containing
the server, which could lead to coupon loss or packaging issues. Since March 31 2016,
Step 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 delivery is now completely and solely electronic, with an initial requirement for
the customer to recover the PAC code(s) through the Dell Digital Locker website
(https://www.dell.com/support/software).
Aftersales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The customer then authenticates the PAC on the VMware portal to receive the actual serial
How to combine licences if you number(s) of the VMware licence(s). These licences will then be attached to the customer
account on the My VMware portal (https://my.vmware.com).
need a licence for two CPUs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Other useful information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Please note:
If you need licence activation information regarding an order processed as a VAR/Reseller order, please refer to the
VMware OEM Licence Activation Process Partner Edition user guide.
Dell sends a confirmation of digital delivery to the customer’s Dell Digital Locker using the
ship-to email address specified in the Dell order.
The email contains a link to the Dell Digital Locker site, which allows the customer to recover
Step Delivery of the PAC the information needed to generate the VMware OEM licence(s).
1 code(s) to the Dell
Digital Locker portal
If you didn’t receive the email:
• Verify that the email address you specified as your shipping address when placing the order
was correctly used.
• Check that the email message did not go into the SPAM or JUNK folders on the server or on
your email client.
Go to and log in to your Dell Digital Locker using the ship-to email address used when placing
your order. You can use ‘Forgot password?’ to reset your login password if needed:
https://www.dell.com/support/software
Step 1.1 • Once successfully logged-in, you will see the ‘Products’ page in the Dell Digital Locker.
Note that on the page, your digital locker will default to ‘Simple View’ or ‘Advanced View’
When you select the link to the Dell Digital Locker site, you must log in using the email address depending on your previous session or based on number of products in your locker. You can
used as the ship-to address when placing the order with Dell EMC. choose either View as you wish.
• If you have a Dell My Account login and password, use that to log in to the Dell Digital Locker.
• If you do not already have a Dell My Account login and password, select ‘Create Dell Account’
to create your Dell My Account login. You must use the email address used with your
digital order.
• If the sign-in attempt does not work, please use the ‘Forgot your password?’ link.
An email with the reset password link will be sent to your email address.
Step 1.2
• In the ‘Products’ tab, select the product you want to activate.
• Check the products you want to activate by clicking on them. You will see a new window that
allows you to view the VMware PAC code from your order. The PAC is displayed in the licence A pop-up window will appear and you will receive instructions for registering your PAC.
key field in your digital locker when you click on the ‘Get Key’ box.
Step 1.3 (Optional)
Finding multiple PAC codes on a single order.
If your order includes multiple entitlements, we recommend that you use the
‘Get all text-based keys’ feature. Please follow these steps:
1. Click on the order number from the products listed.
2. The ‘Order Details’ tab will open, including all digital fulfilment products for the order
you selected.
3. At the bottom of the page, please click on ‘Get all text-based keys’, which will create an Excel
file of the product and PAC codes from your order.
4. Please read the ‘IMP NOTE’ (Important note) on your order for instructions on
next actions.
Sample Export File (below)
Step 2.1
Go to a dedicated OEM VMware portal (https://www.vmware.com/oem/code.
Step
do?Name=DELL-AC) to generate the serial number(s) of the VMware OEM licences ordered,
from the PAC codes provided on the Digital Locker:
Enabling a PAC code
2 on the VMware Portal
There are two possibilities:
• If you already have VMware licences you can log in on the My VMware portal using your
usual account and password.
• If you have never purchased VMware licences you will need to create a Customer Account,
which will allow you to log in and manage your licences on the My VMware portal.
Once logged-in, you will be able to transform the PAC code(s) provided on the Dell Digital Locker
into VMware serial numbers.
IMPORTANT
Registration on the VMware Portal must always be made for the end-customer, the owner
of the purchased licences. In cases where a third-party manages the licences, the actual
end-customer should redeem the PAC provided by Dell EMC to avoid a Support Contract
ownership mismatch.
For further reference, see the How to activate VMware Partner Activation Codes (PACs)
VMware kb Article: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2014281
Step 2.2
Enter the PACs previously provided in the Dell Digital Locker (Step 1.2).
