To find vCenter device names, the FlexNet Beacon's remote VMware inventory process locates all licenses associated with a vCenter server. It then populates the names of any linked devices from the licenses found as vCenter device names.

The names retrieved from the licenses may not match the device hostnames. People commonly enter default names like "vcenterserver" into the license information – this name is then reflected in FlexNet Manager Suite or Flexera One IT Asset Management.

To find vCenter device names

In vCenter's vSphere web UI, you can find vCenter device names in: vCenter Web Console > Menu/Home > Administration > Licenses > Asset.

In the Asset list, you’ll find the vCenter device name that matches what’s reported in FlexNet Manager Suite or Flexera One IT Asset Management.

To manually go through the steps the FlexNet inventory beacon would take to query the API:

1. In a browser on your beacon, navigate to https://VCenterIPAddress/mob and enter your VMware or Service Account credentials.

2. In the Properties section, click on the content link.

3. Select the LicenseManager link located next to ManagedObjectReference:LicenseManager.

4. Select the LicenseManager link located next to ManagedObjectReference:LicenseAssignmentManager.

5. Select the QueryAssignedLicenses link located next to LicenseAssignmentManagerLicenseAssignment[].

6. Click on the Invoke Method link. The vCenter name listed here matches the value in FlexNet Manager Suite or Flexera One IT Asset Management.

Note: For more details on the VMware API in use by our beacon process, see VMware's API documentation.