VMware vSphere Edition Comparison

The Tanzu Kubernetes Grid Service allows developers to manage consistent, compliant and conformant Kubernetes clusters.

The vSphere Pod Service allows developers to run containers directly on the hypervisor for improved security, performance, and manageability.

The Volume Service allows developers to manage persistent disks for use with containers, Kubernetes and virtual machines. Deploy existing block and file storage infrastructure for containerized workloads.

The Network Service allows developers to manage Virtual Routers, Load Balancers and Firewall Rules. Leverage existing networking infrastructure using vSphere Distributed Switch’s (VDS) centralized interface to configure, monitor and administer switching access for VMs and Kubernetes workloads.

The Registry Service allows developers to store, manage and secure Docker and OCI images.

Bring your own load balancer for Tanzu Kubernetes clusters.

Manage infrastructure images to patch, update or upgrade ESXi clusters using a desired state model (NEW)

Desired state config management capabilities for vCenter Server. It helps the user to define/validate/apply configuration for multiple vCenter Servers (NEW)

Manage the compatibility & interoperability for vCenter Server for upgrade scenarios. We will allow users to generate the interoperability & pre-checks report, which will help them plan for upgrades (NEW)

Added administrative control and versioning support. Provides simple and effective centralized management for virtual machine templates, virtual appliances, ISO images and scripts.

APIs for Storage Awareness

Improves performance, reliability, and scalability by leveraging efficient array-based operations and third-party storage vendor multipath software capabilities

Centralizes provisioning, administration, and monitoring by using cluster-level network aggregation.

Captures host-level configuration settings and saves them as a template to configure other vSphere hosts. Monitors hosts for configuration changes and automatically alerts vSphere administrators if a host falls out of compliance

Virtualizes external storage (SAN and NAS) and provides VM-aware, policy-based storage management through vCenter.

Secure access and account management (NEW)

Remote attestation for sensitive workloads (NEW)

Supports TPM 2.0 hardware modules and adds a virtual TPM device to shield guest OS from Operator or in-guest attacks.

Default Enhanced security compliance

Data-at-rest encryption for virtual machine data and disks

Supports Windows 10 and Windows 2016 security features, like Credential Guard, on vSphere

Allows seamless migration across different CPUs across the hybrid cloud by persisting the EVC mode per-VM during migrations across clusters and during power cycles.

Reduces provisioning times, especially beneficial for VDI applications

Delivery of AI/ML infrastructure applications using GPUs.

(Add-on required)*

Redesigned with a more workload centric approach, DRS balances resources allocated to workloads in a vSphere cluster; versus the previously used cluster-wide deviation model; also resulting in an improved cycle time.

Automated load balancing now looks at storage characteristics to determine the best place for a given virtual machine’s data when it is created and used overtime.

Optimizes power consumption by turning off hosts during periods of reduced demand.

Allows common management across storage tiers and dynamic storage class-of-service automation via a policy-driven control plane

Prioritizes storage and Network access by continuously monitoring I/O load of a storage volume and over the network, and dynamically allocating available I/O resources to virtual machines according to business needs.

Allows one PCI Express (PCIe) adapter to be presented as multiple separate logical devices to virtual machines. Allows users to offload I/O processing and reduce network latency.

Leverages Persistent Memory to get DRAM like performance with flash like prices.

Enables native 2D and 3D graphics performance for virtual machines. Supports multiple vGPUs per VM

Receive server health information and migrate virtual machines from degraded hosts before problems occur.

Accelerated Graphics for Virtual Machines

Support for vGPU and DirectPath I/O initial VM placement

Provides a robust, production-proven, high-performance virtualization layer

Enables live migration of virtual machines with no disruption to users or loss of service, eliminating the need to schedule application downtime for planned server maintenance. The recent enhancements in vMotion logic provides non-disruptive operations, irrespective of the size of VMs, specifically for large and mission critical workloads.

Enables unified visibility and management across on-premises vCenter and vCenter on a vSphere enabled cloud such as VMware Cloud™ on AWS.

Virtual symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) enables virtual machines to have multiple virtual CPUs

Automatically restarts your VMs following physical machine failure

Avoids application downtime for planned storage maintenance by migrating live virtual machine disk files across storage arrays

Provides continuous availability of any application in the event of a

Secures virtual machines with offloaded anti-virus and anti-malware solutions, without the need for agents inside the virtual machine.

Enables efficient, array-agnostic replication of virtual machine data over the LAN or WAN, and simplifies management by enabling replication at the virtual machine level

Enhances platform scalability by leveraging high capacity drives. Reduce CAPEX.

Skips hardware initialization steps and dramatically reduces time required for patching and upgrades.

Native vCenter Server availability

Native vCenter Server backup and restore

A tool for single-step migration and upgrade of existing Windows vCenter deployments to vCenter Server Appliance.

Enables unified visibility and management across on-premises vCenter and vCenter on a vSphere enabled cloud such as VMware Cloud™ on AWS.

Uses different vCenter versions across on-premises and vSphere based public cloud environments, while allowing provisioning operations such as vMotion, Full Clone and Cold Migrate to continue on seamlessly.

Supports hot and cold migration of workloads across the hybrid cloud.

Allows seamless migration across different CPUs across the hybrid cloud by persisting the EVC mode per-VM during migrations across clusters and during power cycles.