Overview
This article covers important information to note if setting up Multi-node Forcefield systems and mixing physical hardware nodes with VM (Virtual Machine) based (also referred to as Enterprise nodes).
Quick summary
When mixing node types in a multi-node configuration, the primary node must be a VM (Enterprise) node, and licensed as such, as well as licensed for multi-node functionality.
Multi-node licensing
Licensing for multiple nodes is implemented by applying the primary controlling node license (with Multi-node capability enabled / licensed) to the non-controlling nodes. This then allows them to operate as extra nodes to the primary node.
Operation that won't work
For multi-node operation with both physical hardware, and VM nodes (Enterprise), the primary cannot be a physical hardware node, as the license for a physical node does not support the VM environment (it must be licensed as an enterprise license to work on a VM system).
This is because the license that will be applied to the non-controlling nodes will be the primary license, as explained in "Multi-node licensing" above, and if it is for a physical hardware primary node, then it will not support licensing VM (Enterprise) nodes.
Operation that will work
While the ideal configuration would be to have all nodes as VM (Enterprise) systems, it is possible to use a mixed configuration, where non-controlling nodes can be physical hardware nodes. In this scenario, the primary node must be a VM (Enterprise) node, with a corresponding license. This license will then successfully work to license other non-controlling nodes on the system, even if they are physical hardware nodes.