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Administrator at Herzliya
Real User
A simple network built on a machine with restore and backup

What is our primary use case?

VMware vCenter is a simple network built on a machine.

What is most valuable?

The tool is simple to install and has backup and restore features.

What needs improvement?

The solution could provide more automation.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.

Buyer's Guide
VMware vCenter
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about VMware vCenter. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution’s scalability is very good. 100 users are using this solution.

How are customer service and support?

I take support from VMware in Israel. They are fast and knowledgeable.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I work with NetApp. It's simple to clone volume, and restore.

What other advice do I have?

I highly recommend the solution because it is stable.

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Genesis Dapoza - PeerSpot reviewer
Email Administrator at Technopaq, Inc.
Reseller
Top 5
Offers cluster configuration, data protection and simplifies VM management
Pros and Cons
  • "We typically manage VMs after the OS is installed. vCenter simplifies VM management by allowing for the configuration and operation of VMs once an OS, like Windows, is installed."
  • "Sometimes, vCenter management can be difficult if you forget the password. You can't change or recover the password easily. We then have to reinstall vCenter, which means reconfiguring everything. That's a challenge we've encountered."

What is our primary use case?

VMware vCenter helps in managing virtual infrastructure's performance and capacity.

VMware vCenter manages cluster nodes and carries configuration for VM setups. It allows for the allocation of resources such as memory, virtual CPUs, and virtual disks when creating VMs.

How has it helped my organization?

We typically manage VMs after the OS is installed. vCenter simplifies VM management by allowing for the configuration and operation of VMs once an OS, like Windows, is installed.

The vMotion feature of vCenter supports disaster recovery and VM migration strategies by moving the VMs on the nodes. If there's a problem on the nodes, we usually use vMotion. 

For data protection, we still take snapshots to create copies of data on the nodes. It's not a true backup, but it's a file copied for data redundancy.

vCenter is central to VMware. Without it, configuring other tools or clustering nodes would be impossible. vCenter is the best tool for VMware.

What is most valuable?

Cluster configuration, data protection, and snapshots are essential for operational efficiency and are facilitated by vCenter.

What needs improvement?

Sometimes, vCenter management can be difficult if you forget the password. You can't change or recover the password easily. We then have to reinstall vCenter, which means reconfiguring everything. That's a challenge we've encountered. Also, if the vCenter license expires, it will lock the VMs for security purposes.

So, the improvements could focus on management, password recovery, and integration challenges.

For how long have I used the solution?

VMware has been with our company for more than 20 years. I personally joined in 2012. So, the solution was already a part of the company. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable solution. 

How are customer service and support?

The customer service and support are good. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy. 

It's easy for us to perform the basic installation. However, when it comes to advanced installations or technologies within VMware, which has many updating tools, we sometimes face difficulties due to a lack of knowledge in those areas.

What about the implementation team?

My role is technical; I take care of implementation. The time required for deployment depends on the client's desired configuration and the tools being installed. Installing just VMware vSphere can take about 30 minutes. However, installing and configuring additional devices typically takes half a day or even a full day for a whole vCenter setup.

We sometimes face challenges in regard to integration, especially in networking. Issues like incorrect IP addresses configured on each node can lead to errors. Addressing these issues involves searching for or changing IPs for the servers. Sometimes, the network cards or ports may also have defects.

One person can manage and maintain the solution. However, if there are multiple servers or rapid access needs, it becomes impractical for a single person to maintain everything efficiently. For larger setups, such as nine faster nodes or more, additional technical personnel are necessary.

What other advice do I have?

It's important to have knowledge in VMware installation or implementation before purchasing.

Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
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Buyer's Guide
VMware vCenter
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about VMware vCenter. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer2385909 - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Consultant at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Consultant
A highly available solution that helps to change hosts easily
Pros and Cons
  • "One feature I really like about VMware vCenter is its ability to change hosts easily. It is highly available and very useful for our operations."
  • "The product should improve its storage. It's not necessarily about needing more storage but improving how it handles technology. We believe there could be more effective ways to manage it in our user environment. It should also look into network management."

What is most valuable?

One feature I really like about VMware vCenter is its ability to change hosts easily. It is highly available and very useful for our operations.

What needs improvement?

The product should improve its storage. It's not necessarily about needing more storage but improving how it handles technology. We believe there could be more effective ways to manage it in our user environment. It should also look into network management. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with the product for two years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the solution's stability an eight out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the tool's scalability a nine out of ten. My company has only three users who use it daily. 

How was the initial setup?

I rate the product's ease of deployment a nine out of ten. The initial setup of VMware vCenter was straightforward. You need to follow the instructions provided, which are easy to understand. It takes half a day to deploy. You can install it either on a drive or server. You can go through the general manual. 

