vmotion between ESX 3i et ESX 3.5

[Dandan712]

I'm going to install a new ESX 3i server.

I will integrate it to my existing virtual infrastructure, which I manage through Virtual Center 2.5.

I'm wondering a few questions:

1 - Will I be a able to migrate a powered off vm between ESX3.5 and ESX 3.i ?

2 - Will I be a able to migrate a powered on vm between ESX3.5 and ESX 3.iusing VMOTION( of course I use shared storage such as iSCSI and NFS server ) ?

3 - Licence question: I have a vritual center licence . Will I be able to add as many ESX 3i server to that Virtual center, or will I be limited in any way ?

Thanks for help.

[weinstein5]

1) Yes you will be able to powered off vm between esx 3.5 and esxi

2) Yes you will be able to vmotion between ESXi and ESX 3.5 as long as yu have the approriate mvotion license - free ESXi does not have license for vmotion

3) As long as it is the enterprise license for Virtual Center you can have up to 200 esx hosts as long as the ESXi server have a virtual center agent license -

[Dandan712]

Actually, regarding my virtual center license: yes it's an enterprise license. But I do not have any virtual center agent license for my ESX 3i servers .... and I 'm sure it's not free...

Do you have any idea the cost for per agent ?

Also, is there any way to do so another way ( I mean : managing ESX 3i servers from virtualcenter without having to pay for agents inside ESX 3i servers ) ???

[weinstein5 · Accepted solution]

This should give you an idea - - this is the only way you will be able to manage the ESXi hosts form VC - all virtualization vendors seem to be moving their business models to making mony off the management tools while providing the virtualization platform for free -

[Dandan712]

Thanks David.

Ok, I had a look to the price list you sent me.

In order to get a only an agent to install in a ESX 3i machine, I need to buy Vmware Foudation, which costs 995$, and I do not get any advanced feature such as vmotion , ha etc.

My understanding is that actually, the release for free of ESX 3i is not at all a revolution. It's just a commercial change in vmware strategy: for enterprise and middle companies, the cost will remain exactly the same with approx. same costs than before when having to pay for each ESX 3.x server.

But the rule is the rule. Vmware cannot release for free its technology. It's not opensource....but will have to be carefull with Microsoft coming with Hyper-v

[depping]

Well Microsoft actually does the same thing, give away the hypervisor for free, pay for the management tools....

Duncan

My virtualisation blog:

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[Dandan712]

Yes up to now... But we do not forget what hapenned to some former leaders such as Netscape. At the time it was the champion of web browser, and dispeared when MS relased for free its own browser.

We can imagine that MS may one day release for free even its management tools for hyper-v...

[depping]

well i've heard that argument a couple of times now... I used to work for Oracle, they went heads up with MS and they still exist, they are actually stronger than ever.

Duncan

My virtualisation blog:

If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".

[Dandan712]

Look at that information released yesterday: Microsoft is just begining the fight with vmware.

To my mind , MS will release time after time all advanced features ( HA, DRS like etc ) for free....

http://www.virtualization.info/2008/09/hyper-v-included-in-windows-server-2008.html?hl

Hyper-V included in Windows Server 2008 R2 will have live migration

Monday, September 08, 2008 | 10 Comments | addthis

As well known, the first version of Hyper-V lacks a key capability for many (all?) enterprise customers: the virtual machines live migration.

In an attempt to address the complains from its user base and the critics from VMware, Microsoft announced today that the next version of its hypervisor, included with Windows Server 2008 R2, will have that feature.

The new version of the OS anyway is expected no earlier than 2010 according to ZDNet.

Microsoft will show this feature today during its launch webcast at 9am PDT.

[COS]

Microsoft needs to get rid of that BIG FAT memory and disk footprint. Until then, their product is only good for R&D purposes. That's jus my opinion.

But don't write them off, remember Netscape? Word Perfect? Oracle is also one of those companies whos profits went down with MS product release of SQL.

As an IT nerd just remember, change is your way of life, just ADAPT!