Esx 3i is now FREE !!! Why should I buy ESX 3.5 or higher

[Dandan712]

Hi,

I've just read in IT websites, that ESX3i is now free.

Why should people so go on with byuing or even using ESX 3.5 , as 3i as exactly the same functionallities as ESX 3.5 ( as explained by Chief Marketing officer from Vmware ) ?

[TomHowarth]

ESXi may have the same functionality as in ESX however remember that marketing jargon is not real world. the free version will not do HA, DRS, VMotion DRM, SVmotion, you still have to pay for Virtual Center. and the RCLI is missing many of the commands like a Kill command for example.

Further you cannot monitor a ESXi environment as well as a ESX environment. in my opinion it has its place but not in the enterprise.

Tom Howarth

VMware Communities User Moderator

[weinstein5]

just to add what Tom said - ESXi will support vmotion/DRS and HA but you will need to buy the license seperately for those -

[WillemB]

Does free implies "no support"?

If so I know why companies will buy products

[Dandan712]

When installed on equal hardware, who does give the fastest time reponses for VMs: ESX3i or ESX 3.5 ??

[Texiwill · Accepted solution]

Hello,

Moved to the Enterprise Strategy and Planning forum

They are the same. ESXi is the same as ESX v3.5 except that the service console of v3.5 is replaced with a Busybox implementation. Also note, that most 3rc party tools do not currently work with ESXi. That is an issue with respect to backups. Also, ESXi will force you to have a remote backup server or a VM acting as a backup server if you are an SMB. You can not add any new software into ESXi, etc.

It is missing quite a few things I use daily with regards to management. ESXi is a way to get your feet wet and may be the way things are going with ESX v4, but I think it was sent out now so they could get a good feel for what was needed for the future.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[twa3]

For our environment it will mean being able to drop the Windows licensing for our Test/Deve Vmware Server (GSX) hosts. I would be interested to see a feature for feature comparison analysis of Vmware Server 1.X/2.0 vs the new free version of ESXi.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

ESXi or ESX they are the same. Look at any Vmware Server to ESX comparison and you have the same thing for ESXi vs VMware Server. The major difference is that in order to get HA, DRS, Vmotion, SVMotion, DPM, etc. You need a VC + licenses for the add on products. The Hypervisors are identical between ESX and ESXi.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[HenrikElm]

Tom: If you REALLY need a CLI to run kill -9 etc in ESXi, do this:

I just ran both Putty and WinSCP with my ESXi !

Texi: You miss "quite a few things", but later says that it is an identical product. Huh?

Best regards

Henrik

[Texiwill]

Hello,

I implied the hypervisors were identical, therefore performance would be the same and so is the hypervisor featureset. The method of management is quite a bit different.

I should have been more specific and stated hypervisor.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[twa3]

Actually this is great then because I'll be able to manage these three hosts with our existing Virtual Center 2.5 host correct?

[RParker]

You also can't get 3rd party support to interface with 3i. I wouldn't use it, it's not ready for prime time. 3.5 is what you want if you are remotely serious about using ESX.

[twa3]

We're already using 3.5 in our prod environment, but I have 4-5 hosts with local storage that I use windows/VMware server (GSX) with and this is going to be a big step up.

We'll be able to ditch the windows license and add more mgmt that these hosts didn't have previously since we're VC 2.5 as well.

[Dandan712]

Do you mean you"re going to reinstall your VMservers ( gsx ) with ESX 3i ?

[twa3]

Yes Sir, as soon as it's available. 32mb is a lot better than a fat and vulnerable 6-10gb expensive Windows partition, right?

[TomHowarth]

Rememeber the HCL. ESX does not support as as large a number of Host machine as Linux or Windows. you curreny servers may not even be able to run ESXi

Tom Howarth

VMware Communities User Moderator

[twa3]

They should be. Poweredge 2850 / 1850 and 1950 are what I'm running Win/VMware server (GSX) on.

I also read that the free version of ESX3i is supposed to support bleeding edge technology over the more conservative HCL's of the licensed enterprise versions..

[admin]

From what I hear plans are afoot to phase out ESX full anyways and ESX will only be available in the 3i/4i kind of way, but so not to worry both will exist for ESX 4.0 when released next near first Q

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Actually this is great then because I'll be able to manage these three hosts with our existing Virtual Center 2.5 host correct?

The free version will not include a VirtualCenter Agent license so you would need to purchase VI ESX Foundation or higher licenses to add these hosts with VC 2.5.

[twa3]

and then there's the gotcha, how much $$ do they fetch for foundation agents to manage these hosts?