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it_user370284 - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager - System Engineering and Storage at a construction company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
We are able to scale up with densities of 10:1 or 20:1. Stability and manageability need improvement.
Pros and Cons
  • "Basic hypervisor functions with HA."
  • "Stability and manageability need improvement."

What is most valuable?

  • Core virtualizaton
  • Basic hypervisor functions with HA

How has it helped my organization?

We are able to scale up far better with densities of 10:1 or 20:1 and provide robust, flexible computing to our increasing application demands.

What needs improvement?

Stability and manageability need improvement. The core product has not changed much over the years and has large deficiencies in manageability and how they implement certain features. The basic hypervisor works OK, but all the management and bolt-on products have issues and at times overwhelm the core hypervisor.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used it for seven years.

Buyer's Guide
VMware vSphere
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about VMware vSphere. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have repeated reliability issues with anything other than core functionality.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

SRM has been a disappointment in its scalability and reliability.

How are customer service and support?

We pay for business critical support and that is still bad. I think VMware's biggest weakness is their support organization - 5/10.

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

We had Hyper-V, but the older versions had issues. When the 2016 version releases, we are going to re-evaluate it.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was fairly straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

We did most of the implementation ourselves, but we did have some initial consultation on some design thoughts.

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

VMware is consistently expensive and their pricing arrogance is what will drive us and other customers away. Compared to physical systems, it is a bargain, but compared to other solutions, it is losing its appeal due to pricing.

What other advice do I have?

The core hypervisor is decent. Many issues will be with management and bolt-on products.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
it_user321249 - PeerSpot reviewer
Virtualization Engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Real User
We can consolidate machines that aren't using computer resources into an environment where they can all exist without performance degradation.

Valuable Features

  • DRS (compute and storage) is one of the best features for practical purposes.
  • HA is a great feature, but if you keep hosts patched, HA doesn’t come into play. It’s not a day-to-day feature you use.
  • Ability to vMotion across clusters. We took smaller clusters and consolidated them into one mega cluster because of the ability to vMotion from other clusters live into newly-created clusters.

Improvements to My Organization

The consolidation. Pre-VM, we had pain transporting applications from one physical machine to another. Now, we can consolidate machines that aren't using computer resources into an environment where they can all exist without performance degradation.

Room for Improvement

I'm excited to see in 6.0 the enhanced vMotion capabilities to connect our Phoenix, AZ and Culpepper, VA datacenters. It will have the ability to geo-vMotion instead of just metro-vMotion machines.

Stability Issues

Now, it's much better than used to be. HA doesn’t even come into play, but you must manage the environment to maintain that.

There’s some bugs (zero uptime bug, and RAM disk issue), but those were resolved. They were hiccups/annoyances.

Scalability Issues

Phenomenal. Multiple 32-node clusters and 6.0 can support 64 nodes. Don’t know if we will get that large because it gets unwieldy, and will be hard to vMotion all of that off one host onto another and patch within a reasonable amount of time. It’s so condensed in clusters that it makes it hard to maintain.

Customer Service and Technical Support

Periodically used as sounding board for things we want to do. Not high marks, though, because first-level support is not knowledgeable. I would rather rely on peers in blogs, forums, etc. Also, sometimes they're not communicative.

Previous Solutions

Initial Setup

Involved in the beginning with v2.5, not overly difficult (in ESXi had to come up with some scripts, because at the time it didn’t have a GUI).

Pricing, Setup Cost and Licensing

Consider the scale of environment, especially if you're in a position to have closeted datacenter. It’s self-contained and cost-effective.

Other Advice

vSphere is great, I’ve made a career of it.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
VMware vSphere
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about VMware vSphere. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
it_user298431 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Systems Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Consultant
It gives us the ability to manage thousands of servers from a centralized point because it supports migration between hardware and consolidated workloads.

What is most valuable?

  • The HA functions
  • vSphere Distributed Switch

How has it helped my organization?

It gives us a good consolidated overview of hundreds or thousands of servers at a time.

It gives us the ability to easily manage those from a centralized point, and a lot more reliability because we can easily migrate between hardware and consolidate workloads.

What needs improvement?

The web client, the GUI, could use some improvement. It’s pretty clunky and slow. Some things are only available in the web client, some are only available in the fat client so it would be nice to have them in both in one interface.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used it for about two years.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

No, we’ve been using vSphere for a long time so we’re quite familiar with it, and we have a good relationship with VMWare. Deployment was easy.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We don’t see many crashes, if any, on the vSphere side.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Again, it’s simple as popping extra hosts in. Quite easily scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

They’re very good. We’ve got a good relationship with VMware, and they’re always available - they give us previews on upcoming tech or quickly connect us with someone we need to speak to.

