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VMware ESXi

VMware ESXi

Overview

What is VMware ESXi?

A bare-metal hypervisor that installs directly onto a physical server. With direct access to and control of underlying resources, VMware ESXi partitions hardware to consolidate applications and cut costs.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Powerful Tool for Managing VMs: Users consistently praise VMware ESXi as a powerful tool for managing a large number of virtual machines, …
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TrustRadius Insights
TrustRadius Insights

VMware ESXI

8 out of 10
April 07, 2022
VMware Esxi is very good product. Which helps people to virtualize the environment or data center. I am using Exsi for last 5 years. …
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A class above the rest

10 out of 10
April 04, 2022
Incentivized
We use ESXi in our organization for our virtualized workloads. ESXi provides a solution for growing organizations that have way too much …
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Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Popular Features

View all 5 features
  • Live virtual machine migration (115)
    9.3
    93%
  • Management console (127)
    8.8
    88%
  • Virtual machine automated provisioning (115)
    8.5
    85%
  • Hypervisor-level security (116)
    8.3
    83%

Reviewer Pros & Cons

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Pricing

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VMware ESXi

VMware ESXi

N/A
Unavailable

What is VMware ESXi?

A bare-metal hypervisor that installs directly onto a physical server. With direct access to and control of underlying resources, VMware ESXi partitions hardware to consolidate applications and cut costs.

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

Would you like us to let the vendor know that you want pricing?

269 people also want pricing

Alternatives Pricing

VMware vSphere

VMware vSphere

$995
per year
What is VMware vSphere?

An 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.

Hyper-V

Hyper-V

$24.95
per month

Sorry, this product's description is unavailable

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Product Demos

VMware ESXi 5.1 Install & Configure In Oracle Virtual Box

YouTube
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Features

Server Virtualization

Server virtualization allows multiple operating systems to be run completely independently on a single server

8.7
Avg 8.3
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Product Details

What is VMware ESXi?

A bare-metal hypervisor that installs directly onto a physical server. With direct access to and control of underlying resources, VMware ESXi partitions hardware to consolidate applications and cut costs.

ESXi is used to:

  • Consolidate hardware for higher capacity utilization.
  • Increase performance for a competitive edge.
  • Streamline IT administration through centralized management.
  • Reduce CapEx and OpEx.
  • Minimize hardware resources needed to run the hypervisor, boosting efficiency.

VMware ESXi Integrations

VMware ESXi Technical Details

Deployment TypesSoftware as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

A bare-metal hypervisor that installs directly onto a physical server. With direct access to and control of underlying resources, VMware ESXi partitions hardware to consolidate applications and cut costs.

Reviewers rate Live virtual machine migration highest, with a score of 9.3.

The most common users of VMware ESXi are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(806)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Powerful Tool for Managing VMs: Users consistently praise VMware ESXi as a powerful tool for managing a large number of virtual machines, with easy management of individual VM settings and configurations. Several reviewers have highlighted this aspect, emphasizing how it simplifies their virtualization workflows and enhances overall efficiency.

Cost Reduction Benefits: Many users appreciate the cost reduction benefits offered by VMware ESXi. It minimizes the need for physical servers and reduces storage footprint, resulting in electricity savings. This advantage has been mentioned by a significant number of reviewers, highlighting the financial value that VMware ESXi brings to their organizations.

Support for Various Operating Systems: The support for various operating systems, including Windows and Unix, is considered a significant advantage by users. This feature enables them to host a wide range of applications on VMware ESXi. Multiple reviewers have specifically mentioned this pro, appreciating the flexibility it provides in terms of application deployment and compatibility.

Confusing User Interface: Many users have expressed frustration with the confusing and non-intuitive user interface of VMware ESXi. This has made it challenging for them to perform tasks efficiently, causing unnecessary delays and difficulties in managing their virtual environments.

Stability Issues: Several users have encountered stability issues with VMware ESXi's hypervisor. These issues have resulted in instances of corruption, leading to the need for reinstallations. The instability not only disrupts operations but also poses potential risks to data integrity and system reliability.

High Pricing and Complexity: The pricing of VMware products is often considered a barrier, particularly for smaller businesses. Many users find the deployment process complex and excessive for their needs, requiring significant time and resources to set up properly. This can be overwhelming, especially for organizations with limited IT expertise or budget constraints.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-25 of 54)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
April 26, 2022

VMware ESXi still the best

TS
Terry Schultz
IT Consultant
Makiska Media (Internet, 1-10 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
10
For the few times I had to contact support, they were quick to respond and immensely helpful. They are consistent in ensuring you have the support you require, and the solution is working even after the problem is resolved. They are willing to support over email, phone and will do video chats to ensure you are supported.
March 24, 2022

VMware ESXi - The Gold Standard in Hypervisors

M. Randy Harris, Jr. | TrustRadius Reviewer
M. Randy Harris, Jr.
Virtualization Engineer
Collin College (Higher Education, 1001-5000 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
9
VMware ESXi support technicians are very knowledgeable and highly skilled. They work with the end-user to resolve any issues until the user is satisfied that the issue has been resolved. They are excellent at following up until resolution.
March 23, 2022

ESXi has been a staple in our data center for a long time.

