Anti Virus on ESX OS?

[westredd]

Does anyone install antivirus sotfware on the ESX operating system? If so, which one?

Regrds

West

[TomHowarth · Accepted solution]

I do not and I actively advise against it. it will put too much of a load on the Host, for very little gain is protection.

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Tom Howarth VCP / vExpert

VMware Communities User Moderator

Blog: www.planetvm.net

Contributing author for the upcoming book "[VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment|http://my.safaribooksonline.com/9780136083214]”. Currently available on roughcuts

[westredd]

makes sense thanks.

[anujmodi1]

Normally antivirus will required more in Windows machine and you can install the antivirus inside any VM. They will resolve your purpose. Otherwise opensource antivirus can be installed.

Anuj Modi,

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[Texiwill]

Hello,

It is not recommended but if you absolutely have to do this (per security policy) make sure it does not scan /vmfs as you will get false positives and serious performance degradations. I would actively look for an exception with the security policy authorities.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky VMware Communities User Moderator, VMware vExpert 2009, Virtualization Practice Analyst[/url]
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