VMware ESXi/ESX 4.1 and ESXi 5.0 comparison
Article ID: 309933
Updated On:
Products
VMware vSphere ESXi
Issue/Introduction
This article provides a detailed comparison of VMware ESXi/ESX 4.1 and ESXi 5.0. The article is separated into capabilities or features and compared at that level.
Environment
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
Resolution
| Capability | VMware ESX | VMware ESXi |
| Service Console | Service Console is a standard Linux environment through which a user has privileged access to the VMware ESX kernel. This Linux-based privileged access allows you to manage your environment by installing agents and drivers and executing scripts and other Linux-environment code. | VMware ESXi is designed to make the server a computing appliance. Accordingly, VMware ESXi behaves more like firmware than traditional software. VMware has created APIs through which monitoring and management tasks – traditionally done through Service Console agents – can be performed. VMware has provided remote scripting environments such as vCLI and PowerCLI to allow the remote execution of scripts and commands. ESXi 4.x Tech Support Mode (TSM) provides a command-line interface that can be used by the administrator to troubleshoot and correct abnormal conditions on VMware ESXi hosts. ESXi 5.x The ESXi Shell formerly known as Tech Support Mode provides essential maintenance commands which can be used in exceptional cases which cannot be handled through standard remote management or CLI tools. The ESXi Shell is primarily intended for use in break-fix scenarios. |
| CLI-Based Configuration | VMware ESX Service Console has a host CLI through which VMware ESX can be configured. VMware ESX can also be configured using vSphere CLI (vCLI) or vSphere PowerCLI. | The vSphere CLI (vCLI) is a remote scripting environment that interacts with VMware ESXi hosts to enable host configuration through scripts or specific commands. It replicates nearly all the equivalent COS commands for configuring ESX. VMware vSphere PowerCLI is a robust command-line tool for automating all aspect of vSphere management, including host, network, storage, virtual machine, guest operating system, and more. Notes :
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| Scriptable Installation | VMware ESX supports scriptable installations through utilities like KickStart . | VMware ESXi supports scriptable installations using a mechanism similar to Kickstart, and includes the ability to run pre- and post-installation scripts. VMware ESXi also provides support for post installation configuration using PowerCLI- and vCLI-based configuration scripts. For more information, see: ESXi 4.x The Installing ESXi Using Scripted Mode section in the ESXi Installable and vCenter Server Setup Guide. ESXi 5.x The About Installation and Upgrade Scripts section in the vSphere Installation and Setup Guide. |
| Boot from SAN | VMware ESX supports boot from SAN. Booting from SAN requires one dedicated LUN per server. | VMware ESXi may be booted from SAN. This is supported for Fibre Channel SAN, as well as iSCSI and FCoE for certain storage adapters that have been qualified for this capability. Please check the Hardware Compatibility List for supported storage adapters. |
| Serial Cable Connectivity | VMware ESX supports interaction through direct-attached serial cable to the VMware ESX host. | VMware ESXi 4.0 does not support interaction through direct-attached serial cable to the VMware ESXi host. In ESXi 5.0 the virtual serial port can connect to a physical serial port or to a file on the host computer. For more information, see the Parallel and Serial Port Configuration section from the vSphere Virtual Machine Administration Guide. |
| SNMP | VMware ESX supports SNMP. | VMware ESXi supports SNMP when licensed with vSphere Essentials, vSphere Essential Plus, vSphere Standard, vSphere Advanced, vSphere Enterprise, or vSphere Enterprise Plus. VMware ESXi 5.0 adds the capability to convert CIM indications to SNMP traps. Check with your hardware vendor to see whether their CIM provider supports this functionality. In addition, ESXi 5.0 now supports the Host Resources MIB (RFC 2790) and allows for finer control over the types of traps sent by the SNMP agent. The free vSphere Hypervisor edition does not support SNMP. For related information, see Configuring SNMP Traps in ESXi/ESX (1008065). |
| Active Directory Integration | VMware ESX provides native support for Active Directory integration. | VMware ESXi provides native support for Active Directory integration. |
| HW Instrumentation | Service Console agents provide a range of HW instrumentation on VMware ESX. | VMware ESXi provides HW instrumentation through CIM Providers. Standards-based CIM Providers are distributed with all versions of VMware ESXi. VMware partners include their own proprietary CIM Providers in customized versions of VMware ESXi. These customized versions are available either from VMware’s web site or the partner’s web site, depending on the partner. Remote console applications like Dell DRAC, HP iLO, IBM RSA, and FSC iRMC S2are supported with ESXi. |
| Software Patches and Updates | VMware ESX software patches and upgrades behave like traditional Linux based patches and upgrades. The installation of a software patch or upgrade may require multiple system boots as the patch or upgrade may have dependencies on previous patches or upgrades. | VMware ESXi patches and updates behave like firmware patches and updates. Any given patch or update is all-inclusive of previous patches and updates. That is, installing patch version “n” includes all updates included in patch versions n-1, n-2, and so forth. Furthermore, third party components such as OEM CIM providers can be updated independently of the base ESXi component, and vice versa. |
| vSphere Web Access | vSphere Web Access is only experimentally supported in VMware ESX. | ESXi 4.x VMware ESXi does not support web access at this time. ESXi 5.x The vSphere Web Client provides a browser-based alternative to the traditional vSphere Client, enabling you to connect by browser to an ESXi host directly or indirectly through a vCenter Server |
| Licensing | For licensing information, see the VMware Sphere Editions Comparison. | For licensing information, see the ESXi 4.x VMware Sphere Editions Comparison. ESXi 5.x VMware vSphere 5.0 Licensing, Pricing and Packaging. |
| Diagnostics and Troubleshooting | VMware ESX Service Console can be used to issue command that can help diagnose and repair support issues with the server. | VMware ESXi has several ways to enable support of the product:
ESXi 4.x Tech Support Mode, which allows low-level access to the system so that advanced diagnostic commands can be issues. For more information, see Using Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1 and ESXi 5.0 (1017910). ESXi 5.x The ESXi Shell is primarily intended for use in break-fix scenarios. These are exceptional cases which cannot be handled through the vSphere client or remote CLI tools such as vCLI or PowerCLI. For more information see, Using ESXi Shell in ESXi 5.0 and 5.1 (2004746). |
| Jumbo Frames | VMware ESX 4.1 fully supports Jumbo Frames. | VMware ESXi 4.1 and ESXi 5.0 fully support Jumbo Frames. |
Additional Information
For more information, see What's New in the VMware vSphere 5.0 Release Notes.
Configuring SNMP Traps in ESXi/ESXVMware ESX and ESXi 4.0 Comparison
Using Tech Support Mode in ESXi 4.1, ESXi 5.x, and ESXi 6.x
VMware ESX and ESXi 4.1 Comparison
Using ESXi Shell in ESXi 5.x and 6.x
Comparação entre o VMware ESXi/ESX 4.1 e o ESXi 5.0
Comparación entre VMware ESXi/ESX 4.1 y ESXi 5.0
VMware ESXi/ESX 4.1 と ESXi 5.0 の比較
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