Server Virtualization
Virtualization is a proven software technology that makes it possible to run multiple operating systems and applications on the same server at the same time. Virtualization can increase IT agility, flexibility, and scalability while creating significant cost savings. Workloads get deployed faster, performance and availability increases and operations become automated, resulting in IT that's simpler to manage and less costly to own and operate.
Run Any App, Anywhere, with the Universal App Platform
vSphere Hypervisor Introduction to Virtualization
Features
VM-Aware Storage
Virtual Volumes is an integration and management framework for external storage that provides finer control at the VM-level and streamlines storage operation. It implements the core tenets of the VMware software-defined storage vision, with storage centered around the VM rather than on the physical infrastructure.
- What's New: vSphere Virtual Volumes
- vSphere Virtual Volumes Solutions Overview
- Get Started with Virtual Volumes
- Virtual Volumes FAQs
API and Policy Driven Storage Capabilities
VMware vSphere API for Storage Awareness (VASA) allows vSphere to both investigate storage configurations and to set storage properties for arrays that support this functionality. VASA is used by vSphere Virtual Volumes, vSAN and vSphere APIs for IO Filtering (VAIO) as the single unified control plane for vSphere storage. Storage vendors can use the VASA to provide vSphere with information about specific disk arrays for tighter integration between storage and the virtual infrastructure. On software-defined storage, Storage Policy-Based Management (SPBM) lets you capture storage requirements (capacity, performance, availability, etc.) for applications in logical templates called VM storage policies. For VMFS and NFS datastores running on traditional LUN-based storage, SPBM enables profile-driven management based on pre-allocations of storage resources and capabilities.
Live Migration of Workloads
vSphere vMotion allows you to move an entire running virtual machine from one physical server to another, without downtime. The virtual machine retains its network identity and connections, ensuring a seamless migration process. Transfer the virtual machine's active memory and precise execution state over a high-speed network, allowing the virtual machine to switch from running on the source vSphere host to the destination vSphere host. This entire process takes less than two seconds on a gigabit Ethernet network. This capability is possible over virtual Switches, vCenter Servers, and even long distances.
Protect VM and Data
vSphere provides a policy-driven, comprehensive end-to-end security architecture. Secure your infrastructure with support for TPM 2.0 hardware modules and virtual TPM. Encrypted VMs not only increase the security posture of VMs, but also make protecting data at rest as simple as the click of a mouse. Protect data in motion with encrypted vMotion across different vCenter instances and versions. vSphere makes it easy to securely migrate your data center, whether you’re moving data across a hybrid cloud environment (between on-premises and public cloud) or geographically distributed data centers.
Eliminate Downtime for Mission Critical Applications
vSphere Demo: Increase Application Uptime
Demo shows how you can minimize downtime and recover quickly from unplanned outages using VMware vSphere.
Share Data Center Resources
Manage VM templates, vApps, ISO images and scripts from a central location. Organize the content into libraries, which can be individually configured and managed. Once libraries are created, share content across the boundaries of vCenter Servers and ensure consistency across your data center. Deploy VM templates directly onto a host or cluster for a consistent provisioning experience.
Enhance Efficiency and Simplify Management
Dramatically reduce the time required for patching or upgrading ESXi with Single Reboot and vSphere Quick Boot. Single Reboot significantly slashes reboot times when conducting major version upgrades by cutting the number of host reboots required to just a single reboot. And with vSphere Quick Boot, remaining reboot time is drastically reduced thanks to the ability to skip hardware initialization steps.