Change BIOS strings of VM

[Bjoumlrn Pahl]

We have deployed several virtual machines (MS Server 2019 DC). To get the required licenses, all servers (VMs and hosts) are being inventoried; and transferred to a license tool.

 

As an example: 

 

MS Windows Server 2019 DC - Licenses available: 100

Hypevisor with at least one Windows Server: 10 

Required licenses: 10 VMs on 10 different Hosts (with 2 Sockets) -> 20

----

MS Windows Server 2019 DC - Licenses available: 80

... and so on...

The script asks whether the server is virtual or physical. Some of the machines (VMs) return that they are a HPE machine (and therefore physical). 

 

PS H:\> Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem
[...]
Manufacturer : HPE
Model : ProLiant DL380 Gen10
[...]

Actually the query should give this response

 

PS H:\> Get-WmiObject -Class Win32_ComputerSystem
[...]
Manufacturer: Xen
Model: HVM domU
[...]

 

 

I have found the kb

 

https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX230618

 

the behavior is described there.

I guess that the checkbox  (Copy host BIOS settings to VM) was set when the machines was created.

Is there a way to change the entries? Either via CLI on the host, or in the registry (*) (vm)? Or does it need to be recreated (cloned)?

 

(*) Changes to the registry are reset after a restart

 

 

 

XenHypervisor: 

• Build date: 2021-04-30
• Version: 8.2
• DBV: 2020.0617
•  Updates: XE82E001 - XE82E029

 

 

Greetings from Germany

 

[Tobias Kreidl]

The FAQ is a bit confusing, stating you can set various VM BIOS parameters, but also that some can apparently only be set once and never modified.

How critical is this definition as to how the licensing is applied and charged for?

[Bjoumlrn Pahl]

Unfortunately, very critical. 
The license management currently calculates with wrong licenses, which almost made our license manager buy additional licenses for about 40k. Luckily we were able to find the issue before and inform them in time.