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

8,951 followers

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What is VMware vSphere?

VMware vSphere is a powerful and complete server virtualization platform that allows its users to create and manage virtual data centers and machines. VMware vSphere is designed to help IT departments set up and run applications using the most cost-effective computer resources. By using vSphere, organizations save the time and energy necessary for purchasing infrastructure and software and reduce ongoing maintenance and operational burdens on IT teams.

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. Based on the analysis of the 452 most recent VMware vSphere reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 7.1. 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 44% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 29% of all views.

Helped 816,816 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Vikas Dhumale

DevOps Engineer at Simple Logic IT Private Limited

Speaking about the application deployment process, I work at the L1 level in my company. In my company, the L3 is a different department that manages the application deployment process, and most of them go for tools apart from the ones under VMware to manage the VMs. I am only creating new VMs and assigning RAM space, and if something comes up, then I create new RHEL-based systems. When it comes to the application deployment process, my company manually deploys the applications. For automation purposes, our company uses Jenkins to collect the logs and provide a GUI with the help of a username and password to the end user, after which they can collect the logs from Jenkins. I work at an L1 level in my company. The integrations and infrastructure-related areas of the product are managed by another team in my company. I recommend the product to those who plan to use it. Nowadays, people don't prefer to go for cloud-based solutions. Most of the companies prefer VMware as they want some level of security in the environment. VMware allows users to have in-house products. Most companies or banks are not moving over to cloud-based tools. VMware is used in banking systems. I rate the tool an eight out of ten.

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Emanuele-Gnali

Owner at NetArt

Maintenance is required as long as any other products to check for troubles and some security patching. The version enables automatic maintenance, easy maintenance, and performance performance. A good performance use of the hardware allows for quick infrastructure maintenance and a quick structure upgrade so you can change hardware servers quickly and cheaply. It's useful for critical workloads. When there are inevitable failures, it can keep up the business. The server was particularly limiting performance-wise, while Hyper V lacked stability and flexibility in the setups. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

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NipunaNakandala

Senior System Engineer at V S Indormation Systems

From what I know, the area revolving around the licensing part of the product is not quite friendly. The licenses for those who have a partnership with VMware are not a good thing because we have to use the tool for demos and simulate it in a customer environment. In our company's setup, considering that we have a partnership with VMware, it is very hard to have licenses, making it an area where improvements are required. VMware's NFR licenses were previously available for partners, and the tool used to provide demo centers within such licenses, but the aforementioned licensing structure for partners has been presently discontinued. The product should also provide the partners with the facility to provide the tool's demo in a test environment for customers. The solution's technical team is an area with certain shortcomings where improvements are required.

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VMware vSphere mindshare

As of November 2024, the mindshare of VMware vSphere in the Server Virtualization Software category stands at 19.8%, up from 18.6% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Server Virtualization Software

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Nov 26, 2024

Valuable Features

VMware vSphere's standout features include high availability, vMotion for seamless migration, Distributed Resource Scheduler for optimal resource allocation, and centralized management. Users appreciate its ease of installation and configuration, minimal resource overhead, efficient virtualization, flexibility, and robust security. The platform supports diverse operating systems, reduces costs, enhances performance, and offers extensive third-party integration. Organizations value its stability, scalability, and user-friendly interface, making it a preferred choice for virtualization and infrastructure management.

"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 faces criticism for its high cost, especially for small to mid-sized businesses. Users express frustration over its web interface, citing sluggishness and instability compared to the previous client. Licensing and integration complexities are also highlighted. Centralized management is limited, requiring additional tools like vCenter. Many users face issues with backup features and hardware compatibility. Fault tolerance and performance monitoring demand enhancements, while increased automation and better support for non-Windows platforms are desired.

"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

Users experienced significant savings and efficiency with VMware vSphere, citing reduced hardware, electricity, and management costs. They noted faster provisioning and deployment, consolidation benefits, reduced physical server needs, and increased agility. Many reported a high return on investment, despite not always tracking it formally, with some achieving cost recovery within months. Users highlighted improved resource utilization, enhanced service delivery, and substantial cost savings from reducing infrastructure and operational expenses.

Pricing

VMware vSphere's pricing is considered high by many users, especially for enterprise and large virtualization environments. While initial hardware and setup costs can be significant, day-to-day operational costs are often limited to electricity and maintenance. Licensing models can be complex, with different tiers like Standard, Enterprise, and Enterprise Plus. Some enterprises find cost justifiable due to features, while others are deterred by expenses, opting for alternatives like Microsoft Hyper-V. Pricing varies with organizational needs.

