ESXi Free and ESX 3.5

[cmorris05]

We currently have a cluster of 4 HP DL360 G5s running ESX3.5 with Virtual Center running them. If we add more servers to the cluster is there any reason at all why we could not use the new ESXi free version and add those servers to the cluster? Also, I assume that ESXi is installed on a Hard Drive just like ESX 3.5.

I would think this would be a much cheaper solution then buying the ESX licensing. What is the benefit of one versus the other? Will it support HA, Vmotion, DRS, VCB etc?

[Dave_Mishchenko]

ESXi Free doesn't come with licensing for the VC agent, HA, etc, so you would still have to purchase the correct level of VI licensing (Enterprise if you're using vmotion). See the below PDF for what you get at each licensing level. You would also have to update your current hosts to ESX 3.5 Update 2 to be able to run a mixed cluster of ESX and ESXi hosts.

Licensed features - page 61 - http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_35/esx_3i_i/r35/vi3_35_25_3i_i_setup.pdf

[cmorris05]

So basically we wouldnt be saving any money because the cost is in the features, not the hypervisor, correct?

[Dave_Mishchenko · Accepted solution]

The hypervisor has become a commodity and the $ will be in the add-ons. The free version won't save anything for a situation like yours.

[cmorris05]

I figured it was not going to be that simple, thanks!

[Mr-C]

I love VMware's licensing. It's about as "easy" as EMC's.

Anyway, you would save on the full blown ESX license if you go with the minimum upgrade license for ESXi. This will provide you with the required licenses to allow Virtual Center to manage your ESXi servers along with your ESX servers.