KP
Kurt Pritchett
Senior System Administrator
CLAYTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (Education Management, 5001-10,000 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
9
Just about every time I have used VMWare support they have been very knowledgeable and were able to fix my issue right away. I've only had a couple of times where I had to get my problem escalated to another higher-level engineer. At the end of the day, they were always able to fix any problem I had.
March 20, 2020

VMWare ESXi is still the king of Hypervisors

Tim Enders | TrustRadius Reviewer
Tim Enders
Senior Systems Engineer
Loyola University Maryland (Higher Education, 1001-5000 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
10
VMWare support has always been quite excellent over the years. They are generally prompt to respond, and when they do, their support engineers are knowledgeable and are usually able to resolve our problems quite quickly. On several occasions, they have gone above and beyond to make themselves available in off-hours to assist us.
March 06, 2020

ESXi is great.

Verified User
Administrator in Information Technology
Mechanical Or Industrial Engineering Company, 51-200 employees
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
10
VMware has always been great with support for their products. The few minor problems we've had with ESXi, they were able to help quickly and without issue. Every person we've talked to is very knowledgeable in the products they offer.
February 21, 2020

Behold The Power Of VMware ESXi

Verified User
Engineer in Information Technology
Hospital & Health Care Company, 501-1000 employees
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
10
VMware support has never failed me. I've had to call a few times over the years. Emergency support comes fast. There are vmware support engineers spread out across the country. Sometimes I've gotten folks who are in another country but I know what they're saying. They are competent. They are all very knowledgeable and get you up and running again quickly.
February 20, 2020

De facto Virtualization Standard

Verified User
Engineer in Information Technology
Gambling & Casinos Company, 501-1000 employees
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
10
I can't say enough good about VMware's support team. To an individual they take ownership of the case, provide thorough answers, and follow up regularly. On one occasion, a problem we experienced with NSX Endpoint was escalated to development for a permanent resolution after a workaround was found. In my experience, most companies would have tried to find a way to close a case like that instead of taking it all the way. Most importantly, when production is down and every second counts, they VMware teams understand that urgency and treat your issue as if it were the only one they had to deal with. You can't ask for better.
January 23, 2020

Highly recommended

Verified User
Engineer in Information Technology
Aviation & Aerospace Company, 501-1000 employees
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
10
On the odd occasion when support has been needed, I can typically find whatever answers I need on the help documentation online, or in related forums quite quickly. I don't recall ever having to contact the VMWare support team directly for an issue with my VMWare ESXi hosts; I've always been able to find the solution online.
January 19, 2020

ESXi is the best in class hypervisor and VM platform

Chris Saenz | TrustRadius Reviewer
Chris Saenz
Lead System Engineer
Azusa Pacific University (Higher Education, 1001-5000 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
9
On several urgent issues, VMware support has been fast and effective at resolving problems impacting key production services. Their developers are always introducing new features and functionality and making ESXi more and more valuable to their customers. Upgrades have been fairly easy and straightforward, and compatibility with various hardware versions and ESXi versions has been effective.
January 17, 2020

VMware ESXi for K12 Schools

BB
Branden Beachy
Network System Administrator
Goshen Community Schools (Primary/Secondary Education, 1001-5000 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
8
We never really have a problem getting support - they have always responded in the time constraints for the level of service we are paying for. We occasionally get a representative who has an accent thick enough to cause some slight communication difficulties, but we are always able to get the help we need, one way or another.
January 17, 2020

VMware ESXi - Beyond Virtualization

Verified User
Professional in Information Technology
Government Administration Company, 501-1000 employees
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
10
The best part of their support, you can call them or submit a ticket and their team of experts will call back and help you out to resolve any issues that might occur with VMware ESXi. They have also implemented Customer Advocacy which works directly with VMware’s leadership to address improvement opportunities in the areas most critical to our customers and partners.
January 17, 2020

ESXi is the gold standard for business virtualization

Ashley Davis | TrustRadius Reviewer
Ashley Davis
Self-employed
Airside Networks (Information Technology and Services, 1-10 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
8
There's little negative to say about VMware support. Generally speaking, no working knowledge of ESXi is required when working with a support tech, they can handle resolving almost any request from start to finish as long as you have the ability to log into the web client.
January 17, 2020

