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VMware vCenter is an important component of the VMware vSphere virtual infrastructure, allowing you to use advanced VMware features. The most common approach to installing vCenter is deploying vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) as a virtual machine on an ESXi host. This blog post explains how to install VMware vCenter as a virtual appliance to get access to enterprise features in your vSphere environment.

For decades, VMware stood at the center of enterprise infrastructure. It underpinned critical applications, supported recovery plans, shaped data center strategy, and sustained daily IT workflows. For many organizations, VMware felt less like a platform choice and more like an operational cornerstone: load-bearing, familiar, and assumed. Then the landscape began to shift. Few developments have loomed larger over the IT industry recently than the reshaping of VMware’s commercial model.

Something significant is happening across enterprise IT right now — and I do not think it has been fully reckoned with yet. More than 5,000 organizations are actively evaluating or executing a migration away from VMware. The Broadcom acquisition changed the economics of VMware dramatically and abruptly. Licensing costs surged. Bundling decisions eliminated flexibility.

The initial ESXi configuration after installation is an important step in making sure the host is functional, that is ready to serve as a standalone host or as part of a vCenter cluster. In the previous post, we explained the interactive ESXi installation step by step. Once the installation is done, you need to complete some initial ESXi configuration in the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI) and embedded VMware Host Client.

When Broadcom completed its $69 billion acquisition of VMware in November 2023, most customers assumed the initial disruption would settle. Licensing models would stabilise. Partner programmes would find a new equilibrium. Pricing would normalise. Two years in, it’s clear that didn’t happen.

Backup remains the best approach to data protection for physical and virtual machines, even in the face of new threats to data integrity and accessibility. However, virtual machine backup presents a challenge to IT admins in terms of storage, VM performance, resource efficiency, security, and recovery times. There are multiple methods to choose from to back up VMs. This post explains the advantages and disadvantages of 3 backup methods.

VMware vSphere offers a wide range of storage-related features for virtual machines. In addition to VMware vSAN and Virtual Volumes, VMware I/O filters are effective for VM administration since they unlock advanced features for different scenarios. This blog post explains what VMware I/O filters are, how they work and when to use them. NAKIVO for VMware vSphere Backup Complete data protection for VMware vSphere VMs and instant recovery options. Secure backup targets onsite, offsite and in the cloud.

When configuring processor settings for a new virtual machine, there are several key concepts to understand: how to calculate the number of processor cores per CPU and CPU cores per socket and how these settings affect the speed of virtual machines. In addition, it is important to understand what ensures better VM performance: limiting the number of processors and having more CPU cores or having more processors with fewer cores?

Previously, we looked at PowerCLI – what it is, how to install it, and integrating into Windows Powershell ISE. Now, let’s take a look at basic scripting including connecting, PowerCLI commandlets, as well as looping. NAKIVO for VMware vSphere Backup Complete data protection for VMware vSphere VMs and instant recovery options. Secure backup targets onsite, offsite and in the cloud. Anti-ransomware features. DISCOVER SOLUTION.

Unexpected downtime can disrupt your workflows in an instant. Virtual machines (VMs) power critical workloads, and when one fails, every second counts. The time needed for a full VM recovery depends on multiple factors, such as the size of virtual disks, storage performance, network speed and the recovery method.