VMware vCenter Reviews

The tool is helpful because it gives us excellent control, maximizing server usage and resources. We can create numerous virtual machines and servers that host many services. Overall, we have had a very good experience.

The most valuable feature for us is its elasticity. We can easily ramp up resources and bring in more processes for specific workloads, which was a nightmare earlier. This ability to extend resource availability for virtual users is particularly beneficial.

We were able to save data on at least ten on-prem servers. Using VMware vCenter, we reduced our server costs. We could utilize many resources by maximizing the usage of minimal servers.

The tool gave us centralized control over all our virtual machines, which was incredibly helpful. We could easily check our services and had fine-grained control over the environment. This saved us a lot of hassle and ensured we never had any major problems. It’s such a good product that I highly recommend it.

The support for the Linux operating system wasn't great when we used it. 

I have been using the product since 2014.

I rate the tool's stability a nine out of ten. 

I am impressed with the solution's scalability. I rate it a ten out of ten.

VMware vCenter's deployment is easy. It was pretty quick because we were looking at an enterprise deployment. It took us two or three days to configure all the virtual servers.

VMware vCenter is not expensive. 

We have Software Assurance, which helps our licenses get updated and upgraded. We never had to deal with outages or restore backups, as we took backups and never needed to restore any data from the tool.

I would recommend it to anyone and rate it a ten out of ten. It is highly recommended that they use the tool for proof of concepts and then opt to virtualize their environment. They will not regret it.

Our primary use case for this solution is for infrastructure services, specifically SFTP.

The most valuable features of vCenter are its monitoring capabilities and operational tools for managing virtual machines. These tools help us efficiently monitor performance, manage networking, and handle provisioning tasks.

Enhancing the product's capabilities on the backend could be beneficial. We worry about potential changes in licensing costs and structures. They could work on the pricing models. 

In the platform's next release, they could improve browser-based management capabilities, allowing full functionality without requiring a client agent. It would enable users to perform all management tasks using popular browsers like Mozilla Firefox and Safari.

We have been using VMware vCenter in our environment since 2012.

The product's stability is generally satisfactory. However, ensuring compatibility with other components, such as the text server, is crucial to maintaining stability.

I rate the product stability as seven out of ten.

We have 200 VMware vCenter users in our organization. It is highly scalable. However, automation is needed to enhance scalability further. While we can manage scalability manually, automated capabilities would be more efficient.

I rate the scalability a seven out of ten.

We contact VMware for support whenever we require assistance, and they promptly address our queries. The response time varies depending on the issue's complexity, but we typically receive a response within an hour.

Neutral

Before choosing VMware vCenter, we considered that if the licensing model was unsuitable, we might switch to alternatives like OpenStack or other virtualization solutions. However, ultimately, vCenter was the primary option we chose.

The initial setup can be straightforward, particularly with simplified configuration options. However, integration with other systems and services may require additional effort to ensure seamless operation. Depending on the complexity of the infrastructure, setup time can vary from a day to potentially more than a week, especially when extensive configuration and preparation are needed.

I rate the process a seven out of ten.

The implementation typically involves coordination between networking teams, support teams, and potential vendors. Depending on the scale and complexity of the deployment, expertise from multiple domains may be required. For larger deployments with complex networking, storage, and VMware configurations, the involvement of experienced vendor teams or in-house experts is essential. It ensures efficient deployment and ongoing maintenance.

The ROI depends on deployment size, whether on-premises or in the public cloud. Moving to the cloud can save costs by reducing hardware investment, administrative overhead, and electricity expenses, particularly for larger deployments.

We have purchased monthly licenses for the platform. There are additional costs involved. We pay per user, but we are still determining if the new licensing model will be more expensive or cheaper.

I rate the pricing a five out of ten.

VMware vCenter has notably enhanced our virtual environment management by improving operational efficiency and troubleshooting various platform issues.

It has significantly impacted our organization by facilitating troubleshooting and monitoring processes. However, we seek a more equitable licensing model based on resource usage to better align with our needs. It would ensure fair pricing and optimize resource allocation, enhancing operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Before installing VMware vCenter, users should consider the potential challenges of integrating new services and weigh the cost-effectiveness of on-premises versus cloud solutions. Evaluating pricing and scalability is crucial, as opting for public cloud alternatives may incur higher expenses. Therefore, assessing the overall price-performance ratio and scalability options is essential for making an informed decision about installing vCenter.

I rate the product a seven out of ten.

We use the solution for backup.

The most valuable features of the solution are virtualization and ease of backing up the virtual and on-premises servers.

The solution’s pricing could be improved.

I have been using VMware vCenter for five years.

I rate the solution’s stability an eight to nine out of ten.

I rate the solution an eight or nine out of ten for scalability.

The solution's technical support is very good compared to other virtualization tools. We used to get a response within ten days. We should have premium licensing to get support. I feel that the cost of the support is higher.

