Clustering your Vmware License server is quite easy but there are a few things to know. In our setup we used a Majority Node set cluster with file share withness. We installed the license servers on each node and uploaded the license files locally in the licensing directory.
Then we created a resource group with "IP", "Network name", and "Generic service" pointing to the Vmware License service, and if you like you can add your Virtual Center Service as well. (mind KB doc. http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&externalId=2195771 and be sure you use VC 2.0.1 patch2)
After starting the license server we noticed that the license server takes over the node name and not the clustered resource network name. Seems no big deal at first but apparently the ESX-servers dynamically change the license server name in their config to the node name. If that node fails and the other node takes over the licensing service, all your ESX-servers will point to the wrong locations.
But there is a solution :
- Stop the Vmware license server
- Go to the license files and open them
- Search for "SERVER this_host ANY 27000" be sure to take to one without the # in front of the line
- Edit this line and add @<your hostname>, so for example if you clustered resource network name is "VCSERVER01" the line should be : "SERVER this_host ANY 27000@VCSERVER01"
Clustered networknames are allways uppercase. - Search for "VENDOR VMWARELM port=27010" be sure to take to one without the # in front of the line
- Edit this line and add @<your hostname>, so for example if you clustered resource network name is "VCSERVER01" the line should be : "VENDOR VMWARELM port=27010@VCSERVER01"
Clustered networknames are allways uppercase. - Save the file
- Do this for each license file
- Copy the license files to the other node
- Start the Vmware License service
