Trying to get a better understanding of ESXi, the different versions of it, how to manage virtual machines that run on ESXi, and what is free and what isn't. I'm having a hard time getting an exact answer from any of the documents I see online. I would like to get a better understanding before I get too much further in evaluating these products. It looks like to me that VMWare is giving away ESXi but is looking to charge for the tools to manage it, such as vSphere which in itself has 4 different versions. So...
Is ESXi v3.5 free?
Is ESXi v4 free?
What tools can you create and manage VMs on ESXi v3.5?
Which of these tools to manage ESXi v3.5 are free?
What tools can you create and manage VMs on ESXi v4?
Which of these tools to manage ESXi v4 are free?
Thank you,
Dave
Even though ESXi is free you still need to register it and obtain a license code - other wise it will run in evaluation mode for 60 days - and at the end of the 60 days you will not be able to manage the host
If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer correct or helpful
Is ESXi v3.5 free?
Yes
Is ESXi v4 free?
Yes
What tools can you create and manage VMs on ESXi v3.5?
VIClient, RCLI
Which of these tools to manage ESXi v3.5 are free?
Both
What tools can you create and manage VMs on ESXi v4?
see above
Which of these tools to manage ESXi v4 are free?
Both
Kind Regards,
Gerrit Lehr
If you found this or other information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful".
Welcome to the Forums - Gerrit has nailed it on the head ESXi is free in both the VI-3 and vSphere versions - it is when want to centrally manage your ESXi servers with vCenter or want to do things like vMotion, VMware DRS and VMware HA that you will have to spend money
If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer correct or helpful
Thanks for you quick reply! Some follow up questions if I may.
When I connect to a ESXi v4 server via http:// the only mgmt tool that looks to be available is the vSphere client. I do not see any option for a VIClient. If I try to run a VIClient that I've downloaded and installed from an ESXi v3.5 server, it tries to upgrade it to vSphere. Is there a trick to getting the VIClient to work with a ESXi v4 server? vSphere looks to be a tool you have to pay for.
The RCLI looks to be command line only. I'd want a GUI to work with.
you can't manage a ESXi4 Host with a VI3 client, you need to download and install the vSphere Client.
Point your favorite web browser to the IP of your ESXi host to get the client.
I am also getting a warning from the vSphere client that I
downloaded from my ESXi v4 server saying that the license will expire
in XX days and that I must upgrade to an ESX host license or I won't be
able to manage my virtual machines.
Maybe I'm missing something here?
when you registered and downloaded ESXi, you should have been given a key. That key needs to be added in. Go to the configuration tab, Licensed Features, edit
Even though ESXi is free you still need to register it and obtain a license code - other wise it will run in evaluation mode for 60 days - and at the end of the 60 days you will not be able to manage the host
If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer correct or helpful
OK, thank you to all. Think I got it now. The "license expiring" warning was a bit confusing as I couldn't figure out what was actually expiring from the message, especially since ESXi was suppose to be free. I thought at first is was the vSphere software to manage my ESXi server that was saying it was expiring. Off to the races now with ESXi!
:smileygrin:
Tell me about it, I personally think VMWARE website is the most confusing website on this planet and also on mars may be..
RJ
May be we all live virtual lives..
