This document compares and contrasts VMWare ESX and Microsoft Hyper-V. It discusses their definitions, hardware requirements, versions and management tools, features and limitations, and licensing. VMWare ESX is a hypervisor developed by VMWare that runs on top of hardware to enable virtualization. Microsoft Hyper-V is a virtualization platform introduced in Windows Server 2008 that can be installed as a role within Windows. The document provides details on specifications for each like supported RAM, storage, CPUs and more. It also reviews their management interfaces and licensing models.

1. VMWare ESX VS Microsoft Hyper-V
1. Definition:
 VMWare ESX (Elastic Sky X)
ESX isa hypervisorOSdevelopedbyVMWare usedfordeployingandhosting multiplevirtual
computers.
Previousversionsof the OSupto 4.0 were names ESX and were builtusingaLinux kernel; from
version4.0 onwardthe OS isno longerusingthe Linux kernel andthe name hadbeenchangedto
ESXi (ESXintegrated).
ESXi sitson-topof the hardware andprovidesthe buildingblockforvirtualization.
 Microsoft Hyper-V
Hyper-V isa Microsoftvirtualization platformwhichwasintroducedwithWindowsServer2008.
MicrosoftHyper-V hypervisorisarole that can be addedontothe Windows OSplatform,asa result
a WindowsServercanhad multiple rolesalongthe Hyper-V role.
The Microsoft Hyper-V feature hasbeenreleasedasa replacementtothe WindowsVirtual PC
feature. MicrosoftHyper-V isafeature/rolethatisinstalledwithinthe WindowsOS.
The Microsoft Hyper-V role canonlybe installedon64-bitOSeditions,althoughthe Hyper-V
managementtoolsare availablefor32-bitOSeditions also.
Microsofthave alsoreleased Windows Hyper-V Server2012R2 withhasa servercore interface andis
designedtorunHyper-V only.
2. Hardware Requirements:
 VMWare ESXi 6.5:
Memory:4GB RAM min(recommended8GBto run virtual machines)
CPU: min2 CPU cores (visualizationsupport)
Storage:10 GB storage space (local disk/iSCSILUN / SAN storage location)
 Microsoft Hyper-V:
Memory:1GB RAM (min2GB recommended)
CPU: x64 1,4GHz/2GHz (visualizationsupport)
Storage:8GB (minimum20GB recommended)

2. 3. Versions& Managementtools:
 VMware ESX: - ESX Server1.0
- ESX Server1.5
- ESX Server2.0
- ESX Server2.5
- ESX Server3.0
- ESX Server3.5
- ESXi 4.0
- ESXi 5.0
- ESXi 5.5
- ESXi 6.0
- ESXi 6.5 – latestESXi Serverversion
vSphere is a software suite that has many software components like vCenter, ESXi, vSphere client
and so on.
VMWare ESXi serversandhostedvirtual machinescanbe remotelyadministeredusingcentral
managementapplicationssuchas vSphere clientandvCenter.
vSphere client is installed on the client machine and is used to connect to ESXi server and do
management tasks.
vCenter server is similar to vSphere client but it’s a server with more power. vCenter server can be
installed on Windows or Linux virtual server running on the ESXi host. VMware vCenter server is a
centralized management application that lets you centrally manage virtual machines and ESXi hosts.
vSphere client is used to access vCenter Server and ultimately manage ESXi servers. vCenter server
is mandatory for organisations with enterprise features such as vMotion, VMware High Availability,
VMware Update Manager and VMware Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS).
The vCentre server license needs to be purchased separately to the vSphere suite.
vSphere client is used to access ESXi servers directly in small environments.
In larger environments, vSphere client is used again to access vCenter server which ultimately
manages the ESXi servers.
We install VMWare Tools on the ESXi VMs for better functionality and management of the VM and
easier interaction with the guest OS via the vSphere client.
There are other3rd
party managementtoolsthatcan be usedto administerVMWare ESXi servers,
such as PUTTY that can connectto the ESXi serverviaSSH protocol and permitusto
monitor/administer/diagnosethe ESXi serverviaaterminal. The SSHchannel wouldneedtobe
openedfromthe ESXi serverviavSphere ClienttoacceptSSH connections.

