Licensing#
License each vGPU VM through the NVIDIA License System so it stays at full performance.
Note
The NVIDIA AI Enterprise license is enforced through software when you deploy NVIDIA vGPU for Compute VMs.
Warning
On a supported GPU, both an unlicensed VM and a licensed VM that loses contact with the license server enter a degraded state. The transition occurs if a valid license is not acquired or restored within the applicable grace period. Full capability is restored immediately when a valid license is acquired.
Scenario |
Grace period |
State during grace |
State after grace |
|---|---|---|---|
Unlicensed VM (no license acquired at boot) |
20 minutes |
Full capability |
Degraded - compute performance reduced to an idle level until a valid license is acquired |
Licensed VM disconnected from license server |
7 days (CLS default; configurable for DLS) |
Full capability |
Degradation begins until the license is reacquired |
With licensing configured, the VM requests a license at boot, holds it until shutdown, then returns it to the server. Settings persist across reboots - change them only if the license server address changes or the VM moves to GPU Passthrough.
For step-by-step licensing from the NVIDIA License System, refer to the Virtual GPU Client Licensing User Guide.
Note
For vGPU for Compute, software enforces one license per vGPU assigned to a VM. That license covers up to 16 vGPU instances on a single GPU, or one vGPU that uses the entire physical GPU framebuffer. Each NVIDIA C-series vGPU on a VM needs its own license from the NVIDIA Licensing System (Networked or Node-Locked).
Verifying the License Status of a Licensed NVIDIA vGPU for Compute Guest VM#
On the guest (not the hypervisor), run nvidia-smi with -q or --query. Check the output for the licensed product name and status; when licensed, an expiration date appears in the license status. Look for the vGPU Software Licensed Product section near the end of the output.
Sample nvidia-smi output
1==============NVSMI LOG==============
2
3Timestamp : Tue Jun 17 16:49:09 2025
4Driver Version : 595.58.03
5CUDA Version : 13.0
6
7Attached GPUs : 2
8GPU 00000000:02:01.0
9 Product Name : NVIDIA H100-80C
10 Product Brand : NVIDIA Virtual Compute Server
11 Product Architecture : Hopper
12 Display Mode : Requested functionality has been deprecated
13 Display Attached : Yes
14 Display Active : Disabled
15 Persistence Mode : Enabled
16 Addressing Mode : HMM
17 MIG Mode
18 Current : N/A
19 Pending : N/A
20 Accounting Mode : Disabled
21 Accounting Mode Buffer Size : 4000
22 Driver Model
23 Current : N/A
24 Pending : N/A
25 Serial Number : N/A
26 GPU UUID : GPU-a1833a31-1dd2-11b2-8e58-a589b8170988
27 GPU PDI : N/A
28 Minor Number : 0
29 VBIOS Version : 00.00.00.00.00
30 MultiGPU Board : No
31 Board ID : 0x201
32 Board Part Number : N/A
33 GPU Part Number : 2331-882-A1
34 FRU Part Number : N/A
35 Platform Info
36 Chassis Serial Number : N/A
37 Slot Number : N/A
38 Tray Index : N/A
39 Host ID : N/A
40 Peer Type : N/A
41 Module Id : N/A
42 GPU Fabric GUID : N/A
43 Inforom Version
44 Image Version : N/A
45 OEM Object : N/A
46 ECC Object : N/A
47 Power Management Object : N/A
48 Inforom BBX Object Flush
49 Latest Timestamp : N/A
50 Latest Duration : N/A
51 GPU Operation Mode
52 Current : N/A
53 Pending : N/A
54 GPU C2C Mode : Disabled
55 GPU Virtualization Mode
56 Virtualization Mode : VGPU
57 Host VGPU Mode : N/A
58 vGPU Heterogeneous Mode : N/A
59 vGPU Software Licensed Product
60 Product Name : NVIDIA Virtual Compute Server
61 License Status : Licensed (Expiry: 2025-6-18 8:59:55 GMT)
62….
Troubleshooting vGPU for Compute Licensing#
Use this section when a vGPU for Compute VM fails to acquire or renew a license, enters a degraded state, or cannot reach the configured NVIDIA License System endpoint.
vGPU for Compute License Server Reachability (NLS / DLS / CLS)#
vGPU for Compute licensing depends on the NVIDIA License System. Confirm whether the client should reach a Cloud License Service (CLS) instance or a Delegated License Service (DLS) instance, then verify network path and client configuration before treating the fault as a vGPU feature defect.
Licensing - grace / degraded states and verification context for vGPU for Compute
Licensing Connectivity - first checks and outbound NLS links for vGPU for Compute deployments
Glossary - CLS, DLS, and License System definitions
Licensing Connectivity#
Refer to the following instructions when a vGPU for Compute client cannot obtain or renew a license, appears stuck in a grace or degraded licensing state, or cannot reach the configured Cloud License Service (CLS) or Delegated License Service (DLS) endpoint.
Confirm the deployment is supposed to use CLS or DLS for this site, and that the client configuration matches that choice. Refer to the Glossary for CLS and DLS definitions.
Confirm the guest or host is on a supported NVIDIA AI Enterprise Infra release and that Virtual GPU Manager / guest driver versions match the Support Matrix.
Review the licensing behavior in Licensing before treating the symptom as a permanent license-server outage.
Product Documentation