Datasheet

15
Chapter 1: Exploring VMware Infrastructure 3 as Your Virtual Solution
 Shared Resources layer: This layer consists of all your hardware
subsystems. It includes your physical and storage area networks.
Figure 1-1:
The
VMkernel
virtualiza-
tion model.
Service Console
Virtual Machine Layer
ESX Layer
Shared Resources Layer
Local CPUs, Memory
Hard Disks
Local SAN Host Bus
Adapters
Local Network Cable
Storage Area NetworkPhysical Network
VMkernel
VMware Infrastructure 3
Using the VMware Infrastructure product suite enables you to virtualize
servers, storage, and networks. In addition, the suite offers you ways to add
extreme fault tolerance as well as centralized management, load leveling, and
centralized backup.
VMware always offers several different ways to purchase their products.
Below are the offerings for version 3.5 (the offerings for 3.0 were entirely
different):
 Single ESX: You can buy the plain ESX that you install on a hard drive or
ESXi, which has the operating system on a chip instead of a hard drive.
 VMware Infrastructure Foundation: This is ESX with a few bells and
whistles and offers you automated updates, a VirtualCenter Agent, and
Update Manager.
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