Home  >  Solutions  >  Strategic Technology Solutions  >  VMware  >  VMware vSphere Updates

VMware vSphere Updates

VMware vSphere Fast Facts: Licensing, Upgrade Paths, and Pricing

New Naming

• The new naming convention for the product is vSphere 4.0. This replaces Virtual Infrastructure 3 (“VI3”).
• VirtualCenter has been renamed vCenter.
• The new rev of vCenter will be 4.0 (VMware is synching up the management release with the infrastructure release. This means that 3.0 will be “skipped”).
• VirtualCenter Foundation will be replaced by vCenter for Essentials.

New Licensing Model:
With vSphere, VMware will be moving to a per socket license model. This replaces the previous method in which the product was licensed per TWO sockets. NOTE: All current SNS customers are entitled to a version of vSphere. Each of your current two-socket licenses will be replaced by TWO vSphere licenses (more on that below).

New Packaging:
There will be 6 versions of vSphere:

vSphere Standard: $795/socket (list) up to 6 physical cores and 256GB memory. Includes ESX or ESXi, 4-way vSMP, Update Manager, VC Agent, VCB, HA and Thin Provisioning.

vSphere Advanced: $2245/socket (list) up to 12 physical cores and 256GB memory. Includes all features in Standard, and adds VMotion, Hot Add, Fault Tolerance, Data Recovery and vShield Zones.

vSphere Enterprise Plus: $3495/socket (list) up to 12 physical cores and no memory limitation. Includes all features in Advanced and adds 8-way vSMP, DRS, DPM, Storage VMotion, Distributed Switch and Host Profiles features.

vSphere Enterprise: $2875/socket (list) up to 6 physical cores and 256GB memory. This is an interim product which will be available until 12/15/09, and will only be offered to existing VI3 Enterprise customers. Includes all features in Advanced, but with a 6 cores per socket limitation, and adds DRS, DPM and Storage VMotion.

SMB Offerings: (essentially replaces VI3 Foundation, but will be offered in bundles of 6 sockets):

vSphere Essentials: $995/ 6 sockets (list). Includes ESX or ESXi, 4-way vSMP, Update Manager and VC Agent, plus vCenter Server for Essentials. Covers 6 sockets. (This package also offers a low-cost annual subscription price and a per incident support option).

vSphere Essentials Plus: $2995/6 sockets (list): Includes everything in Essentials, and adds the HA and Data Recovery features. This is a promotional price which will be offered through 12/15/09.

Upgrade Paths:
Existing VI3 Enterprise customers, who are current with SnS maintenance, are entitled to vSphere Enterprise. This will provide all of the existing capabilities of VI3 Enterprise, and will add the Thin Provisioning, Hot Add, Fault Tolerance, vShield Zones and Data Recovery features. Enterprise customers may also upgrade to vSphere Enterprise Plus for $295/socket until 12/15/09.

VI3 Enterprise ELA customers will also be entitled to vSphere Enterprise, and will have the ability to upgrade to Enterprise Plus for an additional charge.

Existing VI3 Standard customers, who are current with SnS maintenance, are entitled to vSphere Standard. This will provide all of the existing capabilities of VI3 Standard, and will add the Thin Provisioning feature. Standard customers may also upgrade to vSphere Advanced for $745/socket until 12/15/09.

Existing VI3 Foundation customers, who are current with SnS maintenance, are entitled to vSphere Standard.

Existing VirtualCenter Server 2.x customers, who are current with SnS maintenance, are entitled to vCenter Server 4.0.

Some of the New Features:
Memory per host increased to 1TB (from 256GB)

Memory per VM increased to 256GB (from 64GB)

Increased I/O and performance

Thin Provisioning: Ability to create a thinly provisioned .vmdk file that expands as necessary.

Hot Add: Hot plug ability for virtual hardware. Allows addition of memory and CPUs to a VM on the fly (so long as the guest OS supports it).

Fault Tolerance: Ability to run a shadow VM on a different physical host, allowing for zero downtime in the event of a hardware failure

Data Recovery: GUI interface for VCB. Allows disk to disk backup for up to 100 VMs

vShield Zones: Virtual Firewall Appliance. (A feature that comes out of the BlueLane acquisition).

Distributed Switch: Allows virtual switch to be configured at cluster level. Also enables use of Cisco 1000v virtual switch (additional purchase).

Host Profiles: Ability to have standardized configuration for all hosts in a cluster, to avoid manual work of building a new host in cluster.


For questions about vSphere or to discuss implementing VMware solutions in your environment, please call your GreenPages account manager at 888-687-4876.