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VMware ESX 2 vs. MS Virtual Server?

Saqib Ali asks: "I m sure most of you have heard that Connectix, the makers of Virtual PC/Server, have been acquired by Microsoft. Based on the technology acquired, MS has developed a new product called Microsoft Virtual Server, using which a Windows Server 2003 based server can run multiple operating systems concurrently. I am doing a preliminary analysis of using MS Virtual Server vs. running VMware ESX Server 2.0 on Clustered Linux Environment. Both solutions offer a way of running multiple OSes in a virtual environment using the same underlying OS (Windows 2003 or Linux). Of course, running VMware on Linux, offers the stability, scalability, and reliability of Linux, and also prevents a business form being locked into one single vendor. However running Microsoft Virtual Server does have some merits from a business perspective (vendor viability, reduced licensing costs etc). Any thoughts on merits/benefits/downside of using either of the technology stacks?"

18 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. I wouldn't consider a Microsoft Virtual Server by DA-MAN · · Score: 5, Funny

    Why trust a company to produce a virtual server, when they have yet to produce a working actual server!!!

    ust my .02 cents.

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    1. Re:I wouldn't consider a Microsoft Virtual Server by stonebeat.org · · Score: 2, Informative

      well they didnt actually "produced" the virtual server, they just bought the technology from Connectix. So we should be evaluating how good of product Connectix produced.

    2. Re:I wouldn't consider a Microsoft Virtual Server by DA-MAN · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I don't remember Connectix having a Virtual Server Product. They did have Virtual PC, but that was mostly aimed at running on Mac's.

      I wonder how Microsoft will bastardize this one, Visio use to be nice before it became Microsoft Visio....

      Once again, just my $0.02

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  2. License? by LennyDotCom · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Virtual Server helps resolve the issues associated with older servers that are out of warranty and diminishing support for earlier hardware and operating systems.
    That sounds fine but if youir running NT4 on an old server and want to move it to a new box running win2003 on a vitual server do you have to buy a new license?
    and what about the fact that M$ has or wil stop supporting NT4

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  3. What I want to know is... by HotNeedleOfInquiry · · Score: 3, Funny
    scoff mode

    Do you still have to pay SCO $699 for each Linux instance that you run. Or are they covered by the Microsoft Unix license.

    /scoff mode

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    "Eve of Destruction", it's not just for old hippies anymore...
    1. Re:What I want to know is... by Josh+Booth · · Score: 2, Funny

      Say you were trying to use VMWare under Linux to create a beowulf cluster of Linux virtual machines each running VMWare each running a beowulf cluster of Linux virtual machines each....

      Ooooohhhh, my head hurts.

  4. ESX does not run under linux by QuantumG · · Score: 3, Informative

    it has it's own BSD style kernel which does more sophisticated (fair) scheduling and memory management (on-demand page sharing between VMs). People think it's linux based because it has the GNU toolchain ported to it (ie, they're morons).

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    1. Re:ESX does not run under linux by stonebeat.org · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually ESX technology is not based on either:
      The following is a passage from http://www.vmware.com/products/server/esx_faqs.htm l: "VMware's patented and patent-pending technology serves as the foundation for VMware ESX Server; it is not derived from Linux or FreeBSD." However vmware's GSX technology can run on either Linux or Windows.

    2. Re:ESX does not run under linux by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      Vmware ESX server does not rely on Linux kernel modules for hardware support. It does rely on ESX kernel modules for hardware support.

      The console OS is Linux and can see any device Linux is capable of seeing with the proper driver. However, if the ESX kernel does not support your device (RAID controller, NIC, etc.) you can't assign it for use by virtual machines. Currently ESX server only supports a small subset of devices in comparison to Linux. The ESX kernel does use the kernel module paradigm, but that is as far as the similarity goes.

      The console OS (Redhat Linux) serves primarily as a bootloader for the ESX kernel. It does run processes which aid in I/O for Remote Console sessions among other things, but that's it. The ESX kernel sees the console OS as just another virtual machine.

