Ajay Dand - PeerSpot reviewer
Founder Director at Ninesec Integration Pvt. Ltd
Real User
Top 10
It has allowed us to have the flexibility of moving around our workloads on different machines, and not having to worry if anything is down.
Pros and Cons
  • "As an end-user, I would say it has allowed us to have the flexibility of moving around our workloads on different machines, and not having to worry if anything is down."
  • "In addition, I think some of the backup features or the prediction features can be improved."

What is our primary use case?

It is primarily for virtualization. 

How has it helped my organization?

As an enduser, I would say it has allowed us to have the flexibility of moving around our workloads on different machines, and not having to worry if anything is down. Since we are a small organization, we don't have a lot of hardware resources to spare. So, this consolidation helps us to aggregate a lot more services and solutions utilizing the same hardware. Of course, it also allowed us to upgrade our skills, which helped us when deploying other solutions.

What is most valuable?

We truly value the security of the solution. We also value the consolidation, which can be done in terms of releasing the hardware footprint, and the service call. Furthermore, the automation and ease, as well as source utilization are key features of this product.

What needs improvement?

I think the cost should be reconsidered. VMware is not the cheapest solution out there, despite the fact that it may be one of the best.

In addition, I think some of the backup features or the prediction features can be improved. The legacy workloads are not prone to be virtualized. Some users may want to see a common deduction product across the physical service.

Buyer's Guide
VMware vSphere
March 2024
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For how long have I used the solution?

One to three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It has been a very stable solution for us. We have not had any downtime in the past three years. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is excellent. I do not see any other solution that comes close to this product.

How are customer service and support?

The response time from tech support is efficient. The tech support team there is very knowledgeable. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward, and not complex at all. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The cost is a bit high.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Another solution in the same sphere is Hyper-V, which is quite good in terms of basic plain virtualization software. However, vSphere offers a scaled-up version. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Desktop Support Supervisor at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
Real User
VMotion enables us to migrate easily, flexibly move machines around on the host
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is being able to VMotion and migrate easily, moving machines around on the host. I know DRS will take care of a lot about that, but there's still some manual intervention here and there, so the flexibility of it has been really good."
  • "I would like to see DRS for the GPU machines."

What is our primary use case?

Primary use-case would be updating our Gold/Masters for the Horizon environment. It works pretty well. We're still getting used to the HTML5 Client versus the old Flash-based Client.

We use it for all of our servers, we have virtualized everything. The mission-critical things, for a bank like us, are the mainframe - it's the IBM iSeries - and our Saleslogix application. Those would be the two biggest ones, but we use it for all of our databases as well. We're 90 percent VMware, with hundreds of servers.

It's been a pretty smooth transition. We just upgraded to 6.5. Hopefully, we'll be updated to 6.7 soon. But it's been working really well.

How has it helped my organization?

It's hard to say whether we've seen a boost for these apps since we were very much first onboard a long time ago with a VMware. But performance-wise, every upgrade we do, we see it gets better. Everything gets better: the networking gets better, NSX is getting better. Security-wise, that's been a really good thing for us, separating our network out a little bit more, automating our failovers.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is being able to VMotion and migrate easily, moving machines around on the host. I know DRS will take care of a lot about that, but there's still some manual intervention here and there, so the flexibility of it has been really good.

It's pretty simple. It's easy to upgrade.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see DRS for the GPU machines.

For how long have I used the solution?

More than five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It has always been stable. We haven't had any downtime in all the years we've used it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's highly scalable. We've grown, we've doubled our size, and it has been easily scalable for us: slide in a new host and then attach the host to the vSphere client and then push the profile out. It makes it really easy.

How is customer service and technical support?

I've never had to use technical support, myself. We have probably used our VMware rep here and there. We usually get our answers through our rep or our TAMs. There hasn't been anything "break-fix" where we had to call technical support and get on the line right away.

Our customer rep answers all our questions and, if he doesn't know, he comes back the next week and he lets us know. It's been a really big help.

What was our ROI?

Our ROI comes from being able to replace a lot of our endpoints, mostly on the Horizon side. But using vSphere with all the endpoints, replacing all of our physical machines as well with Dell EMC's wide clients, it has almost been invaluable to us. The cost savings have been great there: buying $300 machines instead of $1,000 PCs.

What other advice do I have?

It is quick to learn, it's not overly complicated. You don't have to spend a lot of time learning about it, at least from the usability perspective, once it has been set up, of course. It's really easy to use, easy to set up, easy to find what you're looking for, easy to manage.