3.  MicrosoftHyper-V:- WindowsServer2008 / 2008R2 STD / Enterprise /Datacentre
- Windows8 / 8.1 Pro / enterprise
- WindowsServer2012 / 2012R2 STD / Datacentre
- Windows10 Pro/ Education/ Enterprise
- WindowsServer2016 STD / Datacentre
Hyper-V Generations:- Generation1(priorWindowsServer2012/2012R2 - no UEFI)
- Generation2(WindowsServer2012/2012R2 and onwards)
The Hyper-V Manager tool isused to manage the MS Hyper-V serverandhostedvirtual machines.
The Hyper-V managercan be installedonaclientcomputerand isusedto remotelyconnectto
"ServerCore"or "Full GUI" Hyper-V servers.
Hyper-V ManagerOS Availability:- WindowsServer2016
- WindowsServer2012 / 2012R2
- WindowsServer2008 / 2008R2
- Windows8
- Windows7
- WindowsVistaSP1
For Hyper-V VMswe install the Hyper-VIntegrationServices toenhance the performance of the VM
guestOS byoptimisingthe diversof the virtual environment.
Hyper-VIntegration Service synchronisesthe timebetweenthe VMand the host OS, allowsfile
transferbetweenthe VMandhostwithoutthe needof a networkconnectionandpermitsusingSCSI
disks.

4. 4. Features& Limitations:
 VMware ESX:
- Thirdparty managementtools (VeeamBackup&Replication,HP& Dell supportforESXi).
- 6 TB Host systemmax RAM, can go up to 12TB RAMmax oncertainOEM platforms.
- Max RAMper VM: 6218GB
- Max storage per VM: 62TB
- Max numberof virtual CPUs perphysical CPUcore: 32
- Max numberof logical CPUsper host:576
- Max numberof virtual CPUs perVM: 128
- Max numberof ESXi serversina cluster:64
- Max numberof VMs per host:1024
- Max numberof VMs per cluster:8000
- Max networkadaptersperVM: 106
 MicrosoftHyper-V:
- Hyper-V managerisnotcompatible with Home VersionOperatingSystems.
- Max storage per VM: 64TB inVHDX formator 2TB in VHDformat.
- Max RAMper host:4TB
- Max RAMper VM: 1TB
- Max numberof logical CPUsper host:320
- Max numberof virtual CPUs perhost:2048
- Max numberof virtual CPUs perVM: 64
- Max numberof Hyper-V servers inacluster:64
- Max numberof VM’s perhost: 1024
- Max numberof VMs per cluster:8000
- Max networkadaptersperVM: 12 (4 legacynetworkadapters)

5. 5. Licensing:
Both VMWare ESXi andMicrosoftHyper-V are licencesby CPU sockets,butthe total numberof
requiredlicencesdifferforeachsolution:
In an ESXi environment, we require activationlicencesforthe ESXi hostserverand eachWindows
VMrunningonthe ESXi host.
WhenrunningHyper-V onWindowsServerDatacentre edition,we caninstall anunlimitednumber
of VMs,limitedonlyby the serverhardware. ForanyVMrunningWindowsServerDatacentre,we
wouldnotneedtopurchase any additional licences. Thisoptioncanbe usedina large environment
to reduce the licensingcosts.
WhenrunningHyper-V onWindowsServerStandard edition, we caninstall 2VMs runningon
WindowsServerStandardwithoutrequiringactivationlicences. Inthisscenario,we canonlyinstall
the Hyper-V serverrole onthe physical serverandwouldonlybe usedtomanage the virtual
machines.
WindowsHyper-VServer2012R2 can be downloadedandinstalledfreeof charge andwouldonly
require the activationlicencesforthe VMOperatingSystems.
Bogdan Chiribau