The power of virtualization technology is available to every business. Virtualization is common both within the enterprise itself and through the applications and services that the enterprise relies on. However, not all virtualization solutions are created equal, and what is a great solution for one business may not be a good fit for another.
Virtualization uses software to replicate what was previously only available through hardware. Dedicated servers can run many applications and host many websites. If these applications or websites experience a spike in traffic or require additional storage, that need will occur at the expense of other applications.
Virtualization uses a hypervisor to create separate virtual servers on top of existing physical hardware. This allows resources to be partitioned so that resources that require more storage, such as high-traffic sites or applications, do not impact other tenants. As a result, virtualization is a great way to protect your network, maximize return on investment, and make the most of your server resources without constantly purchasing additional hardware.
Two of the most popular virtualization software providers are VMware and Hyper-V. Both hypervisors provide the tools you need to virtualize and manage your infrastructure. Although these core virtualization products are very similar, important add-ons such as Hyper-V System Center and VMware ESXi are quite different. This article reveals the differences between VMware and Hyper-V so you can understand which virtualization solution best suits your needs. He also explores why businesses need his VMware hosting and related solutions.
What is Hyper-V?
Hyper-V is a virtualization system provided by Microsoft. Hyper-V, originally called Windows Server Virtualization, was released in 2008 and was used to create virtual machines (VMs) running Windows. Hyper-V is a bare-metal hypervisor because it runs directly on the hardware beneath the operating system and other virtualization components.
Hyper-V is fast and scalable because its microkernelized architecture allows services to run independently of the hardware layer. This makes Hyper-V flexible and efficient, providing superior performance and manageability for Windows users.
Hyper-V was created by Microsoft and is customized to work with the company’s products and services. Additionally, Hyper-V allows virtual servers to be migrated or ported without downtime, even between different environments.
That said, Hyper-V has limitations and drawbacks. For example, Hyper-V didn’t initially support Linux, but it does now. As a result, you can set up and deploy Linux VMs on Hyper-V. However, Hyper-V relies to some extent on Microsoft itself for more advanced features, such as the advanced management features of System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM).
What is VMware ESXi?
Launched in 1998, VMware was the first virtualization software to hit the market. His VMware product equivalent to Hyper-V is called ESXi. Like Microsoft’s products, VMware ESXi enables the virtualization of desktop machines (Linux and Windows) and servers, bringing maximum flexibility to the IT infrastructure of businesses of all sizes. In addition, VMware’s robust offering also includes a set of tools that help large and small businesses maximize their virtualization experience. Although VMware was initially built for the mid-market, it also serves enterprises and is one of the most popular virtualization application suites.
VMware is flexible and supports different operating systems and applications even on the same machine. VMware is built to help reduce data center costs, improve the efficiency of existing hardware, and extend the life of older technology through virtualization.
5 Top Reasons to Choose VMware ESXi over Hyper-V
VMware works as an alternative to Hyper-V for most business use cases. Although Hyper-V offers many benefits to its users, certain limitations have proven to be a disadvantage when compared to VMware. If your organization is considering one of these virtualization technologies, here are five reasons to consider VMware over Hyper-V.
1. Attached template
Templates are a great way to complete daily tasks and activities without starting from scratch. VMware templates help automate the VM creation process. It includes several built-in templates that you can use to create virtual machines. After you create it in VMware, you can use it again if needed.
Templates include options for various operating systems, applications, and hardware configurations. These options make it easy to create virtual machines specifically tailored to your needs. Other templates must be created first, but can be used repeatedly.
VMware includes pre-built templates, but Hyper-V does not. Typically, all VMs must be created from scratch, which can be time-consuming and difficult for novice users. However, there is also a way to manually create automation within Hyper-V. SCVMM provides a sophisticated template solution that requires the entire Windows deployment system to trigger an action, unlike VMware’s ability to run custom scripts or deploy templates from files.
2. Great application management tools
It is difficult to compare application management on VMware and Hyper-V because both virtualization platforms offer similar functionality. Additionally, both have centralized management features that make application management easier, allowing you to manage all your applications from one place, no matter where they are running.
However, one advantage of VMware is that it offers a wide range of management tools such as vRealize Operations Manager and vCenter. Additional tools give VMware an advantage when it comes to management versatility.
3. Built-in resilience
VMware Fault Tolerance (FT) is a VMware feature that creates cloned VMs that run on another host server. This built-in resiliency is the number one reason to choose VMware ESXi over Hyper-V as your virtualization technology. If the primary VM fails, the FT VM takes over and continues running, ensuring uninterrupted business operations.
Fault tolerance allows systems with up to four cores to hot replicate or migrate VMs to a second node without downtime in the event of a hardware failure. Unfortunately, Hyper-V does not allow this functionality. This is an important feature for businesses that cannot afford even a moment of downtime.
4. Adding supported operating systems
VMware and Hyper-V support Linux, Windows, and a variety of other operating systems. One major difference is that VMware ESXi supports macOS, but Hyper-V does not. For organizations using macOS, this is an important factor when deciding on virtualization software.
5. Hardware efficiency and scalability
VMware supports memory duplication, resulting in more efficient memory usage. This feature allows you to run more applications and services simultaneously without running out of memory.
Hyper-V supports more memory on the host server, while VMware supports higher maximum memory allocations per VM. In addition, VMware offers greater flexibility in CPU usage, allowing you to most efficiently allocate resources for your unique use cases.
When considering scalability and provisioning, it’s important to have as much compute power as possible, as modern applications require more processing power than ever to function properly. Also, while Hyper-V has an advantage in how physical memory is addressed and handled during provisioning, VMware has an advantage in terms of the number of CPUs deployed per host.
Hyper-V is limited to 512 logical cores on a host, while ESXi is limited to 768 cores, an increase of 50%. Scalability requires an environment that provides the performance capabilities necessary to meet all demands.
Prioritize what’s important to your business
As with most technologies, there are situations in which a tool is a good decision, and there are situations in which a lack of functionality is a deal breaker. Decisions made today can impact your business for years when it comes to enterprise virtualization. Both ESXi and Hyper-V have advantages and disadvantages. Ultimately, it is determined by the infrastructure you use to support your virtualized server, the applications and operating systems you use, and the processing power you need.
Hyper-V works well in many enterprises in many cases. However, VMware also has some advantages that make it a good choice. VMware’s advantages in provisioning, scalability, and superior file systems clearly demonstrate the benefits of VMware ESXi.
Liquid Web works with small and medium-sized businesses, managed service providers, and IT companies to provide them with the right virtualization solutions to move their businesses forward. Our deep expertise in setting up, deploying, and managing private clouds powered by VMware and managed Microsoft Hyper-V makes Liquid Web an outstanding partner to trust.
If you would like to learn more about these applications and how they can help you grow your business, contact us today.
