In the last few posts we discussed about virtualization and it's most common types.
In this post, we will be discussing about one of the VMware's core product, ESXi.
The most common challenge we face in a data center is that most of the servers are probably not being utilized to it's fullest capacity. This can be quite an inefficient use of resources which can cost you money. However, there is a solution to this issue. With VMware ESXi, a single physical server can run several virtual machines simultaneously. Each of these machines believes it is running on its own dedicated hardware, as if it were separate from all the other machines.
What is VMware ESXi?
VMware ESXi (formerly ESX) is an enterprise-class, type-1 hypervisor developed by VMware for deploying and serving virtual systems. As a type-1 hypervisor, it runs directly on a bare metal. It includes its own kernel,vmkernel, which is run after a Linux kernel bootstraps the hardware.
The name ESX originated as an abbreviation of Elastic Sky X.In September 2004, the replacement for ESX was internally called VMvisor, but later changed to ESXi (as the "i" in ESXi stood for "integrated").
ESXi is supported on Intel processors (Xeon and above) and AMD Opteron processors. ESXi includes a 64-bit VMkernel and hosts with 32-bit-only processors are not supported. However, both 32-bit and 64-bit guest operating systems are supported.
Prior to vSphere 5, the hypervisor was available in two forms: VMware ESX and VMware ESXi. Starting with vSphere 5, ESXi is the only hypervisor architecture option to deploy vSphere. How does it works? ESXi provides a virtualization layer that abstracts the CPU, storage, memory and networking resources of the physical host into multiple virtual machines. The VMkernel receives requests from virtual machines for resources from the virtual machine monitor (VMM) and presents the requests to the physical hardware. Each powered-on virtual machine has its own dedicated VMM that is responsible for presenting virtual hardware to the virtual machine and receiving requests. By consolidating multiple servers onto fewer physical devices, ESXi reduces space, power and IT administrative requirements while driving high-speed performance.With a footprint of just 150MB, do more with less while minimizing security threats to your hypervisor. ESXi provides additional protection with the following features- - Memory hardening: The ESXi kernel, user-mode applications, and executable components such as drivers and libraries are located at random, nonpredictable memory addresses. - Kernel module integrity: Digital signing ensures the integrity and authenticity of modules,drivers, and applications as they are loaded by the VMkernel. - Trusted Platform Module (TPM): A hardware element that creates a trusted platform. This element affirms that the boot process and all drivers loaded are genuine. ESXi 7.0 is the latest version availability of ESXi server. ESXi Installation & Accessibility ESXi can be installed on a hard disk, USB device, or SD card. It can also be installed on a diskless hosts (directly into memory) with VMware vSphere Auto Deploy. Before you install ESXi verify that the host hardware is supported by using VMware Compatibility Guide.
An ESXi host can be accessed through several interfaces, including: - DCUI - The vSphere Web Client (connected to vCenter Server) - The vSphere Client (connected directly to the host or to vCenter Server). vSphere client is no more available from ESXi 6.5. - VMware vSphere Command-Line Interface - The VMware vSphere API and VMware vSphere Management SDK - Host Client Difference between ESX and ESXi
VMware ESXi stands as a cornerstone of modern virtualization technology, empowering organizations to achieve higher levels of efficiency, flexibility, and resource optimization. By abstracting physical hardware and enabling the creation of virtual machines, ESXi unlocks a world of possibilities for data centers, cloud environments, and beyond. As technology continues to evolve, ESXi remains a foundational element that enables businesses to adapt, innovate, and thrive in the ever-changing landscape of IT infrastructure.
That's it for now. We will discuss about ESXi partition in more detail in another blog post.
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