If you have the necessary access, you can handle the center's deployment on your own. However, it typically requires around three people. This includes individuals responsible for access management and related tasks such as network configuration.

What other advice do I have?

If you're considering using VMware vCenter, my advice is to take advantage of its incredible environment for setting up labs. It would be good to do a POC. I rate the overall solution a nine out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Edwin Chang - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Consultant at a consultancy with 51-200 employees
Consultant
A highly stable solution for backup and to manage virtual environments
Pros and Cons
  • "The initial setup is easy."
  • "The web interface is not convenient."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution for backup and recovery.

What is most valuable?

VMware vCenter is a core tool for managing virtualized environments like Kubernetes or Docker.

What needs improvement?

The VMware web interface is not convenient.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using VMware vCenter for four to five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is highly stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is suitable for medium-sized businesses.

I rate the solution’s scalability an eight out of ten.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy and takes a couple weeks to complete including the training.

I rate the initial setup a seven out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: MSP
PeerSpot user
Technical Support Engineer at Greenware Technologies LLC
Real User
Top 5
Suitable for environments ranging from 10 to 200 VMs, mature product and allows for management through single console
Pros and Cons
  • "The initial setup is a very user-friendly process. Installation and configuration are easy."
  • "We face some upgrade patch management issues."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for official support first and then client support SMS.

What is most valuable?

vCenter is manageable, so we prefer that in our environment. We can manage it in a single console.

We use it for full automation, but we also require manual intervention. I have planned to integrate AI with this product and build for that.

What needs improvement?

We face some upgrade patch management issues. It can be improved in the new version. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with it for almost five years. More than five years.

Currently, I use versions seven and eight.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In the last two months, we have been working with the downloads. But we use multiple server vendors: HP and Dell. So, we face issues with the patch. So currently, we are working with that. 

We are preparing a document for the HP update only for the last vulnerability of the latest patch release. That is really only for that one previous version. VMware was released four months ago, but Broadcom has not released a fix yet. That is for all vendors.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is not an issue, it is already a mature product.

We didn't face any issues with scalability. But, only in the last two or three months have we encountered problems with updating site access and downloads.

Based on the supporting side, we have different categories for users. Some people have 40 VMware employees. Some people have a hundred employees.

The average size of the environment includes anywhere between 10 to 200 VMs minimum. 

How are customer service and support?

The customer service and support were good.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We work with Nutanix and Hyper-V.

Compared to Hyper-V, vCenter is more user-friendly and has better third-party support and multiple features available. It's a very good product.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is a very user-friendly process. Installation and configuration are easy. 

What about the implementation team?

The deployment process is only a management thing, and the integrator does the application configuration. We use it in multiple sectors. It's not only for management but also for backup solutions, etc. 

Installation takes 30 minutes. Implementation is based on the environment configuration and requirements.

It requires some maintenance. Now, we feel some difficulty with the download. VMware access was very friendly. Now, it's a bit difficult. We are searching so many pages. And if we are going to do any kind of checking, we need to use multiple features. It's not so user-friendly after migrating to Broadcom.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The license model changed, and some users are facing some difficulties.

After migration, vCenter changed the license model. It was per processor socket-based. Now, it's some core-based. So, we faced some difficulties with this licensing cost.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend it. It is a leading product. We know this product very well. It is user-friendly.

It is a good solution. Most people use VMware with vCenter. It's a very good product.

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Integrator
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Senior Architect at Noovle
Real User
Easily integrates with different tools and has an easy setup process
Pros and Cons
  • "The product is scalable."
  • "The technical support team could respond faster."

What is our primary use case?

We use VMware vCenter for deploying system machines for customers within a cloud provider environment, facilitating the creation of customized infrastructures.

What is most valuable?

The product's most valuable feature is the availability of different licenses.

What needs improvement?

The product’s interface could be easy to understand. It has too many elements and is challenging to operate for various configuration tasks.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using VMware vCenter for 18 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable platform.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The product is scalable. It is suitable for enterprises and top public administration institutions.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support team could respond faster.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy. However, it is difficult to upgrade it for maintenance purposes, including changes in certification.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The platform is expensive.

What other advice do I have?

VMware vCenter is easy to integrate with other tools such as Veeam, Commvault, etc. I rate it an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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reviewer985575 - PeerSpot reviewer
Associate Vice President at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Top 10
You can gain clear visibility into your entire setup without needing to switch between multiple platforms
Pros and Cons
  • "The alerting mechanism is very good. VMware vCenter simplifies infrastructure management with its intuitive interface."
  • "If VMware integrates some features of their other solution into VMware vCenter, operational managers might find it beneficial. Many organizations prefer to maintain separate solution sets based on specific needs and data requirements."

What is our primary use case?

