VMware vCenter Server Review - why 4.7 stars?

Shlomi Lavi / updated: Oct 04, 2019

We publish unbiased reviews. Our opinions are our own and are not influenced by payments from advertisers. This content is reader-supported, which means if you leave your details with us we may earn a commission. Learn why ITQlick is free .

What is VMware vCenter Server?

VMware vCenter Server is a virtual environment and infrastructure automation solution for your business. The software was designed and launched by VMware, Inc., headquartered in California, United States. It provides centralized management tools for supervising servers and virtual machines.

---

---

Who is it best for?

The software can be deployed for the management of network and server sources of any business. It governs various performance and configuration issues along with efficient management of physical sources and virtual machines. Different editions of the software are available for small, medium and large businesses.

You can stay abreast of the configuration and performance needs of your virtual machines and servers. Customers of the software include all business sizes from diverse industrial backgrounds. Some noteworthy customers include such names as Acorda Therapeutics, Inc., ACP IT Solutions AG, Clal Insurance Holdings, and Clarion Solicitors etc.

Main features and functionalities

The software features a wide range of customization, configuration, optimization, and management features. It provides centralized control and visibility of network sources with defined custom roles and permissions. Various components of the inventory such as data-stores, networks and virtual machines can be explored from a single platform.

For optimization of sources, the software offers the features of resource management, dynamic resource allocation, energy-efficient resource allocation, and automatic restarts. With efficient resource management, you can allocate different memory and processor resources to different virtual machines on the same physical servers.

With dynamic allocation of resources, you can continuously monitor the utilization of resources across networks. Resource allocation for virtual machines can also be predefined according to specific business requirements. In the management module, the software features multi-hypervisor manager, operations management, server heartbeat management, and orchestrator. Various fault management, configuration management, and performance management services are also part of the complete package.

What is the actual cost?

The cost of license starts at $3,050 per license. ITQlick pricing score is 5 out of 10 (10 is most expensive). Access ITQlick pricing guide for VMware vCenter Server.

Pros

• Memory and processor resources can be allocated to different virtual machines running on the same physical servers.
• You can set predefined rules for resource allocation across virtual machines and physical servers.
• The software provides constant supervision of power consumption across resources.
• A single server instance can manage up to 1,000 host and 10,000 virtual machines at the same time.
• Inventories can be searched and managed across all vCenter Servers.

Cons

• Security features of the software are limited and do not include remote access control and network element function enabling.
• Fault management capabilities of the software do not include error logging and alarm filtering.
• Features of problem reporting and error rates are not included in the performance management module of the software.
• vCenter Server does not offer encryption and event reporting capabilities.
• The software works only for Windows based servers and not for Mac systems.

How it stacks up?

Access a head to head analysis of VMware vCenter Server vs alternative software solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)