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Pros & Cons summary

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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

VMware ESXi offers significant monetary savings by allowing the consolidation of multiple machines onto a single server, saving space and energy.
VMware ESXi is highly reliable and is especially beneficial in production environments.
VMware ESXi provides valuable features like disaster recovery, vMotion, and storage vMotion, facilitating operations without physical server downtime.
VMware ESXi stands out for its simplicity in setup, management, and monitoring, making it suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.
VMware ESXi's integration with VMware vCenter provides centralized management, enhancing its value for enterprises seeking scalable and robust solutions.

CONS

VMware ESXi is costly, particularly after the Broadcom acquisition, which has led to price increases and concerns about the pricing structure.
The licensing model of VMware ESXi is challenging, especially for small users, and the shift from a perpetual to a subscription model has been worrying for many customers.
VMware ESXi's deployment and setup phases are complex, requiring experienced personnel, which can be a significant barrier for some organizations.
The need for patching improvements in VMware ESXi has been noted, as the current process is cumbersome.
VMware ESXi's technical support could be rated better, with improvements needed in response times and support quality.
 

VMware ESXi Pros review quotes

YM
Jul 2, 2024
In ESXi, they use technologies like memory compression, TPS, and ballooning for resource optimization.
Carlos Ortiz - PeerSpot reviewer
Apr 3, 2024
The solution brings monetary savings for our company because we utilize a single server
EzraChibole - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 8, 2024
The ease of use would be the first feature I like, then reliability.
Learn what your peers think about VMware ESXi. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
John Ilozor - PeerSpot reviewer
May 3, 2024
VMware ESXi provides high availability and a good web interface.
HarveySim - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 23, 2024
The most valuable features of the solution are that it is efficient, fast, and affordable.
Ramish Ali - PeerSpot reviewer
Jun 25, 2024
The main function of ESXi is the ability to consolidate multiple machines onto a single server, saving space and energy.
Kyaw Htet Aung - PeerSpot reviewer
Nov 1, 2024
ESXi's server management capabilities are incredibly beneficial, as it supports software integration with Windows servers and other essential systems.
MS
Jul 3, 2024
The most beneficial features for me are DRS and HA (High Availability). In case of an interruption at the OS level, they ensure the virtual machine automatically comes back up.
reviewer2002488 - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 7, 2024
I am not sure about cost savings, but efficiency-wise, it has improved our company.
Syed Ali Waqas - PeerSpot reviewer
Nov 12, 2024
The most valuable features are the integration with networking and virtual network switches.
 

VMware ESXi Cons review quotes

YM
Jul 2, 2024
What I feel is that FT (Fault Tolerance) is not used much. So maybe more focus on that feature is needed.
Carlos Ortiz - PeerSpot reviewer
Apr 3, 2024
Some features should be added to the solution to enhance server management
EzraChibole - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 8, 2024
The price point could be improved.
Learn what your peers think about VMware ESXi. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
John Ilozor - PeerSpot reviewer
May 3, 2024
VMware should make recovering the password easier if customers forget it.
HarveySim - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 23, 2024
The tool offers an open-source version, which is not really well supported.
Ramish Ali - PeerSpot reviewer
Jun 25, 2024
I would rate the technical support as six out of ten. The response time could be better.
MS
Jul 3, 2024
The license model has recently changed, which is a bit worrying for customers.
Kyaw Htet Aung - PeerSpot reviewer
Nov 1, 2024
There are concerns about VMware changing their licensing model from perpetual to a subscription model.
reviewer2002488 - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 7, 2024
VMware ESXi has a complex setup phase, making it an area where improvements are required.
Mashhood K.A - PeerSpot reviewer
Jun 19, 2024
Pricing could be improved.