does vCenter essentials have any features over vsphere client?

[eos11]

We have a single vShere essentials installation.

Installing vCenter would be difficult and expensive - we dont have windows domains controllers, spare windows server boxes or liceneses.  However, without purchaseing all this, we cant actually test it to see if its worth installing!

The question is, does vCenter have any features which the vSphere client does not, assuming one has a single vsphere server?  E.g. does it provide any of these features which we are badly missing and are not in the vSphere client:

1. backup VMs to another server
2. Backup the vServer configuration (switchest, pools etc).
3. virtualize a physical machine.

Any help from someone who already has vcenter essentials installed greatly appreciated.

[a_p_]

With only one host vCenter may not offer you much additional functionality. However, if you want to see what it offers (e.g. cloning, templates, vRAM pooling, ...) you may download and use the vCenter Server Appliance instead of the Windows version if you don't want to spend money on Windows licenses.

see Download and Deploy the VMware vCenter Server Appliance and http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2005086

André

[christianZ]

Hi,

for me the VC on Windows gets some differences:

e.g.

VC converter for P2V (migration from ph. to vm)

vm cloning (making clones of running vms) and vm templates

simplified backup of vms over e.g. Arcerve Backup (connecting only to 1 VC)

having some statistic for the past

centralized management and rights administration (w/o win domain also possible).

You can always install VC in vm; you don't need a windows domain for that.

The Essentials Plus kit will get you even more - HA, vmotion and VDR (backup of your vms) are included.

http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/products/vsphere/VMware-vSphere-Essentials-DataSheet-DS-EN.pdf

Just my thoughts.

Reg

Christian

[aravinds3107]

vSphere Clinet is just a GUI console which allow us to manage the ESXi host and vCenter server, To use all the advance feature you need vCenter server (http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/buy/editions_comparison.html)

You can install vCenter as a Windows VM or use vCenter appliance . You can try 60 days trial period and check out the feature available.

You can use VMware Converter standalone to perform P2V Operation

[eos11]

Unfortunately, the download link for the vCenter appliance on this page:

https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/p/activate.php?p=vmware-vsphere5-ent&lp=default

Has been broken for some time, so we cannto download it.  We dont yet have license keys to purchase it, as we want to evaluate it first.

Does anyone know an alternative way to download the vcenter appliance?

Thanks!

[aravinds3107]

Probably the account which you have registered for trial period 60 days is over. You may have to re-register using a different account to get 60 days trial period or need to contact VMware Partner or rep in our locality to enable you to the download the appliance for trial period.

[eos11]

ok, figured it out, the link is actualy an xml file which has to be saved, and the other files added into the same folder etc.  If they had simply linked to an OVA it would be much easier and less work.