Which Version Of VMware vSphere Editions Should You Buy?
(Questions/Answers)

Through your research, you’ve rounded it down and settled on VMware vSphere editions. You like that vSphere is the leading server virtualization platform. You are impressed it has the best 

Before You Buy Any VMware vSphere Edition What Two Questions You Should Ask Yourself First?

It’s effortless to look at all the features VMware vSphere or vSphere with Operations Management 6.5 has to offer and get excited. For instance, vSphere has three editions:

1. vSphere Standard Edition
2. vSphere Enterprise Plus Edition
3. vSphere with Operations Management 6.5 Enterprise Plus Edition

So, at first glance, you’re going to stay inside the vSphere family, which is what you wanted. But you also know; with each edition, there are more features added to one product not offered or found in another version. For instances, Standard Edition has 11 elements. Enterprise Plus Edition has 24 functions. Operations Management 6.5 Edition has 27 features.

So, making a decision based on features alone, your company may or may not need, is not where you want to begin. Deciding which edition, you should choose for your company, comes down to answering these two computing questions first:

1. Do you want the ideal foundation for your cloud computing environment? or
2. Do you want superior awareness, producing enhanced performance and availability?

Once you’ve answered these two questions, then you should start looking at all the features, functions, elements, and benefits each package offers.

What Should You Know About VMware vSphere Licensing?

For starters, all three editions of VMware vSphere Standard Edition, Enterprise Plus Edition, and Operations Management 6.5 Enterprise Plus Edition; licensing is on a “Per-Processor” basis.

With every physical processor (CPU) in your server, you must purchase a minimum of one processor license key. If your server has four physical processors, you must buy four processor license keys. Each license key is assigned, so your version(s) of vSphere or vSphere with Operations Management will run.

What Are The Choices For Centralized or Decentralized Licensing?

Before you decide which choice is right, you’ll want to know a little bit more about VMware VCenter Server. VMware created a management server application, VMware VCenter Server to monitor virtualized environments.

• Centralized Licensing – (VMware Recommended)

For license assignment to vSphere and vSphere with Operations Management hosts. VMware vCenter Server is the recommended interface. When a license key gets assigned by vCenter Server, it is copied to the host and saved in a persistent format. If the host becomes disconnected from vCenter Server, the license key remains active on the host indefinitely, even after a host reboot. Only a deliberate licensing operation by the user can remove or replace a host license key.

• Decentralized Licensing – (Client Preferred Option)

VMware recommends that customers assign all vSphere and vSphere with Operations Management licenses centrally through VMware vCenter Server. However, vSphere customers have the option to designate their license keys directly to individual hosts.

There is no difference between directly and centrally assigned license keys. When a vSphere or vSphere with Operations Management host adds to the vCenter Server inventory, any license key already on the host will become available for management, reporting and assignment in vCenter Server, just like any license key added directly via vCenter Server.

Are There Any Limits On Physical Resources and Number of Virtual Machines On Any Edition?

At the time of this writing, there are no restrictions placed on physical cores, physical RAM, and no limits set on the number of virtual machines, that can only run on a legally licensed VMware vSphere processors. That covers all editions.

Does VMware vSphere Offer Acceleration Kits or Essentials Kits For The Different Editions?

• vSphere and vSphere with Operations Management Acceleration Kits

The Acceleration Kits are your all-in-one convenience bundles. When you set up a new VMware environment, the kits give customers a simple way to purchase all the necessary components. Each package consists of six processor licenses for vSphere or vSphere with Operations Management, and a license for one instance of vCenter Server Standard.

Unlike the Essentials Kits and VMware vSphere 4.x Acceleration Kits that function as a single entity, vSphere and vSphere with Operations Management Accelerations Kits decompose into their kit components after purchase. That allows customers to upgrade and renew SnS for each element on its schedule.

• VMware vSphere Essentials Kits For Small Environments

The Essentials Kits are your all-in-one solutions for small environments. You get up to three hosts with two CPUs each and available in two editions: Essentials and Essentials Plus. In each kit, there are six processor licenses for vSphere and a license for one instance of vCenter Server for Essentials.

Even with a mandatory one-year subscription to software patches and updates Essentials comes with a low upfront investment. Support is optional but only available on a per-incident basis.

One Final Question

You’ve just skimmed through some necessary information about VMware vSphere Standard, Enterprise Plus, and Operations Management 6.5 Enterprise Plus Editions. And like all product reviews, it is recommended that you check with your product reseller before you buy. So, what have you decided, will it be 1) the ideal foundation for your cloud computing environment or 2) superior awareness, producing enhanced performance and availability?

Like this article? Check out, VMWare Services in Atlanta (Questions/Answers) and 5 Reasons to Put VMWare Virtualization Solutions on Your Wishlist or Virtualization Services Save Money And Gain Freedom and discover more.