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VMware Site Recovery (DRaaS) vs. VMware vSphere vs. XenServer

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    VMware Site Recovery (DRaaS)

    Score10 out of 10
    N/AVMware offers Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) via the VMware Site Recovery DRaaS for on-premise workloads or AWS, VMware Cloud Disaster Recovery on-demand DRaaS delivered as a SaaS solution, or Cloud Provider Disaster Recovery Solutions DRaaS offerd through accredited VMware partners.N/A

    VMware vSphere

    Score8 out of 10
    N/AAn enterprise workload platform, vSphere is used to improve the performance for a data center. It is used to boost operational efficiency, supercharge workload performance, and accelerate innovation.

    $995

    per year

    XenServer

    Score8.1 out of 10
    N/AXenServer (formerly Citrix Hypervisor) is a virtualization management platform optimized for application, desktop and server virtualization infrastructures.N/A
    Pricing
    VMware Site Recovery (DRaaS)VMware vSphereXenServer
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    Standard
    $995.00
    per year
    Enterprise
    $3,995.00
    per year
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    VMware Site Recovery (DRaaS)VMware vSphereXenServer
    Free Trial
    NoNoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details———
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    VMware Site Recovery (DRaaS)VMware vSphereXenServer
    Considered Multiple Products
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answer on this topic
    VMware by Broadcom
    Chose VMware vSphere
    Hyperv is great for limited vm build out, low cost companies, and limited in size organizations. Microsoft has a great product but its just not a robust and scalable as vsphere is. Citrix's platform is great for simple virtualization needs and for special 3D graphics …
    Incentivized
    Chose VMware vSphere
    vSphere is superior to any other on-premises hypervisor that I've personally used or heard about. vSphere is the de facto industry standard, receives substantially more partner support and investment, and benefits from a significantly longer maturation period than other …
    Incentivized
    Chose VMware vSphere
    There's no comparison, VMWare is the market leader. It's pricey, but its feature set is years ahead of the competition. In particular, the ability to manage a large fleet of servers across multiple sites through a single pane of glass is great!
    Incentivized
    Chose VMware vSphere
    We have a very small environment of Xenserver.
    Incentivized
    Chose VMware vSphere
    We started testing our virtual infrastructure back 9 years ago we test XenServer but it was too complicated for us. When we tested vSphere from Vmware, It just worked, all we had to do was click. At the time, we were looking to have a virtualized video security server and …
    Incentivized
    Chose VMware vSphere
    vSphere is much easier to use for a larger enterprise and also is easier to set up than Hyper-V. XenServer is simply not popular so while not a bad choice it is not the best because so little will be available for it. I cannot speak to the latest versions of Citrix since I …
    Incentivized
    Chose VMware vSphere
    vSphere is much more feature rich and managing multiple vSphere host servers of clusters of servers is made simple.
    Incentivized
    Chose VMware vSphere
    vSphere is superior to both XenServer and the Microsoft counterparts because of the great support and community that surrounds and helps support vSphere and the ease of use. Also the product updates and security patches that come out for vSphere are regular and fast and always …
    Incentivized
    Chose VMware vSphere
    vSphere is the most mature and reliable hypervisor I've used. The feature set is not topped in my experience.
    Incentivized
    Cloud Software Group
    Chose XenServer
    In the scheme of the real world, Citrix Hypervisor is used much less than the other two main competing products; MS Hyper-V and VMWare vSphere. So, choosing Citrix Hypervisor for your organization comes down to whether you are comfortable going with a lesser-used product. All …
    Incentivized
    Chose XenServer
    I used vSphere (and vCenter server), Hyper-V, and XenServer to teach a virtualization class. vSphere is certainly the leader among these three, and Hyper-V is second (but not far behind). XenServer is third, which lacks many advanced features provided by vSphere and Hyper-V.
    Incentivized
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    No answers on this topic
    97%
    Would buy again
    30 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    No answers on this topic
    97%
    Delivers good value for the price
    30 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    No answers on this topic
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    31 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    No answers on this topic
    96%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    25 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    No answers on this topic
    96%
    Implementation went as expected
    26 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Features
    VMware Site Recovery (DRaaS)VMware vSphereXenServer
    Server Virtualization
    Comparison of Server Virtualization features of VMware Site Recovery (DRaaS) and VMware vSphere and XenServer
    Feature
    VMware Site Recovery (DRaaS)
    -
    Ratings
    VMware vSphere
    7.2
    67 Ratings
    11% below category average
    XenServer
    7.6
    12 Ratings
    6% below category average
    Virtual machine automated provisioning00 Ratings7.062 Ratings7.011 Ratings
    Management console00 Ratings7.067 Ratings7.012 Ratings
    Live virtual machine backup00 Ratings6.060 Ratings8.010 Ratings
    Live virtual machine migration00 Ratings8.065 Ratings8.012 Ratings
    Hypervisor-level security00 Ratings8.062 Ratings8.011 Ratings
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    VMware Site Recovery (DRaaS)VMware vSphereXenServer
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    Proxmox VE
    Score9.2 out of 10
    Proxmox VE
    Score9.2 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    No answers on this topic
    VMware vSOM (discontinued)
    Score10 out of 10
    VMware vSOM (discontinued)
    Score10 out of 10
    Enterprises
    No answers on this topic
    IBM PowerVM
    Score9.7 out of 10
    IBM PowerVM
    Score9.7 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    VMware Site Recovery (DRaaS)VMware vSphereXenServer
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    7.0
    (70 ratings)
    7.0
    (12 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    -
    (0 ratings)
    7.0
    (7 ratings)
    10.0
    (3 ratings)
    Usability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.0
    (11 ratings)
    7.0
    (3 ratings)
    Availability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    5.5
    (1 ratings)
