Ontap Select vSphere License Prerequisite

[gmilazzoitag]

Hi all,

to setup a supported version of Ontap Select I've found that there are a set of too much strict hardware prerequisites. But I can understand to avoid poor performance Select instances.

But this I don't understand at all:

ONTAP Select is supported on VMware Vsphere Enterprise or Enterprise+ license only. ONTAP Select is a virtual storage appliance and requires certain capabilities from the underlying hypervisor. You would need either Vsphere Enterprise or Enterprise+ license

Why Enterprise or Enterprise+? 
Imagine to use a Select on a branch office in my experience I've never met customer using such high license for their small vSphere cluster on a peripheral site.

Why to not let me the choice to install a single node (or a multinode also) version of Select on a simple ESXi free hypervisor? Or on a standard edition of vSphere?

Regards,

[JohnChampion]

My understanding is the serial console/connection functionality requires Enterprise or Enterprise+.  

But I agree - it would be great to run this on a less expensive VMware license...at least the single node version.

[gmilazzoitag]

Hi, 

I've had a certain answer 😉
"serial over IP" feature is the one that in vCenter is needed but future 9.2 release of Select will run without and it will be possibile to setup also on standard license.

Maybe it will run on a free ESXi server, at least the single node.

Anyway KVM support is on  the road.

Regards