ESXi 8-Way SMP

[dgwharrison]

Looking at the features page of the ESXi product, i notice that it supports up to 8Way SMP which i assume means 8 virtual CPUs within any one VM.

However, having downloaded and installed ESXi 4, we found that it's only licenced for 4.

What gives vmware? We were basing our decision to use ESXi over Hyper-V based on this and now we find that it doesn't work? Is there some hidden cost here that isn't explained clearly on the product page?

[MKguy]

ESX(i)4 supports 8 vCPUs for a VM, but only with Enterprise plus license. (http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/buy/editions_comparison.html)

3.5 supports only 4 vCPUs. If you are running in eval mode, are you really running ESXi4 and does your physical host box have 8 cores? You can't schedule a VM with a given number of vCPU on a host with less actual physical (or logical) cores.

>We were basing our decision to use ESXi over Hyper-V based on this

Also, what? Is that seriously the best and only deciding factor you came up with while comparing those 2 products and deciding for one or the other?!

[TomHowarth]

the 4vCPU limit is a feature of the license you have. 8vCPU is only supported in the Enterprise Plus version. but as the other responder states, you much be basing your decisions on much more than vCPU count.

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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

[dgwharrison]

That is blatently misleading. This is listed as feature 2 on the 'free product' page. Not even a footnote about it. Under contract law that would be misrepresentation in Australia and would be pursueable.

Thanks for the responses. To answer the 'serious question' put to me, yes it was indeed the deciding factor. The reason is because we need to give as much power as possible to a particular VM for multi user performance requirements, we can't simply copy the VM for license reasons. Oh, and yes of course I have 8 cores.

[J1mbo]

well there is no contract if it's free since you have provided no consideration.

Secondly I question whether that host is a good candidate for virtualisation anyway.

[TomHowarth]

Well if you have 8core and you are creating a 8vCPU guest, do not expect blistering performance under any hypervisor.

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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

[dgwharrison]

Actually there is consideration, the information you provide vmware - a required part of the 'contract'. All other elements of contract, most noteably the intension to be bound are present. Simply not financial consideration but consideration none the less.

[TomHowarth]

"consideration" is only part of the requirements of a Contract, but that is irrelevant here. reading the documentation and the licensing documentation clearly states limitation of the Free version.

If you found this or any other answer useful please consider the use of the Helpful or correct buttons to award points

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

[dgwharrison]

Thanks for your opinion however I have studied contract law in

Australia and I disagree with your sentimate. I think I will complain

to vmware and the authorities.

Perhaps you could point me to page that clearly states this as you say?

Daniel Harrison

General Manager

Neotechnology Business Systems

P +61 3 6271 4300 ex 1081 | M +61 408 608 342 | F +61 3 6273 6866

W http://www.neotechnology.com.au | S customersupport@neotechnology.com.au

On 16/06/2009, at 8:22 AM, "tom howarth" <communities-

[K-MaC]

The VMware site is quite large and contains many documents. I have included an attachment (and link) where it clearly states that 8way vSMP is supported by the Enterprise Plus version only. I think you had better dot all your I's and cross all your T's if you are seriously considering persuing this. I personally feel you are skating on very thin ice.

http://www.vmware.com/products/vsphere/buy/editions_comparison.html

Cheers

Kevin

[dgwharrison]

Complaining and pursuing are different. I will leave the pursuit to

the authorities.

Daniel Harrison

General Manager

Neotechnology Business Systems

P +61 3 6271 4300 ex 1081 | M +61 408 608 342 | F +61 3 6273 6866

W http://www.neotechnology.com.au | S customersupport@neotechnology.com.au

On 16/06/2009, at 9:55 AM, "K-MaC" <communities-emailer@vmware.com

[DSTAVERT]

Assuming here that you don't have 8 Hardware Processors but rather a Dual Quad you can configure ESXi to view it as same.

See CPU Cores

You would be wise, however, to do much real testing to verify that 8 cores provides any real benefit. You will also have dificulty running more than one Virtual machine since you will have used all the cores on 1 VM. The 8 core machine will suffer as it will need to wait before all 8 cores are available.

[TomHowarth]

I understand your postition, however I have studied Law in the UK and hold a First in English Law. (I do know what I am talking about) the fact remains that the information regarding the licesning limitations is there in plain sight on the VMware web site. you as the Vendee did not do proper due diligence before entering into the contract. not what you want to here but that is the fact and that is the position I would take if I was defending a suit regarding your position.

That said I would be very interesting in seeing the position that an Australian Lawyer would take when you intructed him.

If you found this or any other answer useful please consider the use of the Helpful or correct buttons to award points

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

[J1mbo]

I'm really bermused by this. Perhaps the OP might like to expand on what exactly are you going to claim against VMware for?

Their liability would be limited to the consideration given i.e. your name, which personally I don't think even is valid consideration anyway. I'm sure they'd be happy to return it though (?). I suppose your best bet would be misrepresentation? But this would need to be proved and the limitation is fairly clearly documented it seems....

[dgwharrison]

As I said, I have no intension of spending money on lawyers, I'll simply

complain to the Authorities. This isn't worth my time pursuing, I just find

it aggravating because information presented is misleading and in my opinion

misrepresents the product severely. It's not OK VM Ware. At very least you

could have a little footnote about it don't you think?

Regards,

Daniel Harrison

General Manager | Neotechnology Business Systems

Phone: 1300 88 00 48 (ex 1081) | Fax: +61 3 6273 6866 | Mobile: +61 408 608

342

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From: tom howarth <communities-emailer@vmware.com>

Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:13:21 +1000

To: Daniel Harrison <Daniel.Harrison@neotechnology.com.au>

Subject: New message: "ESXi 8-Way SMP"

,

A new message was posted in the thread "ESXi 8-Way SMP":

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1285072#1285072

Author : tom howarth

Email : tom.howarth@tca-consulting.com

Profile : http://communities.vmware.com/people/tom howarth

Message:

[dgwharrison]

As I said, I'm not suing. I just think it is wrong to put the

product forward as doing x then sticking your hand out to make it

actually do it. This is feature number 2 which is sticking out on a

very long list don't forget. Poor practice, very disappointing.

Daniel Harrison

General Manager

Neotechnology Business Systems

P +61 3 6271 4300 ex 1081 | M +61 408 608 342 | F +61 3 6273 6866

W http://www.neotechnology.com.au | S customersupport@neotechnology.com.au

On 16/06/2009, at 6:01 PM, "J1mbo" <communities-emailer@vmware.com

[jbone_hu]

And I'm sure you will be even more anxious to get "revenge" if you learnt that 4-way vSMP or 8-way vSMP only meant 4-cores TOTAL or 8 cores TOTAL shown to one VM.

Not 4CPUs or 8CPUs with any number of cores... With 4-way its 2 dualcore or 1-quad, with 8-way its 4 dualcores or 2 quad...