When selecting a vendor to work with, our biggest issue would be availability. We've had some issues with some vendors in the past where they were just too small. Being in Des Moines, we don't have a lot of options, other than bringing people in from other states, or even other countries, possibly. If we do have something come up - which, luckily, we really haven't had anything too bad - just having that immediate connection and resolution is important.

This solution has to be a ten out of ten. It's been great. It's easy to use, it's laid out very well, so it's easy to onboard.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
VMware vSphere
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about VMware vSphere. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Ali Yazıcı - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Service Manager at Kuveyt Turk Participation Bank
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
User friendly user interface, easy to install, and stable
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is easy to use, user-friendly interface and has high availability features. When comparing it to other solutions it is more robust."
  • "The technical support could improve by being a little faster."

What is our primary use case?

We use VMware vSphere for the virtualization of environments.

What is most valuable?

The solution is easy to use, user-friendly interface and has high availability features. When comparing it to other solutions it is more robust.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for approximately 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This solution is more stable than competitors.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

VMware vSphere is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support could improve by being a little faster.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have previously use Hyper-V.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is easy and can be done in one day.

What about the implementation team?

I did the implementation myself.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution requires a license and it could be cheaper.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We previously evaluated Hyper-V and RHEV.

What other advice do I have?

I recommend this solution to others.

I rate VMware vSphere a ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
IT Manager at KIRLOSKAR PNEUMATIC CO. LTD.
Real User
Built-in backup, effective backup and recovery features
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of VMware vSphere are backup and recovery."
  • "The setup is easy. However, the configuration expansion can be difficult. The full implementation took three to four days. This included the move from physical servers to virtual ones."

What is our primary use case?

VMware vSphere is used for server virtualization. We are using Microsoft Active Directory, file, and Linux servers

How has it helped my organization?

The built-in backup and hyper-converged systems have helped our organization.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of VMware vSphere are backup and recovery.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using VMware vSphere for approximately 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. However, sometimes it goes down, which can be time-consuming because it requires some complex scripts only the support team know.

I am the only person doing the maintenance of this solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

VMware vSphere is scalable.

We have approximately 500 users using the solution.

How are customer service and support?

The support has been good.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We have used Microsoft previously and we have found VMware to be more mature.

How was the initial setup?

The setup is easy. However, the configuration expansion can be difficult. The full implementation took three to four days. This included the move from physical servers to virtual ones.

What about the implementation team?

We used a reseller for the implementation and had a good experience.

What was our ROI?

When you spend on this solution you will get it back.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We pay for the solution on an annual basis. There are no additional fees other than the standard license.

What other advice do I have?

It's quite stable, has good support available, and is a mature product.

I rate VMware vSphere a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Pavol Schreiber - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager at TCX
Real User
It's more mature and reliable than competing solutions
Pros and Cons
  • "Our customers opt for virtualization because it's cheaper and better than non-virtualized solutions. VMware is probably the best on the market now."

    What is our primary use case?

    We implement all the standard VMware data solutions. Typically, that's vSphere and sometimes DataCore, the other product we like. We use vSphere for the virtualization of data servers, and other common uses.

    How has it helped my organization?

    Our customers opt for virtualization because it's cheaper and better than non-virtualized solutions. VMware is probably the best on the market now. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We're implementers and we started using vSphere when it was first released. We've been with VMware since the beginning. There was no ES6 at that time, only GS6 on Microsoft, so we started with Windows-based VMware. It's an old solution. We've been using it for a long time. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    We haven't encountered any limitations with vSphere's scalability. At the same time, we usually do not install huge server farms here in the Slovak Republic, so we only use VMware for small installations with a few host servers. I don't think we'll reach the limits of VMware's scalability since we only work with small organizations. 

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We tried Hyper-V a few years back, but there was a problem with the 2012 version of Hyper-V, so we prefer VMware because we know it works. However, I'm not sure about the newer versions of Hyper-V. I can only speak to our experiences with the older one. We weren't satisfied with the features, and the Microsoft code had bugs that they didn't repair those errors. 

    Overall, Hyper-V was a highly unstable solution at the time, so we decided to stick with VMware because it was much more reliable. Maybe Microsoft has improved Hyper-V since then. I can't say.

    What other advice do I have?

    I rate VMware vSphere nine out of 10. It does what we need it to do, and works fine. There aren't any additional features that we need at this time.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Implementer
    PeerSpot user
    IT Manager at pioneers
    Real User
    Feature rich, easy to use, and simple initial installation
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution has many valuable features. Virtualization is flexible and it has simple clustering. However, the most important feature is the ability to move between VMs. The vMotion features are very good."
    • "The monitoring is not good in vSphere, many times you have latency or you cannot find what you want. The events should be improved."

    What is our primary use case?