Technical Support:

It’s good. It’s usually quite easy and quick to log calls and get support services. The vSphere client has a built-in means of pulling logs which logs which we can send directly to VMWare technical support. We can get tier two or three support quite readily.

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

Not since I’ve worked here, so at least 10 years. We started with vSphere.

How was the initial setup?

It kind of depends; we work with a number of different customers. It’s relatively straightforward, but for complex implementations there can be some complications. They publish all of the necessary installation information so it’s quite easy to find support for deployment.

What about the implementation team?

We do it in-house.

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

It’s not something I really deal with as an engineer. Because of the types of service we offer, we don’t sell customers vSphere licensing.

What other advice do I have?

I’d grab the software from their site - you can deploy it and use it for 60 days free of charge, so whether you’re doing a large or small deployment try it out and see if it works. You can also engage with technical support services. The software is free, so grab it and play with it.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor. The reviewer's company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: I work for a VMware partner.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1119762 - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Security Specialist at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Easy to set up with good reliability and a great user interface
Pros and Cons
  • "There are no issues with the level of scalability you can achieve."
  • "There should be a bit more flexibility in terms of the hardware we can use with the product."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for the analytics we can get.

What is most valuable?

It works well with other VMware solutions.

The user interface is great.

There are no issues with the level of scalability you can achieve.

The stability is good. 

The initial setup is straightforward. 

What needs improvement?

There should be a bit more flexibility in terms of the hardware we can use with the product. There needs to be better compatibility. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We've used the solution for a long time. We've used the solution for more than a decade. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution offers good reliability and performance. The stability is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

You can easily scale the solution as needed. It's great in the sense. There are no issues around scaling. 

We have about 35 users at this time. 

The solution doesn't use up a lot of space, however, I can't say if we plan to increase usage or not just yet. 

How are customer service and support?

We've never contacted technical support in the past. I can't speak to how they are in terms of the level of service they provide. 

How was the initial setup?

The solution is easy to set up. It's not a complex or difficult process at all. 

The deployment doesn't take too long. It took us about ten days or so. 

We have four engineers that can handle deployment and maintenance tasks. 

What about the implementation team?

We handled the implementation ourselves. We did not use an integrator or consultant for the deployment.

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

We have an on-premises setup. There aren't any extra costs involved. 

What other advice do I have?

I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. We've been satisfied with its general capabilities so far. 

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.
PeerSpot user
System Advisor IT at CRIF India
Real User
Reliable, user-friendly interface, easy to install, configure, and manage
Pros and Cons
  • "There is the simplicity of management, accessibility, and availability."
  • "The only concern that I have with VMware is the support. It is very limited and can be better."

What is our primary use case?

In the organization where I have worked for the past nine years, there are multiple virtualization platforms. Virtualization software includes Microsoft Hypervisor, Red Hat KVM, Oracle virtual machine, and Oracle virtual cloud.

vSphere is optimized for a specific type of virtualization.

What is most valuable?

There is the simplicity of management, accessibility, and availability.

The interface is really user-friendly.

What needs improvement?

The only concern that I have with VMware is the support. It is very limited and can be better.

When you get support from the VMware global team or support locations, customer complaints are not entertained or taken seriously by the VMware global team or support centers. Other OEMs, such as Microsoft and Oracle, would make you a priority.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using VMware vSphere for three years.

We recently upgraded to the latest version.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's a very stable solution. In fact, when it comes to virtualization, you can tell anyone to use the system.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

In our organization, we have 600 users. 

My previous organization had a population of approximately 35,000 people.

How are customer service and support?

The support is the only negative feedback, they need improvements.

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

I'm familiar with all of the virtualization platforms that are now available on the market.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup and installation are straightforward. It is something that can be done by anyone.

In one hour, we can complete the installation and configuration.

Admins are only required to look after the VM portion of the new VM creation as well as the configuration or modification. Aside from that, we have a team of two or three admins to deploy and maintain this solution during their shift time, such as in the morning and afternoon shifts.

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

The organization pays the licensing fees.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at a few alternatives and compared them to vSphere.

What other advice do I have?

The freelance experience for the platform is excellent.

I would recommend this solution to other users.