Well worth the investment

Karen Thompson | TrustRadius Reviewer
Karen Thompson
Systems Analyst
Mid-sized company in the Mid-Atlantic (Automotive, 501-1000 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
9
VMware has great support. Most of the time when I call, it is an emergency. At the time, when I open a ticket and a technician has to call me back, I think it is just too long of a wait. In reality, it's not that bad. They have always been able to help me resolve my issues, even when it involves a third-party product like backups or the server OS. For me, support is a major factor when choosing a product. VMware support has been great for me, especially in the beginning when I didn't understand everything about the product.
January 17, 2020

ESXi will save your employees time

DT
David Thornton, CISSP
Security Engineering Manager
Blue Canopy / Jacobs Engineering (Financial Services, 5001-10,000 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
9
We had a case this week with our hosts and storage vendor -- with no prompting, the two began working behind the scenes on troubleshooting the root cause of the issue -- without our asking them to work together. That is rare; most of the time vendors point at the other vendor and say "good luck."
January 16, 2020

VMware ESXi is a must for every IT department

KM
Kenny McGarrity
IT Infrastructure Manager
Pace Supply (Wholesale, 1001-5000 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
10
On the rare instance that I've had to call into VMware's support, they have gotten down to the bottom of the issue I was having. If you pick any random outsourced IT support department, chances are you will find an expert in VMware ESXi. There are tons of blogs and support sites on the internet that will help you out in case you run into an issue.
January 15, 2020

ESXi is even for small business

Verified User
Engineer in Information Technology
Government Administration Company, 201-500 employees
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
9
They are probably the best I ever had to deal with. Their online resources are also quite robust, and since their market share is extensive, you are usually going to find someone who has come across the same problem as you. Their documentation is probably the best in the industry and we have never had a negative experience.
January 14, 2020

Leveraging computing, storage and memory resources to the max with VMware ESXi

Stefan Semo | TrustRadius Reviewer
Stefan Semo
Director of IT Infrastructure, Security & Compliance and Customer Service
Success Academy Charter Schools (Education Management, 201-500 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
9
VMware ESXi support is very responsive in my experience and very knowledgeable. They are willing to remotely access a management system and troubleshoot live, which saves a lot of time. They have great flow-through for cases and a great SLA for response times. Always received outstanding support, and the engineers are very familiar with the product. Finally, escalation to a higher level engineer is very easy and frustration free.
January 14, 2020

VMware ESXi is the top virtualization solution available

Ben Moore | TrustRadius Reviewer
Ben Moore
Lead Systems Engineer
Preferred Mutual (Insurance, 201-500 employees)
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
5
Over the past few years, this is one area where VMware has started to fall short. VMware used to have top-notch (fast response times, very knowledgeable engineers). Recently, response times have suffered greatly, and first-level support engineers seem to be simply searching and reading the same knowledge-base articles that are publicly available.
January 14, 2020

ESXi, a great product in the right environments!

Kyle Reyes | TrustRadius Reviewer
Kyle Reyes
Senior Systems Administrator
HNI Corporation (Business Supplies & Equipment, 10,001+ employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
10
For any situation that has risen wherein I had the need to contact VMWare support, it has always been a great experience. The timeliness in replies, the level of the technicians knowledge, and the communication is without question some of the best in the business. This is by far one of the determining factors in continuing with ESXi, as well as a talking point when recommending to others.
January 13, 2020

Must Needed Hypervisor Solution for all Data Center Administrators

Brian Munn | TrustRadius Reviewer
Brian Munn
Network Services Manager
M. J. Electric, LLC (Construction, 1001-5000 employees)
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
9
VMware ESXi is a reliable product and does not typically require a lot of support, but if you do VMware ESXi support team is very knowledgeable and quick to respond once a case is open. They will work with you from start to finish and provide detailed explanations of the issue and resolutions.
January 12, 2020

VMware ESXi for everyone!

Verified User
Consultant in Information Technology
Telecommunications Company, 201-500 employees
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
10
VMware TAC (Technical Assistance Case) is amazing. They are quick to reach out after a case is made, and will work diligently with you to resolve your issue. I have yet to have a case that I, or a client of mine, have made that VMware support was unable to resolve within 24 hours. Most cases that are made with them are solved much quicker, with a realistic timeline of 1-4 hours being typical.
January 10, 2020

VMware is the bomb

Verified User
Professional in Information Technology
Financial Services Company, 201-500 employees
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Support Rating
8
Support is typically quick to respond to an issue. Support technicians are generally knowledgeable about the product and can resolve issues promptly. I have not ever had an issue that support was not able to resolve. The support system is well managed.
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