VMware vSphere Reviews

Name: VMware vSphere
Brand: VMware
Rating: 4.4 (452 reviews)

Vendor: VMware

4.4 out of 5

452 reviews
94% willing to recommend

8,956 followers

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What is VMware vSphere?

VMware vSphere is a versatile virtualization platform known for its ease of use, flexibility, and high availability. It supports seamless migration, optimal resource allocation, and centralized management, making it highly suitable for diverse infrastructure needs.

Get the VMware vSphere Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about VMware vSphere, Proxmox VE, Hyper-V and more!

VMware vSphere is the #2 ranked solution in best Server Virtualization Software. PeerSpot users give VMware vSphere an average rating of 8.8 out of 10. VMware vSphere is most commonly compared to Proxmox VE: VMware vSphere vs Proxmox VE. VMware vSphere is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 43% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 30% of all views.

Helped 831,563 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Neeraj Mehra

Manager of Solutions and Support at Esconet Technologies Pvt. Ltd.

The primary use case is for virtualization, including the implementation of vSphere, vCloud Foundation, vCloud Director, and cloud automation with vSphere My customers, particularly SMBs, mainly utilize High Availability (HA), DRS, and vMotion features. The vMotion feature is beneficial for…

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Jason Hong-Turney

Lead IT Systems Engineer at CenturyLink, Inc.

Most valuable features of vSphere 6.7, for us, at the management level would be: * VCHA is a nice redundancy feature that they added in 6.7. * I like the quality of life improvements with the VMFS-6 for using auto UNMAP on the data stores. * We really appreciate the improvements to the Clarity UI where we can manage Update Manager (VUM) and our vSAN stack within the modern interface. The solution is also very simple and efficient to manage. Features that have made it simple and easy to manage include the newer VAMI for the V-center appliance, it's very easy to see what version we are at, and very easy to upgrade to the next version. The fact that we can now use VCHA at the appliance level just decreases our chance of having an outage, because so many of our customers rely on the API interface for V-center.

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Sean Crawford

Information Systems Analyst at San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)

In terms of a performance boost, we have seen about a 10 percent boost; not by much. Our workloads aren't CPU or memory-intensive, they're more idle-intensive with storage. The solution has improved our organization in terms of compliance. In the past, we struggled with VM encryption. We couldn't encrypt the virtual machines with older versions of vSphere without some kind of third-party tool. Now, with 6.7, it's all in the application itself, in vSphere. We no longer have to procure additional products to meet that requirement. We can just do it on the fly, and pass our audit with no issues. In terms of managing it, it's a lot simpler now with the vSphere HTML5 client. With the phase-out of the Flash client, which everyone doesn't like, it allows us as administrators to do our jobs far more efficiently than it did with the Flash client.

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VMware vSphere mindshare

As of January 2025, the mindshare of VMware vSphere in the Server Virtualization Software category stands at 19.4%, up from 18.9% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Server Virtualization Software

PeerAnalyst reports

Type	Title	Date
Category	Server Virtualization Software	Jan 24, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jan 24, 2025	Download
Comparison	VMware vSphere vs Proxmox VE	Jan 24, 2025	Download
Comparison	VMware vSphere vs Hyper-V	Jan 24, 2025	Download
Comparison	VMware vSphere vs KVM	Jan 24, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Proxmox VE	4.3	17.9%	98%	62 interviews Add to research
Hyper-V	4.0	15.2%	86%	141 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

VMware vSphere offers valuable features such as centralized management, high availability, Vmotion for live migration, resource pooling, and cost efficiency. Users praise its ease of installation, robust management tools, low overhead, and enterprise readiness. It supports a wide range of operating systems, enhances server consolidation, reduces environmental costs, and optimizes resource utilization. Users value its stability, flexibility, user-friendly interface, virtualization capabilities, and seamless integration with existing systems.

"The stability of vSphere is rated a ten."
"The initial setup was easy, and we didn't experience any difficulties."
"VMware vSphere is rated at ten on a scale of one to ten. It is a perfect solution."

Room for Improvement

VMware vSphere experiences limitations with its free version, which restricts server memory and lacks centralized management for ESXi servers. Users find its pricing expensive compared to competitors, complicating management through the web interface. Enhancements are needed in areas like fault tolerance, automation, integration with open clouds, and hardware compatibility. Support, licensing, and documentation are additional concerns. Its complexity, reliance on paid add-ons, and high costs present challenges for small and medium-sized businesses.

"Customers face challenges due to increased costs after VMware's acquisition by Broadcom. The cost changed from perpetual to subscription, and there is a need for alternative solutions."
"There are no scalability options available in VMware vSphere."
"One area for improvement is the documentation, especially after VMware was transferred to Broadcom. Sometimes, it is difficult to find documentation for specific tools and solutions."