    3. Re:ESX does not run under linux by chunkwhite86 · · Score: 2, Informative

      it has it's own BSD style kernel which does more sophisticated (fair) scheduling and memory management (on-demand page sharing between VMs). People think it's linux based because it has the GNU toolchain ported to it (ie, they're morons).

      Yes, it does. ESX server is based on RedHat 7.2. It's a Linux kernel that boots when you power on the machine. Only at the end of the bootup process, the Linux kernel is swapped out into it's own single CPU VM, and the VMware kernel is swapped in and controls the remaining CPU's and the individual VM's.

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  5. A major downside by Radical+Rad · · Score: 3, Funny
    Any thoughts on merits/benefits/downside of using either of the technology stacks?"

    Yeah, if I "consolidate" all my servers onto a Windows 2003 box running Connectix, then my servers (all non-MS) would go down every time some script kiddy wants to show the world how 3l337 he is with a new worm.

    1. Re:A major downside by Radical+Rad · · Score: 3, Funny
      Offcourse if I consolidate all my server/services on Windows 2003

      Was that a Freudian slip? Either you or your subconcious is very clever.

      Seriously, there have been enough MS exploits that use legitimate ports and spread so quickly that something would get through and take out the whole thing.

      I have heard the promises that people could consolidate many servers and domains to a lesser number running on one of these things but I can't help but chuckle at the thought of running windows in windows on windows in a production environment. This MS Virual Server is just a way to get people to pay more money for what they were promised years ago: a stable platform with separate memory spaces to keep apps from stepping on each other. Now instead of an nt server running 5 apps you can pay for an "enterprise" nt server and ms terminal server and 5 more copies of regular nt server plus the 5 apps and all the various "client access" licenses. But stability might be somewhat improved. Gartner should put that in their TCO pipe and smoke it... instead of crack.

  6. Still a Single Vendor by swdunlop · · Score: 2, Insightful


    Of course, running VMware on Linux, offers the stability, scalability, and reliability of Linux, and also prevents a business form being locked into one single vendor.

    You will still be locked into a single vendor; the one that supplies VMware, which is not Free Software; while this company doesn't have the reputation of jettisoning products on a marketing department's whim, you still need to worry about what happens if the company in question goes under, or is purchased by an aggressive competitor, like Microsoft.

    1. Re:Still a Single Vendor by stonebeat.org · · Score: 2, Insightful

      That is very valid argument. I didn't think of that.

      However with MS Virtual Server, there are 2 components (2003 and MS Virtual Server) that are locking into a vendor.
      On the other hand, in the Linux + VMware GSX solution, there only one component (vmware GSX) that is locking us in a vendor

    2. Re:Still a Single Vendor by swdunlop · · Score: 2, Interesting

      That is definately a key point, as there would be two licenses to worry about, instead of just one. If Microsoft terminated either product, your company would need to migrate. That being said, our site has been very happy using Linux+GSX for hosting multiple Win2k servers.

  7. don't put words in my mouth by QuantumG · · Score: 2, Insightful

    it's BSD style, not "based on" FreeBSD.

    --
    How we know is more important than what we know.
  8. Re:VMWare works by foooo · · Score: 3, Informative

    VMWare works, but Microsoft is trying to make you buy a license for every virtual image on the machine.

    so.... VMWare($300) on top of windows (at least $100) and
    on top of VMWare copies of windows (at least $100) and any copies of office or anything like that (X dollars) TIMES the number of virtual machines that you have saved.

    Or you could run virtual images of linux or whatever.

    But if you bought VMWare with the purpose of being able to inexpensively and quickly deal with multiple Images (for corporate imaging testing or what have you) or multiple MS operating systems.. then they try and rope you into a MSDN license.

    It's nutty

  9. Re:VMWare works by bhtooefr · · Score: 2, Informative

    But this guy is looking at VMware ESX Server 2 and MS Virtual Server. You're using the price for Workstation, which is probably much less than ESX (anyone got a quote?). Virtual PC 5 (for Windows) was approximately $130.