Item: VMware ESXi
Rating: 7
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

VMware ESXi is the virtualization platform we use for all of our virtual machines on site. It allows us to have two data centers, separated by microwave backhaul, that share systems between themselves.

Pros and Cons

Quick rollout of new VMs through templates
Advanced networking capabilities
Easy migration of virtual machines to new compute and storage

Easier upgrade process
Less expensive options for mid-tier organizations (Essentials is too small)

Return on Investment

We were able to consolidate two data centers to one without losing service
Zero impactful downtime while still being able to update the hypervisors
Easy to complete backups while systems are online

Alternatives Considered

Hyper-V

I haven't had confidence in Hyper-V since they had issues with hosts losing access to storage in a cluster. I understand that issue is resolved now but it's difficult to build trust in a product when you have been impacted by downtime in the past.

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

Veeam Backup & Replication, TrueNAS, Windows Server

Likelihood to Recommend

VMware ESXi is well suited for any on-premises virtualization environment. It's particularly useful for small sites that can utilize the essentials package. The price goes up substantially per host when you go over three machines. Even with the difference in cost, it's still the best platform for virtualization at this size.

VMware ESXi--the best option for small and mid-size data centers

Overall Satisfaction with VMware ESXi