Specifications

VMware, Inc. 21
Chapter 1 VMware Infrastructure Components
Figure 1-2. VMware Infrastructure Components with a VirtualCenter Server
Components of VMware Infrastructure
TorunyourVMwareInfrastructureenvironment,youneedthefollowingitems:
 ESXServer–Avirtualizationplatformusedtocreatethevirtualmachinesasaset
ofconfigurationanddiskfilesthattogetherperformallthefunctionsofaphysical
machine.
ThroughESXServer,yourunthevirtualmachines,installoperatingsystems,run
applications,andconfigurethevirtualmachines.Configurationincludes
identifying
thevirtualmachine’sresources,suchasstoragedevices.
Theserverprovidesbootstrapping,management,andotherservicesthatmanage
yourvirtualmachines.
EachESXServerhasaVIClientavailableforyourmanagementuse.IfyourESX
ServerisaregisteredhostwiththeVirtualCenterServer,aVIClientthat
accommodatesthe
VirtualCenterfeaturesisavailable.
 VirtualCenter–AservicethatactsasacentraladministratorforVMwareESX
Serverhoststhatareconnectedonanetwork.VirtualCenterdirectsactionsonthe
virtualmachinesandthevirtualmachinehosts(theESXServerhosts).
VC
database
shared
datastore
datastore
VM VM VM
VirtualCenter
Agent
VirtualCenter
Server
VirtualCenter
License Server
VirtualCenter
Agent
VirtualCenter
Agent
VM VM VM VM VM VM
VI Client VI Client
ESX Server host ESX Server host ESX Server host
VI Client VI Client VI Client