vSphere 4.1 released

[Little_Crow]

vSphere 4.1 released, discuss.

Some of the points from the release that maybe aren't immediately apparent:

> 4.1 is the last release that will use ESX, from 4.2 onwards there will only be ESXi.

> Update manager will not include OS updates from 4.2 onwards

> VCenter, Update manager and SRM can now only be hosted on a 64bit OS.
> The Update Managers DB has some odd discrepencies on which Microsoft DB editions it can be hosted on.

So it looks like I'm going to be having fun building new 64bit VC servers to migrate to, reinstalling our ESX hosts with ESXi, and battling all new issues with vRanger, can't wait

 

[Little_Crow]

I can't say I've used ESXi for about 3 years, and it certainly wasn't pretty.

My biggest worry is the lack of a service console. I know you can install the powercli tools, but I don't see them as any kind of substitute for a proper console.

I understand why VMWare are doing it, many of the patches are for the service console, not ESX itself, I just don't like it.

 

[Little_Crow]

I would have preferred it if I'd have known about VMwares decision to drop ESX a couple of months ago. I'm sure partners and such would have known.

Yep, just finished a project to DR our site using SRM, at least I only have 12 ESX hosts to rebuild, could have been worse.

Our partner has been pretty open with us, I won't go into the gory details of our HP EVA CA saga, but I'm sure had they known, they would have steered us towards ESXi and installing VC on a 64bit host.

Why did they drop ESX ? o.O

They haven't yet, but 4.2 will only have ESXi.
Not certain why, possibly that half the patches released are for the service console not ESX itself.
They probably now feel that the remote service console VM (VMA) they provide is mature enough to do everything the console can.
(Not used the latest versions, so can't comment myself)

I've always found developers for other apps very slow to make them work with ESXi, hopefully now with only ESXi they'll pull their collective finger out.