VMware is one of the hottest technologies in 2009.  There are now many companies embarking on virtualization to reduce DC space and also to reduce cost.

  • There are only 2 channels to purchase VMware. It’s either via OEM manufacturers like Dell, HP, IBM or via re-seller like Ingram Micro.
  • There are 3 main products that will be mostly used by customers. They are “VMware Infrastructure 3”, “VMware vCenter Server” and “VMware ESXi”.
  • General guideline for a 2 socket Quad Core server, it is able to run 40 Windows XP virtual machines.
  • Only runs on x86 architecture.

Virtual Infrastructure Editions

ESXi Basic

VI Foundation
- License cost: US$995
- Supports 2 core CPU
- Additional components: “VC Agent”, “Update Manager”, “Consolidated Backup”
  - Consolidated Backup
    - Remove the need to install backup agent into each VM. 
    - Eg. Windows Server 2003, it uses Shadow Services to present a snapshot of the OS for the backup software to perform a backup.

VI Standard
- License cost: US$2,995
- Additional components: “High Availability”
- HA: Provides VMware clustering by moving the VM to other physical boxes (but still got downtime)

VI Enterprise
- License cost: US$5,750
- Additional components: “VMotion”, “DRS”

Miscellaneous

VMotion
- Need to adhere to same CPU architecture (eg. Opteron to Opteron)
- Can only move from virtual to virtual

Storage VMotion
- Can move from physical to virtual
- Good for situation whereby need to increase HDD space

VMware Converter
- 3rd generation tool that automates machine format conversions to VMware VMs
- Good for situation like Windows NT 4.0