VMware vSphere Review

• Virtualization
• Clustering
• High Availability
• All the core functionalities

Allows for substantial increase in server density, reduced spin up times, allows for more remote site management. Recoverability in a server crash situation is substantially improved as well.

User interface and management. The ability to manage the underlying infrastructure is very poorly thought out and implemented. They moved from a C client to a web interface, but still require critical functions to use the client.

I've been using it for seven years, since it was ESX v3.5.

WAN management of sites has some intermittent stability issues.

I would rate it fairly high, as much as I complain about the changes their back end team make, their front end support, and sales guys are very communicative.

We used Microsoft Virtual Server before ESX3.5 was released. We switched because it was not an enterprise grade option.

The setup for the current datacenter was complex, not because of VMware but because of the hosting limitations provided.

We had it initially set up by a vendor team, and I spent four months afterwards fixing their work. I would advise that you verify in advance the skills and knowledge of the implementors.

No attempt to calculate ROI has been made on the current environment.

I am attempting to build an environment around ROBO licensing, which I would advise anyone who has remote offices to investigate. It should cut our costs bytwo-thirds when I am finished.

No evaluation was done.