Positive

On a scale from one to ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy, I rate the solution's initial setup an eight out of ten.

The solution's deployment process is very straightforward. For a small environment, the solution can be deployed within a day. The solution's deployment time depends upon the environment. For a smaller environment, the deployment and configuration can be completed within one or two days.

On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten.

The user administration is straightforward, and the restore is quick and easy. All software has bugs. VMware vCenter is one of the standards of virtualization in the market for on-premises. I would recommend the solution to other users. After its merger with Broadcom, the solution's license price has become costlier, and the previously available customizations are no longer available.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

We use the product to manage all the VMware hosts.

The platform provides a single pane of glass to manage all the VMs. It allows us to consolidate multiple systems into one console.

The product’s most valuable feature is 100% availability of the systems and hardware. It proved to be a crucial feature while working in a healthcare environment for ensuring patient safety.

They could improve the product’s dashboard features in terms of providing more realistic information. It could display the status of the storage space in terabytes, the number of VMs, etc. Also, they should provide more alerting capabilities.

They could add NSX features from VSphere for the micro-segmentation of virtual networking in the licensing structure.

We are using the 7.0U3 version of VMware vCenter.

I rate the platform’s stability a ten out of ten.

We can deploy multiple vCenters and links to fault tolerance and high availability. In the scenario where a single vCenter is deployed, if it were to go down, there is a need for a rebuild. However, the rebuilding process is straightforward, especially when configurations are backed up. To enhance resilience, the option to scale out by deploying two or more vCenters and linking them is available.

I rate the platform’s scalability a ten out of ten.

We have used AHV and Hyper-V in the past. However, both of these solutions were inferior to VMware's offering.

The initial setup is straightforward even for complex environments with around 100 hosts. The process is easy for deployment with a smaller number of hosts as well. In case of any issues, the support team provides solutions within a few minutes rather than hours or days.

The product generates a return on investment. The elimination of the need for multiple administrators or engineers handling diverse consoles streamlines operations and significantly reduces labor costs. The consolidated management not only saves time but also eliminates the need for extensive training. VMware is widespread across 90% of the market ensuring the same portion of technical staff availability.

I have worked in two different industries. For the healthcare industry, the price is considerably higher than the education industry. They must even out the pricing across the board as no industry should pay less or more than the other.

We use the product to take snapshots before undertaking updates or upgrades, ensuring a failback mechanism in case of issues. Additionally, when performing maintenance on the physical equipment where VMs reside, vCenter facilitates system transfer to hardware unaffected by the update. It helps with the placement of hosts in maintenance mode, execution of update tasks, and reintegration into the environment. It provides fault tolerance capabilities. We can easily integrate it with Rubrik, a third-party tool.

It is an easy technology to learn. I rate it a ten out of ten.

We use the product to manage different hosts.

The product's technical support services could be better.

We have been using VMware vCenter for three years. At present, we are using the latest version.

I rate the platform's stability an eight out of ten.

We can add many hosts to the vCenter, and it performs well. I rate the scalability a nine out of ten.

The technical support team needs improvement.

For the deployment, we utilize the vSphere hypervisor system. It takes an hour to complete.

I rate the process a ten out of ten.

The platform has reasonable pricing.

The platform is very effective for managing virtual infrastructure. It has improved our virtual infrastructure and virtual machine deployment in several ways. It provides a centralized platform for managing hosts and enables seamless VM migrations using vMotion.

The monitoring feature is the most valuable part of our daily operations. We have also seen improvements in troubleshooting and performance monitoring, especially when hosts encounter issues. Overall, it's beneficial for maintaining optimality.

It has enhanced our virtual environment management. Specifically, it has improved our ability to create and manage virtual machines efficiently.

The product is good, stable, and easy to deploy. I rate it an eight out of ten.

In my previous company, we used the product primarily for virtualizing our compute resources, including active directories and databases, to support our contact center business. In my current role, we use it similarly for virtualizing DNS servers and compute requirements for our environment.

The user-friendliness and stability are the product’s most valuable features. Over the past five years, we've experienced minimal issues, even during upgrades and migrations.

We've been exploring a hybrid cloud setup but found the solution complex and expensive. Additionally, scalability could be enhanced to accommodate our requirements better during increased demand.

We've been using vCenter for approximately ten years now.

The product is scalable.

Due to the complexity of hybrid cloud solutions, we consulted VMware experts. We also considered proposals from public cloud providers, which proved more cost-effective.

I emphasize its robust disaster recovery capabilities. In our experience, we encountered minimal impact when one node went down due to hardware issues. Once the hardware was fixed, the recovery process was seamless. Overall, vCenter has proven to be a solid product that has served us well.

I rate it a nine out of ten. 

