Using public enterprise keys breaches the VMware End User License Agreement (EULA).
Your (a spare physical server or a single desktop PC)
No. VMware license keys are version-specific. A key for ESXi 6 or 7 will not activate ESXi 9.
Given the costs associated with VMware ESXi 9 paid licenses, it's no surprise that many users are searching for a free license key. A simple search on GitHub or other online platforms yields numerous results, with some users claiming to offer free ESXi 9 license keys.
This is the most popular legitimate method for enthusiasts. A yearly membership provides "Home Lab" licenses for nearly all VMware products, including ESXi 9.0 and vCenter.
These are rarely genuine keys and often get blacklisted by Broadcom quickly. Why searching on GitHub is dangerous:
In conclusion, while I understand the temptation to seek free license keys, I strongly advise against using unofficial VMware ESXi 9 license keys from GitHub or other sources. The risks to your organization's security, compliance, and infrastructure stability far outweigh any perceived benefits.
Many repositories promising activation tools require running scripts with administrative or root privileges. Malicious actors hide Trojan horses, crypto-miners, or ransomware inside these scripts, compromising your entire local network.
Is this setup for a or a personal home lab ?