We use VMware vCenter to monitor, administer, manage, and add virtual machines. You can add a virtual machine or make configuration changes through the vCenter interface. Within vCenter, you can navigate through ESXi hosts and manage single or multiple clusters, providing visibility into their status. If any issues arise, vCenter can give error messages for troubleshooting. Additionally, you can oversee the addition of new clusters and perform various tasks related to adding, installing, and managing virtual machines. You can monitor the status of virtual machines, including whether they are powered off or in a failed condition, as well as their utilization. In essence, VMware vCenter enables management, administration, and day-to-day tasks related to virtualization.

What is most valuable?

The alerting mechanism is very good. VMware vCenter simplifies infrastructure management with its intuitive interface. You can gain clear visibility into your entire setup without needing to switch between multiple platforms. Unlike Jira, which is used for issue tracking and project management, vCenter provides a comprehensive view of your infrastructure's current state and any alarm situations. Additionally, you can configure thresholds to receive alerts tailored to your needs.

What needs improvement?

If VMware integrates some features of their other solution into VMware vCenter, operational managers might find it beneficial. Many organizations prefer to maintain separate solution sets based on specific needs and data requirements. They are clear that while certain tools like VMware vCenter handle basic daily administration and monitoring tasks, more advanced functionality may require different solutions.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using VMware vCenter for 12 years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The tool is scalable and user-friendly, integrated with a suite of tools. Managing infrastructure becomes much more straightforward. Users can easily monitor and understand what is happening within their entire infrastructure. I can use a good number of APIs for integration.

How are customer service and support?

The VMware vCenter ecosystem has a delivery phase followed by a maintenance phase. Depending on the scenario, your mock and first tenant teams may engage with the VMware support team for support.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward because we have a proven technology for over a decade.

The setup process involves obtaining a license and deploying a virtual or physical appliance for VMware vCenter. Once deployed, you can begin integrating it with your ESXi hosts. After integration, vCenter can manage the virtual machines associated with the ESXi hosts. It allows you to view and manage clusters, facilitating various management tasks.

VMware vCenter's deployment time depends on various factors, such as the volume of resources, the number of physical nodes, and clusters in the environment. Once vCenter is deployed, you can easily add the configured resources. While the initial setup may vary depending on the complexity of the environment, typically, configuring vCenter should not take more than a day. This process involves discovering and understanding the environment to ensure smooth integration with VMware infrastructure.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Server monitoring encompasses various solutions. For instance, managing tools like SolarWinds offers one approach. Additionally, Elastic provides a solution tailored for mobility monitoring.

What other advice do I have?

VMware provides visibility into the deployed infrastructure but does not directly address security concerns. For security-related tasks, VMware offers a separate solution called VMware NSX. NSX provides micro-segmentation and visibility into East-West traffic to enhance security measures.

Maintaining VMware vCenter is cost-effective. VMware provides regular security updates. It's important to consistently apply these updates and patches to ensure the security and stability of the environment. Additionally, there may be optional add-ons available for specific requirements or enhanced functionality.

I recommend the solution.

VMware vCenter has several advantages: ease of use, site integration, simplicity, and excellent visibility into virtualized environments. It offers straightforward management and scalability.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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Panomporn_Meesangeam - PeerSpot reviewer
Tech Sales at AWN
Real User
Top 5
Enhances deployment management efficiency and provides high system availability
Pros and Cons
  • "The filtering capabilities also enhance scalability by optimizing resource allocation."
  • "The product's technical support services need improvement."

What is most valuable?

VMware vCenter's most valuable feature is high availability.

What needs improvement?

The product's technical support services need improvement. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The platform's provisioning feature enables flexible scaling. The filtering capabilities also enhance scalability by optimizing resource allocation.

How are customer service and support?

Our experience with VMware's technical support has been challenging. Support is primarily command-line based, which makes it difficult to address issues efficiently. However, they do offer solid support for GUI and file-related matters. Unfortunately, their assistance may be limited during critical situations, such as ransomware attacks.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

What other advice do I have?

We utilize a call API to assess system resources and inquire about available memory. Depending on the response received, we either proceed with the deployment or send error notifications. Additionally, we connect with external systems via APIs to verify compliance with internal policies and methodologies. This streamlined approach has enhanced our VM deployment and management efficiency.

Initially, we encountered challenges with local backups, particularly regarding efficiency and capacity limitations, notably with McAfee. We recently leveraged the function for recovery purposes, which uses an online snapshot copy. While this approach is effective for short-term recovery needs, it needs to catch up regarding long-term data retention due to the large backup capacity requirements. Additionally, while useful for capturing point-in-time data, the snapshot functionality may need to be more suitable for comprehensive backup strategies. Despite these limitations, we've found that application integrations, such as with SQL, have been beneficial in enhancing our backup and recovery processes.

I rate VMware vCenter an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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