license management for apps installed on VMs

[VirtualEnginee1]

Hi,

Case: I have some enterprise apps installed on VMs.

When I clone the VMs, I can make additional copies of the installed apps even if I dont have additional licenses.

Is there a way to prevent this ? Is there a s/w from VMware that can prevent this ? Or can I develop some tool using VM api/sdk to solve this ?

I want manage the licenses and avoid such issues that can happen due to cloning.

Thanks

[weinstein5]

Welcome to the Forums - VMware does not having anything to manage the app licenses in the VMs - what you are describing is an issue that has been around in the physical world because what stops someone from building a new machine and loading the app on the new box - you control it by limiting access to the software - in the virtual you limit via permissions the people who can build VMs and only grant that permission to people who understand the licensing rules -

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[ChrisDearden]

attacking the issue another way , if you have enterprise application in place , then hopefully one of them is part of your configuration management systems ( eg. Altiris / SMS / SCCM )

You should be able to keep a track of numbers of installed applications as you would in the physical world via machine audits.

[VirtualEnginee1]

Your point is perfect !

Infact when we were discussing it internally, we realised that people often use HDD ghosting to make quick setups, so in effect people clone any ways.

But just wanted to know if some sw is available for this since cloning is very easy , hence its easy to get into these issues unintentionally.