VMware vCenter Reviews

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.

You use vCenter in data center operations as the core of your investment infrastructure, coordinating products like NSX, HSL, HSAX, and Cyber Recovery Manager.

Some of the most valuable features of vCenter are LACP and vSphere Distributed Switches, as they simplify VLAN propagation between hosts and enable networking duplication and replication, particularly beneficial in hyper-converged network environments.

Areas for improvement with vCenter include changes in licensing models, such as the shift to a subscription model, which may increase costs and lead to conflicts.

I have been using VMware vCenter for ten years.

I would rate the stability of vCenter as almost a perfect ten out of ten.

I would rate the scalability of vCenter as a ten out of ten.

The main differences between Azure and VMware include the level of control and integration. VMware offers a comprehensive server and virtualization solution with extensive control, while Azure provides integration with other Microsoft services but may lack complete control over networking and troubleshooting processes.

The initial setup of vCenter is now straightforward, especially with the virtual appliance. Typically, one person can handle deployment and configuration, and maintenance is rarely required due to the product's stability.

With the subscription model, pricing for vCenter may be higher compared to the previous perpetual license model. The subscription model requires ongoing payments, and if you stop paying, you may lose access to updates and support.

vCenter has significantly simplified VM deployment and management processes, making tasks easier and more efficient. Its centralized features are highly valued, especially when compared to other solutions like Microsoft's System Center Virtual Machine Manager, which lacks certain functionalities.

The scalability feature of vCenter has supported our growth by providing flexibility and efficiency. As an expert, I have found it invaluable in resolving issues and managing growth, especially during transitions to cloud-based infrastructures like Azure, which have reduced the need for extensive on-premises resources.

Our experience with vCenter backup and recovery functionalities involved integration issues with our existing tool. Currently, we use Commvault for backup, which is straightforward to configure but lacks full integration capabilities.

I would recommend VMware vCenter to others because it is a stable and reliable product. However, new users should consider the costs associated with the subscription model.

Overall, I would rate VMware vCenter as a ten out of ten.

We use the product to manage the internal infrastructure. We use it in the cement division of a construction company.

VMware vCenter is a well-known tool. The tool is absolutely necessary. It helps manage our server. We have more than 200 servers. It would be very difficult for us if we did not have VMware vCenter. We extensively use automatic Distributed Resource Scheduler and migration tools to move workloads between different servers. The solution has defined virtual infrastructure management. It provides a single pane of glass to manage the infrastructure. We manage practically everything using the solution.

The monitoring features are limited. We need extra features from third-party products. We can do basic management with vCenter. The vendor needs to be more proactive. VMware sells other products to improve its capabilities. However, it would be good if the tool included proactive management to enable users to manage the virtual infrastructure better.

I have been using the solution for 15 years.

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

The solution scales well. It is our central point of contact. We need only one vCenter to manage different servers. It’s a good solution. We have four users.

We use the support portal. Sometimes, finding what we need takes time. We can find it after some time, though.

Positive

I rate the ease of setup an eight out of ten. The deployment can be done quickly. The deployment process is very straightforward. The vendor publishes the versions, and they can be deployed without any special knowledge or effort. The deployment takes less than an hour.

The product is affordable for now. With the acquisition of VMware by Broadcom, the policies are changing. It seems like the product will become more expensive. The solution costs us EUR 2000 to EUR 3000 per year.

The main purpose of the tool is managing. Performance must be accomplished by correct sizing and analysis of vCenter hosts. I recommend the tool to others. It is not a luxury. It is a mandatory product. Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.

We don't use VMware vCenter daily. It's installed and runs our servers, which we use daily but don't actively interact with it.

VMware vCenter has significantly improved our infrastructure management by enabling virtualization. We can virtualize our infrastructure, eliminating the need to access servers physically. Everything can be managed remotely.

The tool's most valuable feature is virtualization. It has positively impacted our operational efficiency by offering remote management capabilities through a user-friendly web interface. Its ease of use, as it doesn't require qualified personnel to operate, was a factor in our decision to purchase it.

One area where VMware vCenter has room for improvement is its transition to Broadcom. The change in licensing structure and pricing, particularly the shift from perpetual licenses to subscription-only models, is a significant drawback.

I have been using the product since 2016.  

I would rate the VMware vCenter's stability as an eight out of ten. It's very stable, but after a long period, it started generating a lot of log files, which caused some server issues.

In our organization, only one administrator, myself, manages and uses VMware vCenter. No other users access the vCenter management console.

I haven't contacted technical support yet. 

The tool's deployment is very easy. Our deployment of VMware vCenter took approximately two to three weeks. Due to the software's large size, it couldn't be completed in just a few hours or days.

We deployed the product in-house. Two resources were needed to complete it. 

The tool used to be worth the money, but after Broadcom acquired it and changed the pricing structure to subscription-only, it became too expensive for us to continue using. Unfortunately, we haven't found any alternative solutions that meet our needs, so this is a significant drawback for us as we explore other options.

I wouldn't recommend VMware vCenter to others, especially since Broadcom acquired it. I rate the overall product 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.

We use the product for managing a large-scale virtualized infrastructure, specifically overseeing ten ESXi hosts. It helps us upgrade the databases for all the hosts through one console. It includes virtual machine creation to packet updates, and with additional tools like vCenter Lifecycle Manager, we can effortlessly handle patches and host migrations.

The product's emphasis on high availability and DRS aligns with our priorities, making vCenter an integral component in our virtualized environment.

They could provide an easier way to learn NSX and troubleshooting processes for the product.

The platform is 200% stable.

We have not contacted the technical support team thus far. We have not encountered any significant issues or bugs in our production environment. We have been managing the product easily over the past six to seven years.

The initial setup is easy. If someone were to approach me for guidance, I am confident that, given their interest and willingness to learn, I could teach them how to install and manage the product. It would probably take around typically within one or two days for the process.

However, learning and troubleshooting NSX may be more complex due to a perceived lack of proper educational materials and documentation.

The product is expensive. From my experience, the per-core licensing model adds to the overall cost. They offer different licensing packages, including standard and enterprise. One notable aspect is the potential hidden costs associated with a few features. Using distributed switches or advanced tools may incur unexpected expenses. It's essential to thoroughly understand the licensing structure to avoid such hidden costs and ensure alignment with the organization's needs.

I advise others to create an account on the VMware Partner Portal, where they can access trial versions of vCenter. Utilize the 60-day trial period to explore and test the hypervisor. Later, make a purchase decision depending on the budget and business use cases.

I rate it a nine out of ten.