Borrowing its definition from Wikipedia, VMware ESXi (formerly ESX) is an enterprise-class, type-1 hypervisor developed by VMware for deploying and serving virtual computers. As a type-1 hypervisor, ESXi is not a software application that is installed on an operating system (OS); instead, it includes and integrates vital OS components, such as a kernel. VMware ESXi runs on bare metal. This means that it is installed directly on the hardware with direct access to and control of underlying resources, unlike other VMware products and as it has been mentioned, it includes its own kernel.

According to VMware, the hypervisor enables you to:

• Consolidate hardware for higher capacity utilization.
• Increase performance for a competitive edge.
• Streamline IT administration through centralized management.
• Reduce CapEx and OpEx.
• Minimize hardware resources needed to run the hypervisor, meaning greater efficiency.

Features ESXi is proud about include

• Small Footprint: With a footprint of just 150MB, ESXi lets you do more with less while minimizing security threats to your hypervisor.
• Reliable Performance: Accommodate apps of any size. Configure virtual machines up to 128 virtual CPUs, 6 TB of RAM and 120 devices to satisfy all your application needs.
• Enhanced Security: Protect sensitive virtual machine data with powerful encryption capabilities. Role-based access simplifies administration, and extensive logging and auditing ensure greater accountability and easier forensic analysis.
• Ecosystem Excellence: Get support for a broad ecosystem of hardware OEM vendors, technology service partners, apps, and guest operating systems.
• User-Friendly Experience: Manage day-to-day administrative operations with built-in modern UI based on HTML5 standards. For customers who need to automate their operations, VMware offers both a vSphere Command Line Interface and developer-friendly REST-based APIs.

VMWare has a suit of products in its portfolio and this article is going to focus on VMWare ESXi. Other resources may be about other products but they touch on ESXi. The books are listed in no particular order and they include:

1. Mastering VMware vSphere

This full-spectrum guide is the leading resource on this groundbreaking tool. Fully updated for vSphere 6.7, it provides comprehensive coverage of all the newest features and capabilities. From step-by-step installation and configuration instructions to the complexities of managing and automating your environment, it solidifies learning with hands-on exercises and detailed conceptual explanations. Practical applications and real-world examples prepare you to take control.

Written by experts who helped build the vSphere software, this book provides everything the administrator needs to know to take full advantage of this industry-leading toolset. You’ll find it a valuable reference as you manage your virtual environment.

Coverage includes:

• Planning a VMware vSphere deployment
• Installing, configuring, and managing VMware vCenter Server® components
• Leveraging the support tools for maintenance and updating
• Creating and configuring virtual networks, machines, and storage devices
• Implementing the latest features to ensure compatibility and flexibility
• Managing resource allocation and utilization
• Monitoring infrastructure performance and availability
• Preparing for business continuity
• Automating and orchestrating routine administrative tasks
• Install and Configure vSphere Update Manager
• Ensure High Availability and Business Continuity
• Work With Templates and vApps
• Manage Resource Allocation and Balance Resource Utilization
• Monitor CPU, Memory, Network, and Disk Usage

Nick Marshall has worked in the IT industry for nearly 20 years. As a senior integration architect at VMware, he now helps develop products such as VMware Cloud Foundation, VMware Validated Designs and vSphere itself. Mike Brown is a Senior Staff Solution Architect at VMware where he works on solutions for Telco customers. Mike is a double VCDX (DCV and NV) and holds many other industry certifications.

With such credentials, you are the reader can be assured that you get the best of this resource. You get the best of experience as well as expertise as you go through this gem. Get it in your hands from Amazon deliveries by clicking on the link below.

2. VMware Certified Professional Data Center Virtualization

The VMware Certified Professional-Datacenter Virtualization 2020 (VCP-DCV 2020) program prepares VCP candidates to configure, manage, and troubleshoot a VSphere 6.7 infrastructure. Because candidates must complete VMware’s authorized training course, as well as the exam, it’s important to prepare with the best tools and resources available.

This is one of the resources that covers one hundred percent of all exam objectives.

In this Study Guide means you will be ready for:

• Configuring and Administering vSphere Security, Networking, and Storage
• Upgrading a vSphere Deployment
• Administering and Managing vSphere Resources
• Backing up and Recovering a vSphere Deployment
• Troubleshooting a vSphere Deployment
• Deploying and Customizing ESXi Hosts
• Configuring and Administering vSphere and vCenter Availability Solutions
• Administering and Managing vSphere Virtual Machines

Authored by by Jon Hall, and Joshua Andrews, this guide will prepare you to not only clinch the certification but gives you the hands on approach that will make you an expert. Click below to grab a copy from Amazon and get your career embellished with the colors of expertise you cherish and long to have.

