Migrate from VMware Server to another VMware offering to gain the benefits of newer technologies and improve security and supportability.
Compare
| VMware Player | VMware
Workstation 8 |
VMware vSphere
Hypervisor (ESXi) |
VMware vSphere | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hypervisor Type | Hosted | Hosted | Bare Metal | Bare Metal |
| Typical Use Case | Test | Test & Dev | Production, Test & Dev | Tier 1 apps, Production, Test & Dev |
| # of VMs per host | 1-2 | < 10 | < 10 | > 10 |
| Dedicated Server Required | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Centralized Management | No | No | No | Yes |
| Remote Management | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Headless Operation | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Support Available | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Transition Path to VMware vSphere | Easy. Convert virtual machines to run on vSphere using VMware converter. | Easy. Drag and drop to upload virtual machines to VMware vSphere. | Easiest. Virtual machines and hypervisor are compatible with paid editions of vSphere. | N/A |
| Pricing | Free | Paid | Free | Paid |
Get there with VMware vCenter Converter
VMware vCenter Converter can automate and simplify the migration from VMware Server to other VMware offerings. Converter can quickly and reliably convert VMware Server 2.x virtual machines into virtual machines that can run on VMware vSphere, VMware Workstation and VMware Player without any disruption or downtime.
VMware Player
VMware Player is the easiest way to run multiple operating systems at the same time on your PC. With its user-friendly interface, VMware Player makes it effortless for anyone to try out a new operating system or create isolated virtual machines to safely test new software. For more information visit the VMware Player product page.
VMware Workstation
VMware Workstation offers an excellent alternative for software developers, QA engineers, and IT administrators who cannot meet the hardware requirements or dedicate a server for VMware vSphere Hypervisor. Workstation can be easily installed on existing Windows or Linux systems just like a traditional application, which makes the setup simple for novice users. Workstation can run, alongside other actively running applications without disrupting existing applications.
VMware vSphere Hypervisor
VMware vSphere Hypervisor is based on VMware ESXi, the hypervisor architecture that sets the industry standard for reliability, performance and ecosystem support. VMware vSphere Hypervisor is the easiest way to get started with virtualization—and it’s free. Consolidate your applications onto fewer servers and start saving money through reduced hardware, power, cooling and administration costs.
Get an easy on-ramp to virtualization with VMware Go, a web-based service to guide users of any expertise level through the installation and configuration of VMware vSphere Hypervisor. With VMware Go you can migrate existing VMware Server VMs to the more scalable ESXi platform. Now there is no need to worry about losing the investment you’ve made in creating and fine tuning VMware Server VMs.
VMware vSphere Kits
Dramatically reduce your capital and operating costs while increasing IT staff efficiency with VMware vSphere, the most trusted and reliable virtualization platform in the industry. VMware vSphere delivers Always On IT to your business, bringing the enterprise-class high availability, performance and reliability of the VMware platform together with cost-effective packages designed your IT environment.
vSphere Kits combine a number of vSphere licenses with vCenter for central management – everything you need to start your virtualization journey. Essentials Kits are great for smaller environments, while Acceleration kits have more advanced features and can scale to any sized environment.