    Performance
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    Support Rating
    7.0
    (1 ratings)
    8.0
    (25 ratings)
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    2.7
    (1 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    Configurability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    5.5
    (1 ratings)
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.4
    (5 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    5.5
    (1 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    Professional Services
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.7
    (3 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    VMware Site Recovery (DRaaS)VMware vSphereXenServer
    Likelihood to Recommend
    VMware by Broadcom
    VMware Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery tools are well suited for customers who are heavily integrated with vSphere and VMs for their on-premises data centers today. VMware Cloud on AWS is great for customers who do not have DR sites and want to leverage the public cloud to build a DR site on demand quickly.
    Incentivized
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    VMware by Broadcom
    vSphere is well suited for multiple VMWare hosts and can be very useful in larger enterprises where vMotion is used to load balance and failover running virtual machines. In smaller businesses with one or two hosts then the features can be overkill. The addition of virtual TPM support is a very nice addition to provide vm security in a more Microsoft supported methodology.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cloud Software Group
    It can be really helpful & useful if we are using Citrix Hypervisor with other provisioning tools. Here are some specific scenarios where Citrix Hypervisor (formerly Citrix XenServer) is well-suited: Server Consolidation, Virtual Desktops, Disaster Recovery, Development & Testing Environments. On the other hand, there are some scenarios where Citrix Hypervisor may be less appropriate: Small-scale Deployments, Highly Heterogeneous Environments, and Limited Virtualization Requirements.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    VMware by Broadcom
    • Integration with VMware environments
    • Simple to use for current VMware admins
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    VMware by Broadcom
    • vMotion that provides seamless movement of Virtual Machines between physical hosts and datastores.
    • Ease of Manage: vCenter provides very good management experience to the users.
    • It provides hassle free upgrade of versions, which requires good planning.
    • Easy to manage datastore, networks, CPU and memory resources.
    • It also allows to convert the physical machine and bring it to vSphere Environment with minimum effort.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cloud Software Group
    • Citrix hypervisor does price very well for small organizations. It is free.
    • Since this product is open source it does not have any type of vendor lockdown issues.
    • Allows live migration of VM's so you can keep systems up and running when changes are needed to the hardware in the background.
    • The GUI management tools are quite easy to learn.
    • Has Snapshot capability which is a great way to protect against malware as well as do risk-free upgrades.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    VMware by Broadcom
    • vSphere replication not as feature rich as storage replication
    • Third party software necessary if looking into public cloud
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    VMware by Broadcom
    • Allow enable EVC without requiring host shutdown
    • More detail in recent tasks. Instead of just showing a task called "Reconfigure virtual machine" also have a link to more detailed information as to what was reconfigured, changed or removed.
    • Allow searching tasks or events
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cloud Software Group
    • Adding or presenting additional storage to the host can often be a task that is far more involved than competitive products.
    • The product can require reboots more frequently than competitors due to the DOM kernel getting "hung up".
    • Sometimes when a virtual machine is deleted it still leaves behind orphaned vdisks.
    • Recovering from the loss of a host can sometimes cause virtual machines to require lengthy command prompt scripting to fix so they can be powered back on from another host.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    VMware by Broadcom
    We are constantly looking for change that will benefit our company. We are not ones to stick with a product simply because it is what we know, but rather looking for what fits us best. We can't imagine another product on the market today doing a better job of handling our infrastructure than vSphere.
    Read full review
    Cloud Software Group
    With the knowledge and usage of solutions from VMware and Microsoft offering more compelling cloud integrated options it makes it more compelling in many environments which I consult. XenServer is a good product and fits the bill in many smaller environments but as clients look to the cloud or a hybrid cloud it can in some cases make it a bit more difficult.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    VMware by Broadcom
    Very useful for environments where space and energy consumption are issues and management is not very keen on upfront spending on hardware every time whenever requirement comes from any dept for provisioning a machine for their occasional use, easily can be done in case of VMware vSphere in few clicks. Backup, security, monitoring and management everything is covered but at additional cost.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cloud Software Group
    XenServer is a good product in its use and probably free if you have the right Citrix licenses already. However, it does require specific knowledge to manage, which makes it harder to manage if you don't have that knowledge in house.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    Cloud Software Group
    It's been a little problematic in the past at larger VDI deployments requiring a bit more care and feeding than other vendors. But the latest releases (6.5.x) have brought about huge improvements in the stability and availability.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Performance
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    Cloud Software Group
    When running like a top XenServer is a fantastic hypervisor. There is relatively low overhead on the Dom0 so workloads get the most of the resources.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    VMware by Broadcom
    VMware support is typically outstanding, of course, they have multiple departments, and you need to work with the specific teams to get advanced support for things specific to VMware Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery. In contrast, other companies that deal directly with that technology may be more responsive to those specifics. Typically VMware is excellent and helpful in critical outages. For smaller to medium issues, it can take some time to get addressed appropriately.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    VMware by Broadcom