    We are using VMware vSphere on all of our servers in all environments.

    What is most valuable?

    The solution has many valuable features. Virtualization is flexible and it has simple clustering. However, the most important feature is the ability to move between VMs. The vMotion features are very good.

    What needs improvement?

    The monitoring is not good in vSphere, many times you have latency or you cannot find what you want. The events should be improved.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using VMware vSphere for more than five years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability is very good, but the performance is not good. If you have a large workload, you have to go to a physical service.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution is scalable, to add storage is easy.

    We have approximately six administrators that use the solution in my organization.

    How are customer service and support?

    I have needed the support of VMware on one occasion. The first level of support is not good but the second level is better and overall the response times tend to be poor.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is easy.

    What about the implementation team?

    I did the implementation of the solution myself. We do the regular maintenance ourselves.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    I'm satisfied with the VMware vSphere price. They have a bundle that is priced well. However, any advantage feature is very costly.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend this solution to others.

    I rate VMware vSphere an eight out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Senior Information Technology Consultant at a energy/utilities company with 501-1,000 employees
    Real User
    Stable, scalable, with good customer support and an easy initial setup
    Pros and Cons
    • "I definitely like the stability, performance and ease-of-use."
    • "NSX is a product of VMware vSphere and it would be nice to see the solution have full integration capabilities with it."

    What is our primary use case?

    The solution acts as the basis for doing virtualization. 

    What is most valuable?

    I definitely like the stability, performance and ease-of-use. 

    I have no issues with the solution's scalability or user-friendliness. I consider these to be perfect. We have had a fantastic, problem-free solution for the past 14 years when it comes to fault tolerance and disaster recovery. It has everything one needs. 

    What needs improvement?

    VMware vSphere has a limited scope and necessitates the adding of additional products. This involves further complexity and expense. NSX is a product of VMware vSphere and it would be nice to see the solution have full integration capabilities with it. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using VMware vSphere since 2007. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is stable. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution is certainly scalable. 

    How are customer service and support?

    The customer support is nice. We are talking about a great organization, which offers much staff, support and white paper. 

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was straightforward, perfect. 

    This process for the initial server lasts ten minutes. There is also the console, which involves two parts, one being the server itself. This is where the CD-ROM goes, something which is now on a USB key and does not involve the undertaking of any activity. 

    Deployment lasts half a day, at which point everything is up and running. 

    The real question is whether the person wishes to have one server or a hundred. The use of 200 machines will take longer. What I am talking about is small, basic installations. 

    What about the implementation team?

    If a person is trained, then he will be able handle the deployment and maintenance on his own. This is not complex. 

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Our customers incur a yearly licensing fee, one of three or five years, in fact. 

    What other advice do I have?

    We consider the solution to be obligatory. 

    The solution's use can range from ten users to thousands. 

    I would definitely recommend the solution to others. I am a big fan of it. 

    I rate VMware vSphere as a twenty out of ten. I give it a perfect ten rating. 

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
    PeerSpot user
    Sr. Manager IT at a non-profit with 51-200 employees
    Real User
    A cloud computing virtualization platform with a useful distributed resource scheduler feature
    Pros and Cons
    • "I like that it's like a distributed rescheduler. You can move to and use VMotion as well. You can move the server and move the virtual machines around different physical servers. This makes it easier when it comes to redundancy."
    • "The initial setup could be better. It manages all the setups, but it's not very straightforward, and it takes time."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use VMware vSphere for our windows server and other virtual machines.

    How has it helped my organization?

    No need to upgrade the hardware for individual machines, easily to assign more resources to virtual machines when desired.

    What is most valuable?

    I like that it's like a distributed resource scheduler, the workload can be balanced automatically. Also you can use vMotion as well to manually move the virtual machines around different physical hosts. This makes it easier when it comes to redundancy.

    What needs improvement?

    The initial setup could be better. Follow the instruction you can set it up, but it's not very straightforward, and you need some storage and network knowledge to get the better understanding.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using VMware vSphere for over ten years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It's stable. These have patches regularly, and we apply the critical patch.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Scalability is fine. We don't have too many virtual machines because we're moving to the cloud slowly. That's why we don't have an issue with that.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    I think VMware support is excellent. They have the highest one, and I'll rate them nine out of ten. I'm still satisfied with their support.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is a little complex because of the infrastructure. It's not related to just the one physical server, you need design the storage and networks. There are three different areas.

    What other advice do I have?

    For my friend with stock in virtualization, I think maybe they can try the Cloud. That may be easier, and they don't need to stay on-premises.

    On a scale from one to ten, I would give VMware vSphere a nine.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free VMware vSphere Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: March 2024
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free VMware vSphere Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.