For that purpose, VMware offers its vRealize Suite, which contains vRealize Automation, vRealize Operations, vRealize Log Insight and vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager. With vSphere, NSX-T Data Center, vSAN and vVols, admins have the basic foundations for an SDDC, but it's hard to manage without automation and proper monitoring tools. VSAN also uses the vSphere hypervisor as a storage platform without the need to purchase specialized storage hardware. This helps place storage management in the hands of vSphere admins.
VVols aren't as widespread as vSAN because vVols require a storage product from a vendor that supports this functionality, whereas vSAN works with any hardware listed on VMware's compatibility list.Ī group of at least three generic servers can make their local storage - usually, flash storage - available as shared storage with many redundancy options in vSAN.
#Product overview license#
Both features are integral parts of vSphere, but vVols require admins to purchase a Standard or Enterprise Plus license to enable this functionality in vSphere. VMware offers storage virtualization through vSAN and Virtual Volumes (vVols). In addition, NSX-T Data Center uses network introspection, intrusion detection and antivirus protocols with the help of IPsec and a Layer 2 VPN. NSX-T Data Center also has a prominent security component with a distributed firewall for protection within the data center that monitors VM traffic to and from the physical network. Traditionally, network admins would create virtual LANs and set up routes in their switches and routers NSX-T Data Center achieves this with overlay networking along with support for Border Gateway Protocol routing. NSX-T Data Center shifts responsibility from a data center's physical switches and routers to the hypervisor by creating virtual networks for switching and routing. One other important part in VMware's product line is the network virtualization capabilities that NSX-T Data Center offers, including software-defined networking for non-vSphere infrastructures. NSX-T Data CenterĪ hypervisor alone does not make an SDDC. Following VMware's licensing changes, vSphere 7 is now licensed per processor, not per processor core. In addition, vSphere 7 simplified VMware's content libraries and templates, introduced identity federation and authentication, and made improvements to vSAN and DRS. VMware also introduced several other updates, including enhancements to its Lifecycle Manager, which simplifies updating ESXi hosts and helps keep those hosts compliant. This is an important feature for larger data centers that must maintain a consistent setup. One of the newest additions to vSphere 7 is the ability to run containerized workloads on vSphere that typically run with Kubernetes, enabling admins to run existing enterprise applications in vSphere.
#Product overview software#
VMware vSphere includes a host of products and features, such as the ESXi hypervisor, vCenter server, vSphere Client, vSphere software development kits, Virtual Machine File System, Virtual SMP, vMotion, vSphere High Availability, DRS, Fault Tolerance and Host Profiles - all of which enable admins to virtualize and modernize their applications. VMware manages vSphere with the vCenter Server, which is the central management appliance that governs every vSphere host and VM. VSphere 7įollowing the release of VMware vSphere 7 on April 2, 2020, vSphere's main function continues to be running VMs in a majority of VMware workloads.
VMware vSphere is at the heart of most deployments. The concept of running VMs has been around for many years now, but VMware products have evolved into what many refer to as the software-defined data center (SDDC). Most admins have some experience with VMware's hypervisor, vSphere, but others might primarily work with Hyper-V or KVM. Admins can purchase these products separately or as a combined package. VMware provides several tools in these segments, including vSphere, NSX-T Data Center (formerly NSX-T), vSAN and vRealize for data center virtualization and VMware Horizon Suite and Workspace ONE UEM for desktop virtualization. Data center virtualization and end-user computing are large markets with an abundance of products for admins to choose.