Build the Foundation of a Responsive Data Center

Create the foundation for the dynamic and automated data center with VMware vSphere 4 - the market leading hypervisor, production-proven at thousands of customers of all sizes. VMware vSphere 4 abstracts server processor, memory, storage and networking resources into multiple virtual machines, forming the robust foundation of the VMware vSphere 4 suite. Since 2001 VMware vSphere 4 has set the standard for highest levels of performance, scalability and reliability.

VMware vSphere 4 is now also available as VMware ESXi 4, offering all the same functionality but with a thin 32 MB footprint that provides unparalleled security and reliability, while integration as server firmware makes deployment fast and easy. VMware ESXi 4 will soon be available integrated in server systems. It is now available for purchase as a standalone hard drive install.

Secure, Simplify & Accelerate Server Virtualization
VMware ESXi 4 is the industry’s first hardware-integrated hypervisor built on a next-generation thin architecture, giving your organization an efficient foundation for building a dynamic, automated data center.

VMware ESXi 4 represents a significant advance in realizing the vision of virtualization as the standard computing platform for x86 servers, further simplifying IT operations through integration with server hardware.

Key Benefits of VMware ESXi 4

Strengthen Security & Improve Reliability
VMware ESXi 4 is the only hypervisor that does not incorporate or rely on a general-purpose operating system (OS), eliminating many common reliability issues and security vulnerabilities. The slim 32MB footprint of VMware ESXi 4 is a fraction of the size of a general-purpose operating system, resulting in a smaller attack surface while minimizing the effort required for tasks such as security hardening, user access control, anti-virus and backup. In addition, integration into solid-state components inside a server enables diskless server configurations. This reduces hardware failure rates and decreases server power consumption.

 
Simplify Management of Hardware Resources & Virtual Machine Hosts
VMware ESXi 4 provides a simplified approach to managing server compute nodes, freeing you from local administrative tasks with a robust set of standards-based management capabilities. In addition to eliminating installation steps and simplifying configuration, VMware ESXi 4 provides agent-free, standards based monitoring of hardware resources through the Common Information Model (CIM). You can also use the integrated remote command line interface (CLI) for storage, network, and host configuration, as well as for maintenance, patches and updates.

Enable Plug-&-Play Capacity Management in the Data Center
With VMware ESXi 4, you can rapidly deploy new servers that are ready to run virtual machines right out of the box. The automatic configuration capabilities in VMware ESXi 4 provide detection, discovery and intelligent-default configuration, with a menu-driven startup experience that enables you to go from booting the server to running virtual machines in a matter of minutes.  Plug your new server into your virtual infrastructure and let DRS automatically manage your new capacity by migrating virtual machines and optimally load balancing your resource pools.

VMware ESXi 4 vs. VMware vSphere 4
Both VMware vSphere 4 and VMware ESXi 4 support the entire suite of VMwarev Sphere 4 products, features and solutions, and you can use VMware vSphere 4 and VMware ESXi 4 side-by-side in your virtual infrastructure. Both provide industry-leading performance and scalability; the difference resides in the architecture and the operational management of VMware ESXi 4.

Management Functionality
By removing the Service Console, VMware ESXi 4 completes an ongoing trend of migrating management functionality from this local command line interface to remote management tools.

Hardware Compatibility

• VMware vSphere 4 is certified with a large range of hardware as listed in the systems compatibility guide (also called the HCL)
• VMware ESXi 4 will ship pre-installed into select server hardware available from Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, HP, IBM, and NEC. This list will be different from the VMware vSphere 4 compatibility list.
• A standalone version of VMware ESXi 4 that is hard drive installable is also planned to be available for a subset of the VMware vSphere 4 HCL.

Operating System Compatibility
Guest Operating System compatibility will be exactly the same between equivalent versions of VMware vSphere 4 and VMware ESXi 4.

Patch and Update Management
VMware Update Manager will update both VMware vSphere 4 and VMware ESXi 4. An update utility is also provided for environments where VMware Update Manager is not present.
Updates to VMware ESXi 4 are a replacement of the entire image similar to a firmware upgrade.

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