Usability of ESXi w/o VI License

[GRSvcs]

I have a client that runs a very small shop with 8 low-end (four 3GB IBM X346 and four 1GB IBM Netfinity) servers for 30 users. The Netfinity servers need to be retired but there's barely budget enough this year to buy one new, robust server. I'd like to know if it's feasible to run only the free ESXi product as an on-ramp (which I suppose is why it's free) to a more robust VMWare implementation next year. I don't have a server available to load and play with ESXi just yet and from reading the docs it's hard to tell if ESXi is actually usable in a small production environment such as I've described without a VI license.

[mcowger]

Totally useable - you just lose the advanced features.

--Matt

VCP, vExpert, Unix Geek

[AntonVZhbankov]

ESXi is perfectly usable for server consolidation with free license.

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VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[GRSvcs]

If the RCLI is "read-only", how are VMs be started & stopped? I suppose this is an RTFM issue. Can you point me to the right doc to read?

Also, while not supported is it possible to run ESXi on a simple PC w/SATA or IDE drives just to learn how we might use it?

[AntonVZhbankov]

VI Client can be still used to start and stop VMs

---

VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[mcowger]

The API is read only, but you have full functionality with the Windows Client software

[GRSvcs]

I do appreciate the responses but these one-liners only bring up more questions. When you say the VI Client can still be used to start/stop VMs, is there a free VI Client version?

This would be so much simpler if I could actually run ESXi on a PC to demo.

[AntonVZhbankov]

VI client is absolutely the same for any license, including free. You just won't even see most of features, but you'll be able to create VMs, start and stop them etc.

---

VMware vExpert '2009

http://blog.vadmin.ru

[mcowger]

Once you install ESXi on a machine (says its hostname is esximachine.local), you would navigate your browser to:

https://esximachine.local/

where you would a find a download for the management software, which is free and the preferred method of interaction with the ESXi osftware.

--Matt

VCP, vExpert, Unix Geek

[GRSvcs]

What functions will I NOT be able to do without a VI license?

[mcowger]

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100654...

--Matt

VCP, vExpert, Unix Geek

[GRSvcs]

Thanks, that helps.