# Activate Your NVIDIA BlueField Enterprise Software Subscription

Supercharge data center efficiency and security with VMware vSphere 8 on NVIDIA BlueField DPU.

[Activate Your Subscription](#activate-your-subscription)

## Experience VMware vSphere Powered by NVIDIA BlueField

VMware vSphere 8 on [NVIDIA® BlueField® DPU](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/networking/products/data-processing-unit.md) is the next step in the evolution of cloud infrastructure for modern applications. By offloading and accelerating network and security infrastructure functions from CPUs to NVIDIA BlueField, vSphere helps customers meet the needs of modern distributed workloads, reducing latency and increasing data throughput for better infrastructure performance.

## Explore the Benefits of vSphere on BlueField

#### Supercharge Performance, Efficiency, and Security

A five-year subscription of NVIDIA BlueField Enterprise Software and Support is included for vSphere 8.

[Learn About vSphere 8 Powered by BlueField DPU](https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2022/08/30/nvidia-vmware-new-era-enterprise-computing/)

#### Access BlueField DPU Experts

NVIDIA Enterprise Networking Support includes access to NVIDIA DPU experts, priority notifications of the latest security fixes, and maintenance releases.

[Learn About Enterprise Networking Support](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/support/enterprise/networking.md)

#### Sharpen Your Skills with Hands-On Labs Through LaunchPad

NVIDIA LaunchPad gives immediate access to vSphere 8 on BlueField to test, prototype, and make more confident design decisions.

[Access NVIDIA LaunchPad for vSphere 8](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/launchpad/infra-optimization/experience-vmware-vsphere-distributed-services-engine-on-bluefield-2-dpu.md)

## How to Activate Your Subscription

## 1

Register

Register your vSphere and BlueField DPU serial numbers on NGC™.

## 2

Activate Software

Activate your subscription for vSphere 8 on BlueField DPU.

## 3

Access Support

Set up your NVIDIA enterprise account to access Enterprise Support.

Ready to get started?

[Activate Your Subscription on NGC](https://ngc.nvidia.com/signin)

[Read Activation Instructions](javascript:void(0);)

[Activate Your License on NGC](https://ngc.nvidia.com/signin)

## FAQs

* #### How do I locate the serial number of my NVIDIA BlueField DPU?

  The BlueField DPU serial number is 20 characters long. To locate the serial numbers of your BlueField DPUs for each vSphere node, follow these five steps:

  1. Log in to the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC).
  2. Click the “System” tab on the top left.
  3. Click the “PCIe Slots” tab on the second row, third tab from the left.
  4. Expand “PCIe Slot 2” by clicking the + symbol.
  5. Find the 20-character serial number on the right.
* #### Where can I learn more about vSphere on BlueField DPU?

  More information can be found in these NVIDIA publications:

  [NVIDIA and VMware CEOs Discuss New Era of Enterprise Computing](https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2022/08/30/nvidia-vmware-new-era-enterprise-computing/)  
   [NVIDIA and Dell Technologies Deliver New Data Center Solution for Zero-Trust Security and the Era of AI](https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-and-dell-technologies-deliver-new-data-center-solution-for-zero-trust-security-and-the-era-of-ai)  
   [Solution Brief: NVIDIA and VMware vSphere Distributed Services Engine Powered by BlueField DPU](https://resources.nvidia.com/en-us-accelerated-networking-resource-library/vsphere-bluefield-dpu-solution)
* #### Where can I learn how to deploy and use vSphere 8 on NVIDIA BlueField DPUs?

  [See VMware’s instructions](https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/8.0/vsphere-esxi-installation/GUID-93D0227B-E5ED-40B0-B8E2-71141A32EB00.html) for installing and setting up vSphere 8 on NVIDIA BlueField DPUs.
* #### How can I get help activating my NVIDIA BlueField DPU subscription for vSphere 8?

  If you’re having trouble activating your license on NGC, you can either [create a case](https://enterprise-support.nvidia.com/s/create-case) or [contact the NVIDIA Enterprise Support team](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/support/enterprise.md).
* #### Is there support available?

  Business-standard support (available 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. during local business hours) is included. Business-critical support isn’t offered at this time. Support will be offered for five years from date of purchase, plus a 90-day grace period. After the five-year term ends, customers may purchase a new NVIDIA BlueField Enterprise Software (BES) subscription.

## DPU Resources

[White Paper](https://resources.nvidia.com/en-us-accelerated-networking-resource-library/nvidia-dpu-power-eff)

Increasing Data Center Power Efficiency with the NVIDIA BlueField DPU

[E-Book](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/networking/data-center-transformation-with-bluefield-dpus.md)

Powering Unprecedented Data Center Transformation with NVIDIA BlueField DPU

[Datasheet](https://resources.nvidia.com/en-us-accelerated-networking-resource-library/datasheet-nvidia-bluefield)

NVIDIA BlueField-3