Topic: New free Vmware ESXi hypervisor - any exeperiences ?

[arne]

I have used a virtual installation of SME 7.3 on Centos64/Vmware server for approx 6 months, and it have just worked fantastic.

I can see that there has come a new free virtual platform, the ESXi hypervisor https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/login.php?eval=esxi&t=1

I wonder what will be the difference from the Vmware server that I am running ? Do I understand it right if I believe that the ESXi hypervisor will be able to run direct on the hardware without the underlaying Centos64 host system that I use now (?!)

If this should be the case - what will then be the strong and weak side of such an installation ?

One strong side of the existing Vmware server platform that I am using now, is that all (?!) driver related problems is handeled with the host, so for instance using the virtual sme server with a wireless card will nor be a problem at all, as all what the virtual server will see is a standard virtual interface, what ever kind of physical device you are using. One also have the option of moving all firewall related problems out from the sme server, and to some "external" virtual firewall gateway. (Like for instance Smoothwall.)

The only weak side I have found is to use USB items like web cams from virtual installations. This can be a problem with the more indirect way of "talking" with the hardware.

May be the ESXi hypervisor will give a more direct access to hardware resources than the Vmware server (??) (So that the guest system will have to contain hardware drivers (??) )

What kind of hardware will the ESXi hypervisor require ? Will it run on my ca one year old AMD dual core PC ?

Is there anyboudy that has tried ESXi and that has eventually installed the SME server as a virtual server on this platform, or that has any more information about this alternative. (I should likt to know if it can work before I tear down the existing installation that just runs allmost perfect and without a bug.)

Some more interresting info: http://www.vmware.com/products/esxi/uses.html

The only arguments for why my AMD PC should not work is some requirements for the Vmotion technology. This part of the product consept seems to be requiring "special processor properties". But I think that I will not need that function at all (?):

"What is VMotion™ technology?
VMotion technology lets you move live, running virtual machines from one host to another while maintaining continuous service availability."

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi_faq.pdf

Actually I can not find any arguments that says that my one year old AMD PC should not work ?

Some other interesting info for the testing:
http://www.run-virtual.com/?p=223
http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3.5/Whiteboxes_SATA_Controllers_for_ESX_3.5_3i.htm
http://communities.vmware.com/thread/158632

[CharlieBrady]

I have used a virtual installation of SME 7.3 on Centos64/Vmware server for approx 6 months, and it have just worked fantastic.

I can see that there has come a new free virtual platform, the ESXi hypervisor https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/login.php?eval=esxi&t=1

I wonder what will be the difference from the Vmware server that I am running ?

You should ask VMWare, or just read their documentation. Or try it.

[arne]

Yes .. This is just my intention. I'm just courious if there is any sme users that has tested before me, so I can get some tips. The Contribs forum is actually a place with a lot of clever people. By the way, it is only a question of one other physical hd, so there should not be any need to delete anything ..

And also I think the sme server itself is a "building block" that fits very well into an virual environment. (Even though the E-Smith was possibly not designed for that.)

[arne]

First attempt with negative ressult:

Downloaded the ESXi ISO and tried to install on a Shuttle SK21 / Athlon 3000 / 2 Gig RAM.

Booting from CD worked OK, but it ended up with a message something like it could not see the hard disk (controller).

This PC can for sure run Centos/Vmware server .. Looks like ESXi is not that easy with its hardware requirement.

Some other info about hardware: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1032926027

[Stefano]

hi

you should read VMWare HCL.. if your HW is not listed, it won't work..

Ciao
Stefano

[arne]

Well above I posted a link to a nuber of hardware, mainboards that is not on the Vmware list, but that is still claimed to work. (And I guess this list will develop to be longer, as everything is not tested yet.)

http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3.5/Whiteboxes_SATA_Controllers_for_ESX_3.5_3i.htm

But, actually it is my temporary conclusion, that the ESXi is just a thinner vrtualization layer with less hardware support. I first thought that the "driver things" had to be dealt with by the guest system, but this conclusion might be wrong (?!)

It looks like the ordinary Vmware server on a standatd Linux distro is something that is a lot more easy to get working on different hardware.

[m]

I have the ESXi running on a Dell PowerEdge 2900III. The ESXi boot image is on a USB stick plugged inside the case on the main board. At the monent I have serveral SME 7 + 8 and Windows XP machines running. It works like a charm!

I did my first ESXi tests on a FSC Esprino P desktop computer, also booted from the USB stick. As expected the SATA controller was not detected. Therefore I mounted a NFS as a datastore (from a QNAP TS). It worked perfect. The speed is slower than a datastore on a local disk, but acceptable to install and run SME.

FYI: Unlike the VMWare Server, the ESX Server does not support USB controllers.

[arne]

Thanks a lot for this info, as I have not been able to find any hardware that supports the ESXi among my collection of PC's

It is interesting information that USB will not be supported. (I actually thought it would be the oposite situation, bether and more direct support for diverse hardware.)

For me it looks, until now that Vmware Server normally will be the best solution for a home server or a small enterprice, while ESXi is more something for a more professinal organisation. (And that Vmware server often will be the best alternative to use together with the SME server (???!!!)

(But I will find some software to test ESXi, sooner or later ..)

For me, that has not tested ESXi yet, Vmware server just apear to be a product that is allmost perfect, but I guess there is something even bether with the ESXi ..

[m]

It is interesting information that USB will not be supported.

This USB-over-Ethernet product appears to solve the USB issue:
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/esx_anywhereusb2.pdf
http://www.digi.com/products/usb/anywhereusb.jsp