VMware will discontinue the classic Service Console

[tWiZzLeR]

I just saw this article today posted on ntpro.nl which is titled:

"[VMware will discontinue the classic Service Console|http://www.ntpro.nl/blog/archives/1205-VMware-will-discontinue-the-classic-Service-Console.html]".

According to the abstract of the following VMworld 2009 session, VMware will discontinue the classic Service Console-based ESX in the near future.

Session ID: TA4060

Title : The Path to COS-less ESX: Migrating Server Operations from ESX to ESXi

VMware ESXi is the next generation hypervisor architecture from VMware, offering improved reliability, security, and a simplified operational model. Due to the superior nature of ESXi, VMware will discontinue the classic Service Console-based ESX in the near future. If you are a long-time user of ESX and have developed your management procedures around the Service Console, then come to this session to learn how to migrate to a new, improved operational model. We will show how to adapt your process for all aspects of management, including: hardware monitoring, backup, systems management, user management, logging, troubleshooting, and more. You should be able to leave this session armed with the tools necessary to be prepared for the transition to ESXi.

[lamw]

This has been known for sometime as a long term goal, but I don't think it'll happen anytime soon. The remote tools need to get better and faster before we can truly rely on this model and with better troubleshooting tools, until that time, there will always be a build of ESX w/SC.

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William Lam

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

VMware Code Central - Scripts/Sample code for Developers and Administrators

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[java_cat33]

What I've been told by various people at VMware is that version 5.x of ESX will not have a SC.

[s1xth]

I heard the same thing...5.0 and on will be SC-less...

[Formatter]

I sid that the SC would be gone about a year ago, noone believed me then.. But I do believe it will be gone soon.

[lamw]

Yes that is the rumor floating around that it'll "really" be gone this time ....

3.0 was released 3yrs ago

VMware ESX Server 3.0.0

Version: 3.0.0 | 2006/06/15 | Build: 27701

3.5 was not considered a major release but it had significant changes and that was released 2yrs after 3.0

VMware ESX 3.5

Version: 3.5 | 2008/02/20 | Build: 64607

Based off historical information, if we were to see 4.5 it would be ~2yrs and 5.x ~3yrs ... so soon is not anytime soon at least from these assumptions.

I'll believe it when I see it, but I don't think we're there yet ... close but not yet. I imagine this session being focused on how to slowly move to ESXi and with the new features such as Host Profiles in vSphere, it'll make it slightly easier in terms of provisioning but tools are still lacking and speed/performance of the remote tools are subpar. I'm sure will get there, but with vSphere just released I don't think will see such huge release such as an "ESXi" only release with no counterpart with the Service Console.

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William Lam

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

VMware Code Central - Scripts/Sample code for Developers and Administrators

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

[TomHowarth]

As Lanw says VI3 was launched in2006, and 3.5 is considered a minor release, ESX2 was released circa 2003, and vSphere was released in 2009, this infers an approximate 3 year product life cycle. so the service console will be with us until at least 2012 - that is assuming that VMware product lifecycle does not push out to the 4 - 5 year cycle that other software vendor now have.

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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