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VMware vSphere ESXi is a bare-metal hypervisor from VMware that forms the core of the VMware vSphere suite, providing the foundation for virtualizing and managing cloud computing infrastructures. Introduced as ESX Server in 2001 and later evolving into ESXi, it has undergone significant enhancements to become a leading solution in virtualization technology. ESXi is designed to partition a single physical server into multiple virtual machines (VMs), allowing for efficient resource management and reduced hardware costs. Its lightweight architecture, direct access to hardware, and high performance make it a preferred choice for organizations of all sizes.

Since its inception, VMware vSphere ESXi has evolved from a simple hypervisor to a comprehensive virtualization platform, incorporating advancements in cloud technology, security, and manageability. Transitioning from ESX to ESXi, VMware removed the Linux-based service console to reduce the hypervisor footprint and attack surface, leading to improved performance and security. Regular updates and versions have introduced features such as enhanced workload mobility, better resource management, and integrated security measures, ensuring that ESXi remains at the forefront of virtualization technology.

VMware vSphere ESXi offers a range of features designed to support the creation and management of virtualized environments. These include efficient resource allocation, high scalability, full support for VMware's ecosystem, and compatibility with a broad range of hardware platforms. ESXi's ability to directly manage hardware resources minimizes overhead, enabling optimal performance of VMs. Features such as VMotion, Storage VMotion, and High Availability (HA) are integral to vSphere, allowing for live migration of VMs, dynamic resource distribution, and increased uptime.

The architecture of VMware vSphere ESXi is optimized for virtualization and includes mechanisms for directly interacting with physical hardware, bypassing the need for a full operating system. Management of ESXi servers is primarily done through the VMware vCenter Server, which provides a centralized platform for resource control, performance monitoring, and automation of virtual environments. ESXi also supports various APIs and command-line interfaces for automated management and integration with third-party tools, enhancing operational flexibility.

Security within VMware vSphere ESXi is a fundamental aspect, incorporating features like VM encryption, secure boot for VMs, and role-based access control. VMware consistently updates ESXi with the latest security patches and enhancements to address emerging threats and vulnerabilities. The hypervisor's small footprint and limited exposed interfaces inherently reduce its attack surface, making it a secure platform for hosting critical applications and data.

The ongoing development of VMware vSphere ESXi reflects VMware's commitment to innovation and addressing the dynamic needs of modern IT infrastructures. Future enhancements are expected to focus on cloud integration, containerization support, and further performance and security improvements. As organizations continue to embrace digital transformation, ESXi's role in providing a robust, efficient, and secure virtualization platform will be crucial in enabling scalable and agile IT environments, reaffirming VMware's leadership in the virtualization market.

“The VMware vSphere virtualization architecture consists of the following virtualization components:

• A base hypervisor, vSphere ESXi Installable, that is installed on every physical server planned for hosting virtual machines
• One instance of a VMware management server called VMware vCenter Server that enables centralized management of multiple vSphere hosts.”

Fair Use Source: https://my.vmware.com/en/group/vmware/evalcenter

VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi ISO[) image (Includes VMware Tools)

2018-10-16 | 6.7.0U1 | 314.34 MB | iso

Boot your server with this image in order to install or upgrade to ESXi (ESXi requires 64-bit capable servers). This ESXi image includes VMware Tools.

• MD5SUM(¹): e10c4c3fcc017faab9659f49b0baee97
• SHA1SUM(¹): 4635ecdb818330f42603aa91616463d9a70f5c8b
• SHA256SUM(¹): 3b5f2914ce16210f9bd79ac499237f0506a28ceeecdbd9ba96942c667ad058df

VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) Offline Bundle

2018-10-16 | 6.7.0U1 | 429.59 MB | zip

including VMware Tools. Use the image profiles and the VIB packages with VMware Image BuContains VIB packages\, and image profiles for ESXi\, including VMware Tools. Use the image profiles and the VIB packages with VMware Image Builder and VMware Auto Deploy to create custom image/ISO generation for ESXi deployments.ilder and VMware Auto Deploy to create custom image/ISO generation for ESXi deployments.

• MD5SUM(¹): 0ae2ab210d1ece9b3e22b5db2fa3a08e
• SHA1SUM(¹): b11a856121d2498453cef7447294b461f62745a3
• SHA256SUM(¹): 7b7086cbcaecf3f63781c02404e3f6e2bfda927d39f39cb20d941dad72357fe0

• vCenter Server for Windows

• VMware vCenter Server and modules for Windows

2018-08-14 | 6.7.0d | 2.20 GB | iso

Installer for VMware vCenter Server\, VMware Platform Services Controller\, VMware vSphere Update Manager\, Update Manager Download Service (UMDS) and other vCenter Server-related modules. It enables installation of vCenter Server on Windows (Requires a 64-bit capable server).

MD5SUM(¹): 23094fbb43e749a4df4ff91558f1d991 SHA1SUM(¹): edc5cee6451917d8cb3b4eb660b908d841fc431a SHA256SUM(¹): 867e9f02906e6fcbfbf1ba71b57713874211ea35f7434d6b8246aab6b1f7b8b3

VMware vRealize Operations and vRealize Log Insight

Download VMware vRealize Operations

vRealize Operations Manager - Appliance installation

2018-09-20 | 7.0.0 | 2.45 GB | ova

vRealize Operations Appliance installation intended for new installations as a VMware Virtual Appliance OVA.

MD5SUM(¹): e74b3ab51680cdf8c2002d368ef721bc SHA1SUM(¹): 5f330ddd3350e3f4a8a39286dc92305162c8bc8f SHA256SUM(¹): f7c4982d75f3d05b3708ab01660551996c323496e7e8e04ad2ac104798253a28 VMware vRealize Log Insight 4.7 - Virtual Appliance

2018-09-20 | 4.7.0 | 1.05 GB | ova

MD5SUM(¹): 9c5289a57b58f9c7ae07f12cf515d4e8 SHA1SUM(¹): 15bfce04df2ed00bd3c8bc359d3f6bb465ee07c6 SHA256SUM(¹): c2b32e6a42911d9302d8c08d865ad29d4dc9ef60572cd430414a2f96bb1830e9 Download additional components (optional)

Optional packages

The following packages are all optional for the usage and deployment of vSphere. vSphere Replication 8.1

2018-04-17 | 8.1 | 1.508 GB | ISO

MD5SUM(¹): bcffc8c920ca28e184f371f9c8be0e76 SHA1SUM(¹): 30a0a2722f60dc18c20a685fc30f2349a14da33f SHA256SUM(¹): cd845efcc2b1c1794537848a5527aff8719ad6a6ca863090024fbccf7c349ca9

Fair Use Source: https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/evalcenter?p=vsphere-eval#tab_download

• https://www.vmware.com/products/esxi-and-esx.html
• VMware
• VMware vSphere ESXi

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