RHEV vs VMware vSphere Foundation comparison

Red Hat and VMware are both solutions in the Server Virtualization Software category. Red Hat is ranked #12 with an average rating of 7.6, while VMware is ranked #13 with an average rating of 8.0. Additionally, 78% of Red Hat users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 75% of VMware users who would recommend it.

RHEV

Read 35 RHEV reviews

5,335 Views
3,875 Comparison Views

78% willing to recommend

VMware vSphere Foundation

Read 10 VMware vSphere Foundation reviews

114 Views
60 Comparison Views

75% willing to recommend

RHEV

VMware vSphere Foundation

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 6, 2024

RHEV and VMware vSphere Foundation compete in the virtualization market. Data comparisons indicate VMware vSphere Foundation has the upper hand with its advanced features, outweighing its cost compared to RHEV, which is perceived favorably in pricing and support.

Features: RHEV offers open-source flexibility, integration capabilities, and customization, appealing to smaller or open-source-focused operations. VMware vSphere Foundation provides scalability, advanced virtualization capabilities, and a robust feature set suitable for complex IT infrastructures and enterprise-level deployments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: VMware vSphere Foundation is recognized for its structured deployment model and comprehensive support network, which aids smoother installations in larger organizations. RHEV features a more straightforward deployment process that suits teams with specific open-source expertise, though its support framework often relies on community resources compared to VMware's vendor-driven assistance.

Pricing and ROI: RHEV is known for its cost-effective setup and potential for higher ROI, especially when leveraging its open-source nature to reduce expenses. VMware vSphere Foundation's initial setup costs are higher, but its powerful toolset is viewed as a valuable investment for fully integrated and scalable virtualization solutions.

To learn more, read our detailed RHEV vs. VMware vSphere Foundation Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

RHEV vs. VMware vSphere Foundation

April 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

RHEV

Ranking in Server Virtualization Software

12th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

VMware vSphere Foundation

Ranking in Server Virtualization Software

13th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

Sujeet-Kumar

Project Manager Cloud Infrastructure at Path Infotech ltd

The solution is scalable and affordable, but it lacks features, and it is not easy to manage

Management of RHEV is not as easy as VMware. Some features do not work. The product does not provide features similar to VMware’s VMotion. After creating the cluster, the VM is moved to another node if we move down. However, the VM does not move the parent node automatically. It has to be moved manually. VMware moves it automatically. RHEV moves it to the parent node only if we restart. Everything can be handled in VMware through the GUI. However, in RHEV, some things can be managed through UI, and others cannot. We have to troubleshoot and use CLI. A few features of the product do not work as well as those in VMware.

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ErmiasGirma

System and Cloud Deployment Engineer at Safaricom Ethiopia plc

Virtualization enhances management and utilization in enterprise environments

In the past, we faced challenges with VMware's transition to Broadcom, which caused a lot of frustration. Issues like not being able to upgrade to version eight without support and the end-of-life of perpetual licenses were concerning. Pricing fluctuation and increased licensing costs were also significant challenges. I highly recommend that continuous support for perpetual licenses be provided.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"One of the most valuable features of this solution is the popularity of the OS."

"The solution is a great all-round product. The virtualization is especially good."

"The most valuable features of RHEV are all the tools, such as virtualization, management of cloud platforms, and integration of container environments. The solution has good compatibility between virtualization, content management, and cloud management. Having the full set of these tools is the advantage of it."

"It is very stable."

"RHEV’s cost is much less compared to VMware."

"It is a stable solution...It is a scalable solution."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the support portal."

"The solution has a good licensing module."

More RHEV pros

"The solution supports the creation of a large virtual environment consisting of thousands of virtual machines, and the performance is excellent."

"I find the manageability and interface of vSphere Foundation to be very good, more understandable, and futuristic compared to open-source alternatives."

"It helps us see whether our configuration is adequate and prompts us with questions if there are potential issues, asking whether we want to proceed."

"VMware provides the best features."

"One valuable feature of vSphere is the possibility to distribute file systems in a hyperconvergent foundation."

"VMware vSphere ensures high resilience in the data center."

"Overall, it is an excellent solution, and I rate it a ten out of ten."

"vSphere Foundation is valuable due to its scalability, reliability, and ease of management."

More VMware vSphere Foundation pros

Cons

"We should improve how we manage storage domains and make more comprehensive control available through the command line."

"RHEV can improve by keeping pace with new features and new enhancements. They should not be halted or delayed innovation because over the past quarter the enhancements have not been as fast as they have been previously."

"Customers are not aware of this solution, they can improve by providing more awareness and solution availability."

"We hope that Red Hat can produce a paradigm edition. We are looking for paradigm computing and paradigm storage. Its scalability can be improved. It is not easy to scale, and we hope that Red Hat can provide a more scalable system. They should also provide local service and support. Our customers are looking for a good software vendor to provide professional services."

"When we do a direct comparison, then obviously VMware does better in terms of having Fault Tolerance and doing active disaster recovery and these kind of things. This is something that can be improved within Red Hat."

"The support is tricky in a few places. We're facing some challenges within Malaysia where we don't really have the system integrators available who can provide extended support. When we need personnel on-site, we can't get them."

"We would like the dashboard feature of this solution to be improved, as it is not very detailed at present."

"The UI should be more interactive with additional features."