ROI

VMware vSphere significantly reduces costs by decreasing the need for physical servers, lowering electricity bills, and minimizing hardware expenditure. Companies observe rapid deployment times and improved management efficiency. Although initial investments can be substantial, organizations benefit from long-term savings and increased hardware utilization. Users find the maintenance expenses manageable and appreciate the agility and flexibility provided. Many note substantial returns on investment, with ROI achieved within months to a few years.

Pricing

VMware vSphere pricing can be high, particularly for enterprise licenses, but many users find the cost justified given its robust features and stability. Licensing complexity can be a challenge, with various editions like Standard, Enterprise, and Enterprise Plus catering to different needs. Users often recommend starting with minimal licensing and upgrading as necessary. Pricing strategies like Essential Kits offer affordable options for small businesses, while enterprise solutions may require significant investment, often with annual licensing fees.

"The solution's licensing is costlier than other hypervisors."
"I rate the solution's pricing a ten out of ten due to the recent price changes."
"The tool is a bit expensive."

Popular Use Cases

VMware vSphere is predominantly utilized for virtualization, driving server consolidation, high availability, and infrastructure management. Users capitalize on its capabilities for managing mission-critical applications across diverse sectors, ensuring agility and scalability. In various cases, enterprise environments deploy vSphere to enhance resource utilization, optimize data center operations, and support cloud infrastructure planning. It aids in creating virtual machines, migrating workloads, and facilitating robust backup strategies while offering a highly flexible and resilient IT infrastructure.

Service and Support

Customers find VMware vSphere's customer service and support quick, responsive, and knowledgeable, though some mention room for improvement. The response time can vary based on issue severity, with high-priority cases typically receiving fast attention. Many report satisfactory experiences, praising the support team’s expertise, but others highlight slower responses and a need for improved communication. Technical support is seen as good, although inconsistent experiences are noted, particularly with first-level support. Some appreciate additional community resources.

Deployment

VMware vSphere's initial setup is generally straightforward for experienced users, with many finding it easy and well-documented. While most installations progress smoothly, some mention complexity due to hardware compatibility and the use of advanced features. With proper training, the setup process is simplified, yet challenges may arise in larger environments or when integrating multiple components. The deployment often takes minimal time, typically ranging from minutes to a few hours, depending on the setup's scale.

Scalability

VMware vSphere showcases impressive scalability, allowing organizations to add hosts and resources with ease. Various reviews highlight its strength in expanding clusters with minimal downtime. Users frequently praise its capacity to handle large workloads through dynamic scaling. VMware vSphere is noted for facilitating growth in both small and extensive environments, enabling seamless addition of hardware and integration of new components. Licensing is a potential consideration, but scalability remains a strong feature, accommodating diverse organizational needs efficiently.

Stability

VMware vSphere is generally described as highly stable. Users note few disruptions, with occasional issues linked to hardware, third-party components, or early software versions. Reports highlight improved stability over time, with rare instances of "purple screen" errors. Users frequently mention the hypervisor's reliability, with some stability enhancements attributed to recent updates. Challenges typically revolve around maintaining compatibility with certain hardware or software environments, but users indicate satisfaction with VMware's ongoing support and performance.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our VMware vSphere Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

30%

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

University

Comms Service Provider

Healthcare Company

Retailer

Energy/Utilities Company

Insurance Company

Construction Company

Media Company

Hospitality Company

Non Profit

Real Estate/Law Firm

Wholesaler/Distributor

Legal Firm

Transportation Company

Outsourcing Company

Performing Arts

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Consumer Goods Company

Logistics Company

Compare VMware vSphere with alternative products

Learn more about VMware vSphere

VMware vSphere is widely adopted for its virtualization capabilities that enhance hardware efficiency and ensure minimal downtime through features like High Availability and Distributed Resource Scheduler. Despite criticisms about high licensing costs and limited fault tolerance, it remains a preferred choice due to its stability, scalability, and robust integration options. Users appreciate its efficiency in managing virtual machines and hosting enterprise applications, although challenges with web client performance and hardware compatibility are noted. Organizations often look for better integration with cloud services and enhanced automation and scalability.

What are the core features of VMware vSphere?

vMotion: Enables seamless migration of virtual machines without downtime.
Distributed Resource Scheduler: Optimizes resource allocation across hosts.
High Availability: Minimizes downtime by automatically restarting virtual machines.
Centralized Management: Facilitates easy management of virtualized environments.
Advanced Security: Provides robust security measures and compliance features.

What benefits and ROI can businesses look for?

Reduced Operational Costs: Efficiently utilizes hardware, saving on expenses.
Scalability: Easily scales to meet growing business demands.
Business Continuity: Ensures high availability and disaster recovery.
Integration Flexibility: Supports integration with various technologies.

VMware vSphere is implemented across sectors like healthcare, finance, and education for server virtualization, data center management, and private cloud creation. Its use in facilitating business-critical operations ensures high availability and efficient resource use, supporting both development and production environments.