Broadcom has re-released a free version of the vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi 8.0u3 and likely extending into the 9.x era). This version includes a built-in free license upon installation, so you no longer need to register for and enter a manual license key.
Used for more complex environments where an external KMS is required for compliance or advanced security needs. 3. Free Version Return vsphere 9 key
A built-in mechanism that does not require an external Key Management Server (KMS), making it easier to enable encryption for virtual machines. Broadcom has re-released a free version of the
If you are coming from vSphere 6.7 or 7.0 looking for perpetual licenses, prepare for a shock. vSphere 9 is subscription-only (vSphere+). The metric has shifted from CPU sockets to core-based licensing. While this aligns with industry standards (thanks, Microsoft and Oracle), it represents a massive cost hike for smaller shops running older hardware. The removal of the "Essentials" and "Essentials Plus" kits feels like a deliberate move to push SMBs toward smaller cloud providers or competitors like Proxmox and Nutanix. vSphere 9 is subscription-only (vSphere+)