Clarification on VMWare dropping ESX

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Does anyone know why VMWare are dropping ESX after version 4 to concentrate on ESXi? Is ESXi remaining free or am I missing something. Can't see the logic unless they are going to start charging for ESXi.

Reason I'm asking I was planning on doing my VCP in November so a little confused over the direction VMWare are taking.

 

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Customers have had the option of deploying ESX and/or ESXi since the 3.5 release, and yes it is true that future releases will be ESXi-only. There has never been a free version of ESX, but there has always been a free version of ESXi - but ESXi is only free if you use it standalone and don't try and manage the host with vCenter.

One of the key reasons for dropping ESX is host patching for the Service Console - ESXi doesn't have it.

See this link for more: VMware ESXi and ESX Info Center: Migrate to ESXi Hypervisor

Scott.

 

Cheers Scott actually read it on your blog mate when reading about the free 4 hour online ESXi training (Have to say Great Blog). Scott do you know when ESXi 5 will be released and how quick do the official courses move over to the newest version. I'm asking this as I have paid for the training in Newcastle so a little worried as I have until the end of the year to do the course and don't want to take it at a older version and be out of date soon afterwards.

Cheers for the link will have a look.

 

I've been 'meh' about this for a while. On the one hand I like the idea of making the footprint for the hypervisor as small as possible. I also like the extra stability ESXi would bring (though tbh, since moving to 3.5u4 about two years ago I can count the number of host failures I've had on the fingers of no hands). However, I can see things like upgrading fw on my HBAs being a major PITA.

 

It's expected that vSphere 5 will be released at VMworld (they usually release major products at that time), as far as VCP 5 is concerned, what VMware did last time was gave all VCP 3 students until Xmas of 2009 to upgrade to VCP 4 for free, after December then VCP 3 students had to go on the What's New Course. I would expect the same to happen this time around.

As far as exams are concerned, you will find that the VCP 4 and 5 will be offered in conjunction for a little while after vSphere 5 is launched, VMware will at some point announce the retirement of VCP4 and it's at that point that you would need to study for the VCP 5 exam. VCP 410 will always test on vSphere 4 content, the same will happen with the likely VCP 510 exam (exam numbers aren't known just yet).

Keep on studying for the VCP 410 exam but bear in mind that if you want to stay current you're going to have to start studying for VCP 510 at some point this year, you may even want to try sitting the exam by Xmas (again assuming that's the time scale that VMware give to pass the exam without requiring a class, so you would only have to pay for the exam itself).

As far as exams in general are concerned, unfortunately pretty much every exam is out of date within a few months because of service packs etc, don't worry about it.

 

Cheers Simon, might have a word with my training provider and see if they will extend my course until early next year. I'm still going to study the material for version 4 as it won't do any harm.

 

Thanks for reading the blog Michael, shame my employer doesn't have an office in your part of the country or it might have been me training you...

SimonD is pretty much spot on with his reply