Item: VMware ESXi
Rating: 9
Author: Rodney Barnhardt

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

VMware ESXi is the product that hosts the majority of our virtual server environment. There are several environments set up at several different locations. Managing the environments is easy through the use of vCenter. Having the ability to quickly adjust the needed resources of each virtual machine, provides us the ability to address performance problems as they arise. It does not matter if the system needs an increase in memory, CPU, or disk space, the changes or new resources can be added in a matter of minutes.

Pros and Cons

Allows quick and easy cloning and customization of new systems.
Provides the ability to move or transfer virtual machines between environments.

Upgrades could be made easier or more automated.
Prefer a thick client back. The web one still seems buggy at times.

Return on Investment

Provides ease of deployment and management.
Requires very little continuous work or administration once deployed.

Alternatives Considered

From a management perspective, I find VMware ESXi easier to organize the environment, maneuver through each section, provide role-based access control, and modify each virtual machine. For me, the key feature is the ability to right-click on each individual VM and make the necessary changes. With some of the other products, it is too much work to move the mouse around, scroll down, page over, and other things that can take time when I am in a hurry.

Support Rating

While customer support is good, there can be a longer wait time to get a response from support than I like. This does seem to be improving over the past year or so. I have not had to contact support in the last 6 months, so it may be even better now. However, in the past, it may be a day or more before I would get contacted. Even then, they may email or call after I had left the office. O one ticket I made a note that if I did not answer my desk, call my mobile number. However, they just left a message on my desk VM and never tried my mobile number.

Key Insights

Do you think VMware ESXi delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with VMware ESXi's feature set?

Yes

Did VMware ESXi live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of VMware ESXi go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy VMware ESXi again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Varonis Data Security Platform, Turbonomic (formerly VMTurbo), Proofpoint Email Protection

Likelihood to Recommend

Having used or worked with the major hypervisors, my preference is still VMware ESXi over the other products. One of the key features it has that make the management of virtual machine so easy is the ability to right-click on a system to perform numerous tasks on it. Also, the ability to structure the environment all in one view, not only simplifies moving around between environments, but providing role-based access control as needed is very beneficial from a security standpoint.

VMware ESXi is a Solid Product for the Enterprise Infrastructure

Overall Satisfaction with VMware ESXi