VMware ESXi 6 serves as VMware's virtualization technology's backbone. It is the cornerstone of virtualization technology. It is used to manage server resources in enterprises and data centers. With the bare-metal architecture of the vSphere Hypervisor. You can combine your apps and save time and money to manage your IT infrastructure.
Key Features:
Bare-Metal Hypervisor: In contrast to conventional host-based hypervisors. ESXi operates on the actual hardware and doesn't need any underlying operating system. making it more dependable, lightweight, and secure.
Virtual Machine Hosting: Allows different virtual machines (VMs) to run on a single physical server. Each VM has its own operating system and software suite, and the physical resources of the server—memory, CPU, storage, and networking—are shared by VMs.
Small Footprint: ESXi 6 improves security because of its small installation footprint, which uses fewer resources and narrows the attack surface.
Hardware Support: supports a large range of hardware from several manufacturers. such as servers, storage, networking, and processors from AMD and Intel.
Resource Management: increases efficiency and performance by delivering comprehensive resource management features. that may allocate memory, CPU, and I/O resources to virtual machines (VMs) by their requirements.
Performance Monitoring: It can monitor system performance. helping administrators with resource optimization and troubleshooting.
vMotion Support: VMs can move between hosts in real-time. with no downtime using vSphere vMotion. which requires extra licenses and a vCenter Server.
High Availability (HA): It provides high availability characteristics when combined with vCenter Server. allowing virtual machines to automatically failover in the event of a hardware loss.
Snapshots: permits taking snapshots of the state of a virtual machine (VM). which could be moved to a prior state in the event of problems or failures or used as a backup.
Safety: ESXi 6 offers secure boot and VM-level encryption to stop unauthorized modifications.
Networking: supports complex network configurations that allow for flexibility and scalability. like distributed switches, virtual local area networks (VLANs), and other virtual networking technologies.
Getting a license: Basic functions of Hypervisor 6 (ESXi) can be used for free. but further features need licensing (e.g., vSphere Standard, Enterprise Plus).
Benefits of using it
- Cost Savings
- Improved Resource Utilization
- High Availability and Reliability
- Simplified Management
- Scalability
- Disaster Recovery
- Enhanced Security
- Rapid Deployment and Flexibility
- Support for Hybrid Cloud
System Requirements
Processor: 64-bit x86 processor (Intel/AMD) with hardware virtualization support (Intel VT-x or AMD-V), minimum 2 cores.
Memory: Minimum 2 GB RAM per host (more recommended based on workloads).
Storage: At least 1 GB for ESXi installation; additional storage depends on VM requirements.
Network: Minimum of one network interface card (1 GB or higher recommended).
Disk Controller: Supports SAS, SATA, RAID, and NVMe for high-performance storage.
Management: Optional vCenter Server for centralized management; UEFI or legacy BIOS required for booting.
Other VMware vSphere 6 Products:
VMware vSphere 6 Foundation License Key
VMware vSphere 6 Foundation for Embedded OEMs License Key
VMware vSphere 6 Standard License Key
VMware vSphere 6 Standard For Embedded OEMs License Key
A customized version of VMware called vSphere 6 Hypervisor for Embedded OEMs assists hardware manufacturers in integrating VMware bare metal hypervisor into their products this makes IT infrastructure management and server virtualization easier.
No, advanced features such as High Availability, vMotion and Distributed Resource Scheduling (DRS) are not available with the OEM embedded version these require an upgrade to a higher VMware license.
As a Type 1 hypervisor, ESXi operates exclusively on system hardware and does not require an operating system. Because Type 1 hypervisors operate directly on hardware, they are also known as bare-metal hypervisors on a physical server. Hypervisors facilitate the effective operation of numerous virtual machines.
Key features include:
- Bare-metal virtualization: Directly virtualizes server hardware, enabling the consolidation of applications.
- Memory and storage optimization: Supports memory overcommitment and efficient storage allocation to optimize resource use.
- Driver hardening: Ensures reliable performance by integrating with hardware vendor drivers.