I would rate VMware vSphere a ten 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.
PeerSpot user
Senior Software and Systems Engineer at SAMU.IT
User
Reliable, scalable, with good support and high availability
Pros and Cons
  • "This solution's most valuable feature is its High Availability."
  • "The support is good, but it's slow."

What is our primary use case?

We are an IT company and VMware partners.

VMware vSphere is used for virtualization in all situations and for all businesses.

What is most valuable?

This solution's most valuable feature is its High Availability.

What needs improvement?

The only concern I have with VMware vSphere is that the level of support is inadequate. It's not very fast. The support is good, but it's slow.

When we need help, we require someone to answer the phone quickly.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been selling VMware vSphere since it was launched.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have no issues with the stability of VMware vSphere. It is very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

VMware vSphere is a scalable product.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is good but not very fast.

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

We have customers who use Sangfor, as well as customers with VMware. 

vSphere is used by all VMware customers.

How was the initial setup?

A small infrastructure installation can take up to eight hours.

The teams are always the same. We have five technicians, three of whom specialize in networking and virtualization, and one who is a management engineer.

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

Our customers have the option of paying the licensing fee when they purchase the solution or renting it from us.

If a customer chooses to rent the solution, the customer pays us and we purchase the solution.

What other advice do I have?

The vSphere serves as the system's control center for managing virtual machines (VMs). VMware vSphere is present in all installations.

Our solutions are all deployed on-premises.

As a company, we advise, supply, and install products for our clients. We provide two solutions, one of which is Sangfor and the other is VMware.

As a reseller of vSphere, I would recommend this solution to anyone who is interested in using it.

I would rate VMware vSphere an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
reviewer1602309 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at a legal firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
Scalable with a straightforward setup and good stability
Pros and Cons
  • "Technical support is quite good and very responsive."
  • "The cost could always be lower."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the product as a server. Most of the work we do for our clients. 

What is most valuable?

The product works very well for us. Over the last decade, it's been extremely dependable. 

The initial setup is very straightforward. 

The stability has been very good.

Technical support is quite good and very responsive. 

The solution can scale well.

What needs improvement?

The product meets our needs pretty well. I can't recall noticing any missing features. It's pretty complete. 

Our hopes are that it continuously keeps improving.

The cost could always be lower. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for about ten years or so. It's been about a decade. We've had it a while. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is excellent. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's extremely reliable and the performance has been good. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The product is very, very scalable. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so without any issues. 

Our clients have users that vary anywhere from hundreds to thousands. Quite a few people are on it.

How are customer service and technical support?

We've dealt with technical support in the past and I would rate them very highly. They are helpful and responsive. They get us answers. We're quite satisfied with the level of support we receive. 

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

We didn't previously use a different solution. We've basically used this product since day one. 

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

You can save quite a bit using this solution. 

What other advice do I have?

We're just customers and end-users. We don't have any business relationship with VMware.

We use the latest version of the solution. I can't speak to the exact version number.

We're very happy with the solution overall. I'd rate it at a nine out of ten.

Using this product is a no-brainer. It's a really easy product to use. If you're looking at simply a VM or anything similar or anything cloud-based, it's pretty much exactly what you need. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Head of enterprise systems at Fidelity Bank Plc
Real User
Good dynamic resource scheduling and fault tolerance capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "Its dynamic resource scheduling and its fault tolerance capabilities are two features that I've found to be valuable. I also like that VMware vSphere is stable, scalable, and easy to install."
  • "I would like to see improvements in simplifying automation, cloud native deployment, administration, and fault resolution."

What is our primary use case?

It's used as a private cloud, and currently, we operate the original enterprise infrastructure. For VMware, a majority of the workload is posted on VMware, and it's posted on the HCI solution.

What is most valuable?

Its dynamic resource scheduling and its fault tolerance capabilities are two features that I've found to be valuable. I also like that VMware vSphere is stable, scalable, and easy to install.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see improvements in simplifying automation, cloud native deployment, administration, and fault resolution.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using VMware vSphere since 2008.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

My impression is that it's a very stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I believe that VMware vSphere is scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

The customer service and technical support were fine.

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

We used Hyper-V, which is a Microsoft product.

How was the initial setup?

It was easy to install. We performed a complete deployment because it was a full MCI, so it required some architecture. I believe it took about a month.

What about the implementation team?

I used consultants for the implementation process because it was a refresh project.

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

I currently use the yearly licensing option, and I think that the pricing is fine for this solution.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution at 9, on a scale from one to 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.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free VMware vSphere Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: November 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free VMware vSphere Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.