ESXi

Hardware-virtualization is disabled by default when I create new VMs in my VMware-clusters. But what are the best-practises for this, what settings are recommended? Are there any reasons to NOT enable hardware-virtualization?

IMO there's no benefit in enabling hardware-virtualization if you don't need it for the VM (e.g. a virtual ESXi host).

André

Best Practice is to keep it off reasons could be what HP advices.

1. A security proof of concept (blue pill) may allow a guest to attack his host using virtualisation instructions.

2. It also seems to have some impact on performances

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Manmohan Bisht

Vmware SME

Hardware-assisted virtualization is the default execution mode for most modern guests on modern hardware.  Or are you referring to the checkbox that says, "Expose hardware-assisted virtualization to the guest operating system"?

Hi,

Yes, I am referring to the checkbox "Expose hardware-assisted virtualization to the guest operating system"

I think it is safe to check it. It might help guest-OS in some cases to know it is running in virtual environment. Moreover, even if you did not expose this to guest, there are still many ways how guest could find it is running on virtual-hw...

Unless you are running a guest hypervisor that makes use of hardware-assisted virtualization (ESXi, Hyper-V, kvm, Xen, HAXM, Deep Defender, etc.), there is no advantage in checking this box.  Moreover, memory overheads are slightly higher with the box checked.