More RHEV cons

"I find that VMware vSphere is not very user-friendly at first, as there is a significant learning curve involved with installation."

"You can have the best product in the world, but if it’s not accessible to customers, it doesn’t matter. That’s my main concern."

"VMware needs to improve cost efficiency, especially in Pakistan, as customers often seek more affordable solutions."

"The licensing model is an area for improvement. Recently, VMware shifted its licensing models, and they should streamline it."

"With the Broadcom acquisition of VMware, there were delays and confusion in Brazil and some LATAM countries involving quoting and purchasing."

"Management of support cases is not as efficient as it used to be."

"Before Broadcom, VMware's support was an eight or ten out of ten. Now, with Broadcom's management, I would rate it a three out of ten."

"VMware needs to improve cost efficiency, especially in Pakistan, as customers often seek more affordable solutions."

More VMware vSphere Foundation cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This product has a variety of licensing options available. However, the level of licensing, and therefore the cost of licensing, is dependent on the number of servers being utilized."

"Its price depends on the use cases."

"We buy a license for commercial use, and we also use the free editions."

"I would say the price is acceptable."

"The solution does not require licencing but a subscription is necessary, which is very affordable."

"The price of RHEV is high. It is an open-source solution, the price should be less. The price should not be on par with a solution, such as VMware. It's not more or equal to VMware, it's less, but the difference should be more substantial."

"RHEV offers pricing based on a per-physical-machine licensing model."

"This is an open-source solution."

More RHEV pricing and cost advice

"It is expensive."

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Comparison Review

Thang Le Toan (Victory Lee)

CIO at Robusta Technology & Training

Jan 13, 2015

vSphere vs. RHEV vs. Hyper-V vs. XenServer

We have used the following functions: 1. Hypervisor: to ensure that the virtual server provide web and email services to the company, thus providing a stable operation a with single sign-on integration of an AD server and vCenter. 2. Network and Storage: centralized data server…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

44%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about RHEV?

The initial setup is fairly straightforward and well-documented. The process is very similar to its competitors. The success of your setup depends on how well you plan.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for RHEV?

It's the open source. There's not much cost. It's very minimal comparably. Compared to what I am paying for VMware, it's negligible.

See all answers

What needs improvement with RHEV?

My teammates and I often complain that VMware is well-documented and has a large community since it is the de facto standard. I would love to see better documentation and ease of use. For newcomers...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VMware vSphere Foundation?

There's definitely room for improvement on the pricing of VMware vSphere Foundation. Recently, the cost has increased for various organizations, depending on their licensing post-Broadcom acquisition.

See all answers

What needs improvement with VMware vSphere Foundation?

I can't really say because I don't have much experience with other platforms in the commercial space. Recently, the pricing has gone up a lot for different organizations depending on what licensing...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for VMware vSphere Foundation?

We are hosting our internal infrastructure with VMware vSphere Foundation ( /products/vmware-vsphere-foundation-reviews ).

See all answers

Comparisons

VMware vSphere vs RHEV

Compared 53% of the time

Proxmox VE vs RHEV

Compared 18% of the time

Hyper-V vs RHEV

Compared 10% of the time

KVM vs RHEV

Compared 9% of the time

Nutanix AHV Virtualization vs RHEV

Compared 6% of the time

More RHEV Competitors

Red Hat OpenShift vs VMware vSphere Foundation

Compared 100% of the time

More VMware vSphere Foundation Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

RHEV

April 2025

Download RHEV product report

Buyer's Guide

VMware vSphere Foundation

April 2025

Download VMware vSphere Foundation product report

Also Known As

Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization

No data available

Overview

Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, or RHEV, is a leading open standard enterprise virtualization management solution. This solution supports virtualization of servers and desktops using the same infrastructure and a single easy-to-use interface.

Because RHEV is based on open standards, it is vendor-independent and a lot more cost effective and flexible than proprietary solutions.

Red Hat

VMware vSphere Foundation is designed for businesses seeking virtualization management capabilities. It offers essential features to optimize IT operations and improve server utilization, providing a solid infrastructure for managing virtual environments.

VMware vSphere Foundation supports efficient resource management in virtual environments, delivering a robust platform for businesses to streamline their IT processes. It enhances system reliability and offers scalable options for growing business needs. By leveraging virtualization, it reduces hardware dependency while ensuring consistent system performance.

What are the key features of VMware vSphere Foundation?

VMware vCenter Server: Centralized platform for managing VMs and hosts.
High Availability: Ensures minimal downtime for critical applications.
Data Recovery: Provides backup and restore options for enhanced data protection.
Resource Manager: Allocates resources efficiently between VMs to maximize performance.

What benefits or ROI should users consider?

Cost Reduction: Decreases hardware expenses by maximizing server usage.
Improved Scalability: Facilitates easy expansion of IT infrastructure.
Enhanced Reliability: Offers consistent uptime and minimized outages.
Efficiency Gains: Streamlines operations, reducing manual IT management tasks.

VMware vSphere Foundation is implemented effectively across industries like healthcare, finance, and retail. It supports crucial workloads, allowing these sectors to maintain operational efficiency while handling sensitive data. Its flexibility and robust capabilities make it suitable for diverse operational demands.

VMware

Sample Customers

Qualcomm and Bonham's Auction House.

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

RHEV vs. VMware vSphere Foundation

April 2025

Free Report: RHEV vs. VMware vSphere Foundation

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