Licensing vSphere 5.5.x/6.0.x/6.5.x and NSX for vSphere 6.x

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VMware NSX Networking VMware vSphere ESXi

This article provides information on vSphere edition and licenses that can be used with VMware NSX for vSphere 6.x.

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VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0

The virtual switch in VMware NSX for vSphere is based on the vSphere Distributed Switch and requires additional components to enable rich services.

If you are using VMware vSphere 5.5 Update 2 and earlier, VMware NSX requires vSphere Enterprise Plus license for vSphere Distributed Switch.
If you are using VMware vSphere 5.5 Update 3, vSphere 6.0.x or vSphere 6.5 and higher, VMware NSX for vSphere 6.x does not require a vSphere Enterprise Plus license and can run on any vSphere edition including Essentials and Essentials Plus Kits.

Note: With NSX Licenses, you get an equivalent number of CPU licenses to use VDS. However, that license does not mean you get a vSphere upgrade to Enterprise Plus, just the VDS license on the hosts that NSX will be deployed.

For more information, see the VMware Product Interoperability Matrixes.

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