"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

Organizations use VMware vSphere primarily for server virtualization and managing virtual environments, increasing efficiency in hardware usage and reducing physical infrastructure. Many utilize it for mission-critical applications, data centers, and cloud deployments. Users benefit from its features like high availability, real-time backups, and VM management. It's employed for various workloads, including ERP, Active Directory, SQL, and more, supporting diverse industries such as education, healthcare, and finance. Some integrate it with VMware Cloud on AWS.

Service and Support

VMware vSphere customer service is often praised as knowledgeable, efficient, and responsive, although some users report delays and training gaps in response times. Many appreciate its dedication to solving issues, with specific instances of quick callbacks and effective resolution strategies. However, the technical support experiences vary. Some find engineers skilled and prompt, while others encounter challenges in communication, language barriers, and delayed responses, depending on support tier and urgency.

Deployment

Many users found VMware vSphere's initial setup straightforward and intuitive, particularly when the hardware was compatible. A majority praised the clear documentation and quick installation process, taking as little as 15 to 20 minutes for basic setups. Some experienced challenges when adding complexities like vCenter, network configurations, or compatibility checks, especially in larger environments. Users noted the importance of prior infrastructure knowledge and planning, which contributed to a smoother deployment experience.

Scalability

VMware vSphere exhibits excellent ability to grow with organizational needs, offering seamless hardware addition and rapid deployment. With notable strength in managing vast virtual environments, it accommodates various industries and scales both horizontally and vertically. Licensing costs may pose a challenge, but overall, its flexible architecture supports diverse requirements. The ongoing advancements enhance capacity, meeting current and future demands. Users appreciate its robustness in expanding infrastructure efficiently and maintaining performance across extensive networks.

Stability

VMware vSphere is highly stable, with users often describing it as rock solid. Numerous organizations have experienced minimal issues, attributing disruptions mostly to hardware faults. While early versions had bugs that were quickly resolved, later updates improved reliability significantly. Some encountered minor stability issues related to third-party integrations, but VMware technical support effectively addresses these. Reports mention that when properly managed, vSphere demonstrates exceptional uptime and dependability.

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

29%

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

University

Comms Service Provider

Healthcare Company

Retailer

Energy/Utilities Company

Insurance Company

Construction Company

Media Company

Hospitality Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Non Profit

Legal Firm

Wholesaler/Distributor

Transportation Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Outsourcing Company

Performing Arts

Pharma/Biotech Company

Consumer Goods Company

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Logistics Company

Compare VMware vSphere with alternative products

Learn more about VMware vSphere

Infrastructure administrators and network operators can access and manage the vSphere server by using a web-based cross-platform client application or via the vSphere client tool provided with vSphere.

VMware vSphere provides visibility into VMs and enables its users to carry out operations to manage VMs. This includes tasks such as:

Powering VMs on and off
Launching the VM console
Shutting down guest operating systems
Settings configurations
Taking system snapshots

VMware vSphere Benefits

Some of the benefits of using VMware vSphere include:

Reduced costs: Since VMware applications are run on a server, it is not necessary to spend large amounts of your organization’s money on hardware, software, and infrastructure.

Increased productivity and customer satisfaction: VMware is able to operate multiple complex processes simultaneously. With all your applications being managed and run on the cloud, downtime, failures, and application errors are rare. VMware easily scales up and down to meet your computing needs. The high availability that VMware provides allows your IT staff to focus on other issues and keeps your customers satisfied with the service they receive.

Unlimited access to your VMs: VMware’s user-friendly cloud-based interface allows any employee to work from any location at any time.

Enhanced security: VMware’s security tools deliver full visibility into your entire system. This keeps your applications and data more secure, in any type of environment. VMware provides multiple protective tools including antiviruses and anti-malware, as well as backup and recovery services.

VMware vSphere Features

Below is a list of some of VMware vSphere’s key features:

Transferable virtual machine images: Export and import virtual machine images from your local environment. This gives users the ability to set up and configure their systems locally and only upload them to the server once everything is working properly. VM images can be moved back and forth between vendors, ensuring that your company is never tied up to a specific cloud vendor.

User-friendly interface: Using VMware’s intuitive console, you can easily create, manage, share, and deploy virtual machines.

API integration: VMware’s APIs support integration with third-party applications for data protection, multipathing, and disk array solutions.

Distributed power management: Automate efficiency by continuously optimizing server power consumption within each cluster.

Reviews from Real Users

VMware vSphere stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. A few major ones are its virtualization abilities, its flexibility and availability, and its user-friendly interface.

Felix D., an Automation project administrator, DCS, I&E at Centennial Cayman Corp, writes, “The connectivity is fantastic, and many functions can run together in one server. If you need to scale, we can continue to add components or modules. It's a beautiful virtual solution that has many advantages over physical hardware, where you have to use devices and wiring to connect all your projects.”