We use VMware vCenter to monitor, administer, manage, and add virtual machines. You can add a virtual machine or make configuration changes through the vCenter interface. Within vCenter, you can navigate through ESXi hosts and manage single or multiple clusters, providing visibility into their status. If any issues arise, vCenter can give error messages for troubleshooting. Additionally, you can oversee the addition of new clusters and perform various tasks related to adding, installing, and managing virtual machines. You can monitor the status of virtual machines, including whether they are powered off or in a failed condition, as well as their utilization. In essence, VMware vCenter enables management, administration, and day-to-day tasks related to virtualization.

The alerting mechanism is very good. VMware vCenter simplifies infrastructure management with its intuitive interface. You can gain clear visibility into your entire setup without needing to switch between multiple platforms. Unlike Jira, which is used for issue tracking and project management, vCenter provides a comprehensive view of your infrastructure's current state and any alarm situations. Additionally, you can configure thresholds to receive alerts tailored to your needs.

If VMware integrates some features of their other solution into VMware vCenter, operational managers might find it beneficial. Many organizations prefer to maintain separate solution sets based on specific needs and data requirements. They are clear that while certain tools like VMware vCenter handle basic daily administration and monitoring tasks, more advanced functionality may require different solutions.

I have been using VMware vCenter for 12 years.

The tool is scalable and user-friendly, integrated with a suite of tools. Managing infrastructure becomes much more straightforward. Users can easily monitor and understand what is happening within their entire infrastructure. I can use a good number of APIs for integration.

The VMware vCenter ecosystem has a delivery phase followed by a maintenance phase. Depending on the scenario, your mock and first tenant teams may engage with the VMware support team for support.

The initial setup is very straightforward because we have a proven technology for over a decade.

The setup process involves obtaining a license and deploying a virtual or physical appliance for VMware vCenter. Once deployed, you can begin integrating it with your ESXi hosts. After integration, vCenter can manage the virtual machines associated with the ESXi hosts. It allows you to view and manage clusters, facilitating various management tasks.

VMware vCenter's deployment time depends on various factors, such as the volume of resources, the number of physical nodes, and clusters in the environment. Once vCenter is deployed, you can easily add the configured resources. While the initial setup may vary depending on the complexity of the environment, typically, configuring vCenter should not take more than a day. This process involves discovering and understanding the environment to ensure smooth integration with VMware infrastructure.

Server monitoring encompasses various solutions. For instance, managing tools like SolarWinds offers one approach. Additionally, Elastic provides a solution tailored for mobility monitoring.

VMware provides visibility into the deployed infrastructure but does not directly address security concerns. For security-related tasks, VMware offers a separate solution called VMware NSX. NSX provides micro-segmentation and visibility into East-West traffic to enhance security measures.

Maintaining VMware vCenter is cost-effective. VMware provides regular security updates. It's important to consistently apply these updates and patches to ensure the security and stability of the environment. Additionally, there may be optional add-ons available for specific requirements or enhanced functionality.

I recommend the solution.

VMware vCenter has several advantages: ease of use, site integration, simplicity, and excellent visibility into virtualized environments. It offers straightforward management and scalability.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

We utilize VMware vCenter for monitoring hosts, migrating virtual machines, and monitoring server performance.

Our infrastructure management has been greatly enhanced, particularly with features like vMotion being crucial for our operations.

The management and monitoring capabilities have significantly influenced our operational efficiency, proving to be highly beneficial for our needs.

The most valuable aspect for us is the ability to monitor all servers simultaneously and effortlessly move them between hosts. Additionally, adjusting server specifications such as CPU, memory, or storage capacity, whether increasing or decreasing, is incredibly convenient and beneficial for our operations.

The scalability features provided by VMware vCenter supported the growth of our organization.

There are numerous scattered versions of plugins compatible with VMware, which can be challenging to manage. Consolidating these plugins into a unified environment with customizable options to enable or disable features would be highly beneficial. Additionally, the ability to work with hardware beyond the compatibility list would add further value to the platform.

I have been working with it for five years.

The stability is exceptionally high, providing a seamless experience. I would rate it a perfect ten out of ten.

It is scalable given that I have sufficient hardware resources. If I decide to add more hardware, I can do so easily, but it's essential to select the appropriate hardware services before making any purchases. We have more than one hundred and fifty users. I would rate it seven out of ten. It is continuously in use, running throughout the entire day.

Previously, we utilized hardware, primarily within a Microsoft environment. However, we transitioned to VMware due to its capability to move servers without downtime. This flexibility makes it incredibly user-friendly and adaptable.

Our deployment was done by a third-party system integrator. The process was completed within a few hours.

In terms of return on investment, VMware proves to be cost-effective, especially when considering the long-term perspective. Evaluating its cost-effectiveness requires a considerable duration due to its long-term impact.

The pricing is significantly high. I would rate it ten out of ten.

I would recommend it to others considering implementation, particularly if they have a sufficient budget. However, for those with budget constraints, there are alternative solutions, including open-source options, albeit not as comprehensive as VMware. Overall, I would rate it eight out of ten.