I have been doing some reading, according to what I found the embedded database is DB2. but the appliance does NOT support external SQL / DB2 database only Oracle 10/11G are allowed.
That's not a problem, but if you want to use the embedded DB2 database (I assume this isn't the same as IBM DB2??!?) be aware that you may see people incorrectly show the support as 5 hosts / 50 VM's.
PG. 43, vCenter host / management guide (VM Ware documentation page):
embedded -
Use the embedded database. This option is available only for a small
inventory size, with fewer than 100 hosts and 1000 virtual machines.
`
Which implies you CAN use it for 100 hosts.. I know VM ware discourages embedded databases in the past, but this *IS* Linux, not the same as Windows (there are architectural differences I won't get into) so theorhetically.. this should be OK (embedded / internal DB) to use going forward. I guess someone will have to stress test it to see what it will do.
I like the appliance for one main reason, SPEED. The appliance configured as is with no changes, using embedded in our environment and hosting the VM on the SAN is significantly faster than vCenter running on physical hardare. It's a LOT faster. A LOT.
That's why I want to push to use Linux Appliance than installing vCenter (again). I know it won't be any better. Not blaming Windows, actually the opposite, because we have MANY apps that run great on Windows, I prefer Windows, but whoever wrote vCenter (.NET version) is shall we say.. lacking in fundamental programming techniques.
Anyway, I am only posting this so we can avoid miscommunication that seems to impeded installs...