In some cases, several PACs can appear. This is the case, for example, when you are acquiring
two vSphere licences for a dual-processor server. Once the two PACs are transformed into
VMware serial numbers, you will be able to combine them into a single licence from your
My VMware account (see useful links at the end of this document).
After entering the codes, you will receive a confirmation from VMware:
Step 3.1
After PAC(s) registration on the VMware OEM web site, you will receive an email containing the
Step
Serial Number Licence Key(s) from VMware Customer Service. Please note that you can manage
Retrieving the FINAL the lifecycle of your licences by going to MyVMware.com
3 VMware Serial Number
Licence Key(s)
Step 3.2
• Log in to My VMware
• Download your purchased software and add the Serial Number Licence Key(s) to your ESXi
Host/vCenter. You can also view these Serial Number Licence Keys on the My VMware portal
‘Products’ tab:
4 Aftersales
i. Licence not received
If you experience a problem with your licence delivery, please contact
[email protected]When making your request please communicate the following:
• End-customer name
• Order Number (i.e. 798XXXXX)
• Email contact (Delivery email address)
• What is the issue? (i.e. Licences missing)
• Which licences are causing an issue? (i.e. 1CPU vSphere 6.5 Std 3 years S&S)
• Number of licences (i.e. 4 x 1 CPU)
• SKU (i.e. 634-BBHT)
ii. Technical support
After licence activation, technical support for VMware OEM solutions is provided by Dell
ProSupport. In order to validate your access you must have a Service Tag:
• If the VMware OEM licence is acquired with hardware, you should use the hardware
Service Tag.
• If the VMware OEM licence is acquired without hardware (a standalone licence), a Service
Tag is displayed in the Dell Digital Locker tool.
(When contacting support you can use the Entitlement Id fields.)
The Entitlement Id field is next to the date of the invoice that appears on the Service Tag,
which is the start date of the Dell Technical Support for OEM VMware Licences, regardless of
whether licences are acquired with Dell hardware. If, following a temporary problem with delivery,
a customer has installed an evaluation licence, when opening the request for assistance the
customer should provide Dell Technical Support with the Dell order number.
How to combine
5 licences if you need a
licence for two CPUs
For further reference, see the VMW kb article: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2006973
1. Log in to My VMware.
2. Select ‘Manage Licence Keys’ from the navigation bar at the top.
3. Select ‘Combine Licence Keys’ from the dropdown menu.
4. Select a folder.
6. Select a product.
7. Select two or more licence keys to combine into one licence key.
8. Click ‘Continue’.
9. Indicate that you have read and understand the warning, then click ‘Confirm’. The change
takes place immediately. An alert is generated when the action is complete.
10. If you wish to combine licence keys, click ‘Combine more licence keys’ or ‘Done’ to return to
the licence key page.
5. Note: You cannot combine licence keys from different folders.
If you have a large number of products or licence keys, you can use the ‘By Product’ tab. To filter
products within particular folders, click the ‘Folders’ dropdown menu and select a folder.
Click ‘Apply’.
6 Other useful
information
VMware OEM or SnP licence management is handled from a specific web portal: • How to group different licence keys into one:
MyVmware.com https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search.
do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=2006973
You can manage the lifecycle of VMware licences from your customer account.
• How to ungroup a single key into several keys:
Here are some useful links that could be helpful: https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search.
• Help Centre: do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=2006972
https://www.vmware.com/support/support-resources/licensing
• How to downgrade a software key:
• Support Tools: https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search.
https://www.vmware.com/support/tools.html do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=2006975
• Modify the super user contact and procurement contact: • How to upgrade a software key:
https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_ https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search.
US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2016406 do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=2006974
• Change user rights: • How to move licence keys:
https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search. https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_
do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=2006831 US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1032647
• How to view licence keys: • FAQs:
https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search. https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_
do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&externalId=2006831 US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2014350
and
• Support contracts (non-OEM): https://www.vmware.com/support/contracts_help.html
https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_
US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2007002 • Other operations:
https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_
• How to register a licence key on My VMware: US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2016686
https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_
US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2011177
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