    I rarely ever have to contact support and when I do need to resolve an issue, there is always an abundance of kb articles and research information available that can help quickly resolve the issue. Depending on the type of support contract you have, you may get support from some offshore group in another country and this could be a little challenging because of the language barrier.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cloud Software Group
    The staff I've worked with are very knowledgeable or able to get a very well articulated and capable support team member on the phone or helping them if necessary and they always want to ensure the best experience possible for you on the platform. The ability for the support team to reach out to hardware vendors for assistance is a nice plus too.
    Incentivized
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    In-Person Training
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    Cloud Software Group
    Part of a training for certification to become a trainer for Citrix included an in-person training with a Master CCI. The XenServer training at this time was pretty simplified due to the product primarily being installed however you did have to work with it and mildly configure the system.
    Incentivized
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    Online Training
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    Cloud Software Group
    Haven't given it a real go with any online training however there are some options out there. I have taught a course following Citrix material for XenDesktop which leverages XenServer and it is pre-built so not the best for XenServer specifically for installation but configuration is mildly touched on
    Incentivized
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    Implementation Rating
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    VMware by Broadcom
    Just make sure that when you implement, that the person implementing truly knows what they are doing and has a plan of action coming in. Since our initial implementation using a consulting service, I have implemented a few vSphere just from what I learned at the initial implementation and use over time, and the person implementing really needs to know what they are doing or you will miss out on features that may help you down the line
    Read full review
    Cloud Software Group
    Ensure you review the HCL (hardware compatibility list) and reach out to the hardware vendors to ensure they support the platform and in case they have documentation that can be followed for the implementation. Also ensure the prerequisites are completed prior to implementation so that as few unexpected delays occur as you can control.
    Incentivized
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    Alternatives Considered
    VMware by Broadcom
    VMware is software and typically hardware agnostic, this does require extra design and consideration versus putting in backup appliances. Some other solutions are a software as well and can be layered on top of vSphere to enhance existing environments. We need to weigh the benefits of licensing versus software costs and the management cost of having multiple tools.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    VMware by Broadcom
    vSphere has a lot more feature sets than Hyper-V but at a much higher cost of entry versus MS Hyper-V. I have not been able to play with Hyper-V as much as I would have liked, but the setup and ongoing maintenance seems to be easier in vSphere than with Hyper-V
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    Feature for feature they are neck and neck. I have used Hyper-V 2012 and 2016, VMware ESXi and XenServer evenly. XenServer is a fast install, good documentation, with enterprise features out the box that compare or exceed what VMWare offered with a higher cost of entry.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Contract Terms and Pricing Model
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    VMware by Broadcom
    The contract terms are very clear and can be updated as per the project requirement. Customer support is also included in the contract which help us to troubleshoot critical issues very easily. Training included in contract will really help the client team to empower and hands-on on the latest updates and enhancements
    Read full review
    Cloud Software Group
    No answers on this topic
    Scalability
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    Cloud Software Group
    The servers latest versions have made massive improvements to scalability. But from past experience there have been issues when running workloads for extended periods of time without reboot on the hosts. I would need to run similar workloads on the 6.5 release which has changed much of the bottlenecks or issues so I'd imagine its far more capable now, Perhaps able to stand near the best in the market.
    Incentivized
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    Professional Services
    VMware by Broadcom
    No answers on this topic
    VMware by Broadcom
    As I said earlier, they're always ready to understand our issues and propose the best and most appropriate solution for issues all the time. The security patches solution is accordingly to the business needs. Another scenario is their Knowledge Base where
    they're many articles that help you in order to solve something which
    is wrong.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cloud Software Group
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    VMware by Broadcom
    • Requires running vSphere at target DR sites
    • Potential licensing cost for cold/standby locations
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    VMware by Broadcom
    • Having vSphere helped my business quickly recover from a ransomware attack which would have crippled us for weeks if we were not virtualized. I think the ROI on something like that is immeasurable.
    • vSphere has allowed my company to purchase bigger server hardware to host 3 or 4 virtual servers, which was at a cost much lower than buying 3 or 4 server hardware boxes, saving us thousands each time we need to upgrade hardware.
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    • Xenserver is easy to learn. We paid for support only for installation and deployment in the first three years, and now our team has the knowledge to solve most problems.
    • Low CAPEX if you have a team that uses open source software day by day.
    • But paid support is necessary to solve critical problems. The open source community is not enough. Actually, we have difficulty solving some bugs without paying for support.
    • Medium OPEX if you have a team that uses open source software day by day.
    Incentivized
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