is ESXi what I'm looking for? (warning: noob questions ahead)

[mrdeep]

Hey VM Fans,

To keep this short, I'd like to explain my ideal setup and what I have to make it possible:

A virtualization server that can run:

1) an instance of debian 8 configured as a samba server and a plex media server

2) an instance windows 8

3) an instance of Ubuntu with a GUI

All accessible from my laptop.

What I've got:

1) A fairly powerful server (32GB RAM, i7, 128GB SSD, 4TB HD)

2) A laptop

3) A willingness to learn

Is installing ESXi and managing it through Vsphere my best bet here or is there a better option? In this tutorial https://youtu.be/ba3qqJI6ML4 ‌Eli advises against interacting with the instances and says that "ESXi is only for servers". Why is this?

Thank you for any help.

[cykVM]

Hi,

first of all what type/model is your server/mainboard in use? It should in general be on VMWare's compatibility list (HCL) for installation without headaches. This especially includes the type/model of NIC(s) in use and the storage controller.

I just took a quick look on the video-link you posted and the reason why Eli mentions only server VMs is that ESXi is meant to be for enterprise-level virtualization. You can perfectly run desktop-level VMs on it although there are separate products by VMWare specialized on desktop virtualization (but those are not for free).

So for a home lab/small environment not running tens or hunderds of desktop VMs it's perfectly fine to run non server VMs.

cykVM