Chapter 2. ESX vs. ESXi

Underpinning any design based on vSphere technologies is the hypervisor. ESX and ESXi host software drives vSphere deployments and makes guest virtualization possible. VMware's hypervisors have evolved rapidly over the years, and the basis of the enterprise offering is again going through a transition phase.

The current push is the migration of users from the old ESX-style architecture to the newer, slimmer ESXi option. VMware has made its position clear regarding the future of the vSphere product, but two choices are still available to customers; both are supported and viable. The marketing machine at VMware is nudging everyone toward its chosen path, but that doesn't mean it's currently the best option for everyone.

This ...

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