VMware vSphere Hypervisor - # of CPUs

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KapsZ28

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When using the free version of ESXi, are you limited to how many CPUs you can have in your server?
 
I don't think so. It's limited to 6-cores per CPU (on the latest sheet for free I can find) but no mention fo physical CPUs. I believe you can have however many you want.
 
Yeah, I've been trying to find this lately as well...

I was actually thinking you were limited to 6 cores total... but maybe not? Can anyone confirm?
 
Database said:
Yeah, I've been trying to find this lately as well...

I was actually thinking you were limited to 6 cores total... but maybe not? Can anyone confirm?
Click to expand...

No. That's 6-cores per CPU. That's part of their new licensing non-sense. They limit you to that on some editions. If you go above 6 you need like Enterprise Plus or Advanced. It's not a total limit.
 
I believe the OP was asking about the Free ESXi license.

This should be a 2 socket, 6 core per socket limit, per host.

Its nice - the no VIC support is a bummer, but an understandable limitation.
 
HammerAZ said:
I believe the OP was asking about the Free ESXi license.

This should be a 2 socket, 6 core per socket limit, per host.

Its nice - the no VIC support is a bummer, but an understandable limitation.
Click to expand...

Does hyperthreading affect the 6 core limit? And what is VIC supprt?
 
Not to my knowledge.

VIC - Virtual Infrastructure Client.

I guess I did phrase that wrong. You can still use the VIC to control the ESXi Free box if you log onto it directly. I should have stated no Virtual Center Server support, which allows you to manage multiple ESX/ESXi hosts from 1 VIC vs logging into each of them independantly.

I blame Monday.
 
HammerAZ said:
Not to my knowledge.
Click to expand...

This is something I would really like to confirm. It would suck buying two 6 core hyperthreaded CPUs only to find out you are limited to 12 threads total. :eek: 24 threads on a free ESXi box would be nice. :D
 
MikeTrike said:
Go XenServer
http://www.citrix.com/English/ps2/products/subfeature.asp?contentID=1681139

Just throwing Xen into the hat if you're not set on VMWare. I've been trying to get people to "see the light," so to speak.

64 Logical CPU's and up to 512GB RAM. Also when you license XenServer for Advanced/Enterprise features, it's per Hypervisor. You can pack as much hardware as you possibly can into it. :)
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I am actually temporarily running that. I turned my ESXi box into a XenServer about a month ago to learn some Citrix. But it seems like more companies are still using VMWare and even virtualizing all the Citrix components like XenApp, Access Gateway, NetScaler, etc.

I would prefer to stick with what is most common and works best. VMWare seems to be pretty damn good.
 
We used to do a fair bit of XenServer...I bet we haven't done an installation in 18 months now. Demand just dried up as VMware really broke away from the pack with their other products and features. I have a couple customers with XenServer farms just for XenApp..but most people are putting XenApp and XenDesktop on top of vSphere for simplicity's sake.
 
NetJunkie said:
We used to do a fair bit of XenServer...I bet we haven't done an installation in 18 months now. Demand just dried up as VMware really broke away from the pack with their other products and features. I have a couple customers with XenServer farms just for XenApp..but most people are putting XenApp and XenDesktop on top of vSphere for simplicity's sake.
Click to expand...

Exactly. That is what our company did. All Citrix components reside on VMWare servers now.
 
I'm not denying that VMWare is a solid product. I just don't like the idea of giving them Microsoft Style licensing power. Which is why I push XenServer, which is also solid; though less robust. In short, people and businesses allow a monster to be created. I just try to do my part to counterbalance that. :p
 
MikeTrike said:
I'm not denying that VMWare is a solid product. I just don't like the idea of giving them Microsoft Style licensing power. Which is why I push XenServer, which is also solid; though less robust. In short, people and businesses allow a monster to be created. I just try to do my part to counterbalance that. :p
Click to expand...

Right now I have all of this setup on XenServer.

XenCenter.jpg
 
KapsZ28 said:
This is something I would really like to confirm. It would suck buying two 6 core hyperthreaded CPUs only to find out you are limited to 12 threads total. :eek: 24 threads on a free ESXi box would be nice. :D
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I dont have any spare hex core machines. All of my ESXi (Free) installs are on processors that do not have HT built in.

However, an ESXi install is a full feature install. The only thing that limits it, is the license key you put into it. If you change the key at a later time, you change the features. Seeing as how ESXi is the same product from the Free key to Enterprise Plus, disabling HT support just doesnt make sense.

So, if you have a HT supported system you can throw ESXi install on, and it shows Hyperthreading "Enabled" - the number of cores becomes irrelevant via dual, quad, hex, or octo. While, this will be with the Eval license for the first 60 days, you can change that with your registered "Unlimited Use" Free key and validate that HT remains enabled.

So, it makes sense that your vision of a 24 core ESXi (free) is available.
 
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