3. VMware vSphere 6.7 Cookbook

The book by Abhilash G B starts with chapters covering the greenfield deployment of vSphere 6.7 components and the upgrade of existing vSphere components to 6.7. You will then learn how to configure storage and network access for a vSphere environment. Get to grips with optimizing your vSphere environment for resource distribution and utilization using features such as DRS and DPM, along with enabling high availability for vSphere components using vSphere HA, VMware FT, and VCHA. Then, you will learn how to facilitate large-scale deployment of stateless/stateful ESXi hosts using Auto Deploy.

What you will learn

• Deploy a new vSphere 6.7 environment or upgrade an existing vSphere environment to version 6.7
• Learn how to configure and manage storage and network access for a vSphere environment
• Enable high availability for Hosts, VMs and vCenter Server
• Optimize your vSphere environment for resource distribution/utilization
• Patch or upgrade a vSphere environment using vSphere Update Manager
• Secure vSphere infrastructure components using SSL certificates
• Effectively monitor the performance of your vSphere environment

Abhilash G B is a virtualization specialist, author, and a VMware vExpert (2014-2019). His primary focus is in the areas of data center virtualization and cloud computing. He has been in the IT industry for more than a decade and has been working on VMware products and technologies since the beginning of 2007. So if you are a systems administrator, support engineer, or anyone who wants to learn how to install, configure, and manage a vSphere environment in a quick, hands-on manner, then this book is for you. Click on the link below and get your skills in the sky.

4. Complete VMware vSphere Guide

Explore the benefits of VMware vSphere 6.7 to provide a powerful, flexible, and secure virtual infrastructure, and secure apps. Next, you’ll pick up on how to enhance your infrastructure with high-performance storage access, such as remote direct memory access (RDMA) and Persistent

Key Features

• Design, deploy and manage VMware vSphere virtual data centers
• Implement monitoring and security of VMware workloads with ease
• Explore tips and techniques for designing a robust virtual infrastructure

The book will even guide you in securing your network with security features, such as encrypted vMotion and VM-level encryption. Finally, by learning how to apply Proactive High Availability and Predictive Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), you’ll be able to achieve enhanced computing, storage, network, and management capabilities for your virtual data center.

5. Running ESXi on a Raspberry Pi

Authors Thomas Fenton, and Patrick Kennedy are on a mission to help you gain foundational knowledge of ESXi technology and understand why it is such a dominant force in the datacenter. This book also looks beyond ESXi to other vSphere technologies, such as virtual machines (VMs), vMotion, and vCenter Server.

Knowing how these technologies complement ESXi running on a Raspberry Pi will help you get the most out of ESXi on Arm technologies. This marks a significant change for ESXi, and has created new learning opportunities and use cases for both seasoned ESXi users and users completely new to the virtualization space. For those already familiar with ESXi but new to the Raspberry Pi, you will develop an in-depth understanding of this device and why it has become such a popular platform for technologists.

What You will Learn

• Build a fully functional ESXi server on a Raspberry Pi
• Select the correct hardware for particular use cases
• Create and optimize virtual machines running on a Pi
• Run Kubernetes on a Pi running ESXi

This book is specially designed for those new to the datacenter and want a low-cost way to work with one of the most powerful datacenter technologies. It is also succinctly beneficial to experienced datacenter professionals who need to use ESXi on Arm to complement their enterprise’s long-term strategic goals.

Would it not be a lot of fun to run VMWare on a Rasp? Click below to get started.

Important terms to remember

Hypervisor: The technology that transforms hardware resources such and CPU, Memory, and Disk into virtual resources which are then shared and allocated to virtual instances.

Virtualization: This is the technology that leverages, physical raw bare-metal server hardware that is converted by a hypervisor into smaller slices of computing known as a virtual machine.

Final Ballad

Having discussed what VMWare, Hypervisors and virtualization are and presented the resources you can peruse to learn about them, we believe that you now have all it takes to be an expert in setting up and managing private infrastructure. You will be empowered with the skills you need to deploy, scale and administer complete virtualization systems using VMWare ESXi. We hope that this brief article shared will be of use and benefit you in your pursuit of excellence. Finally, we are proud of you all for your continued support, motivation and encouragement.

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