Free VMware Versions: Exploring Available Options

_{December 7, 2023 by JoyAnswer.org, Category : Software}

Which VMware is free? Discover which versions of VMware are available for free. Explore the features and limitations of these free editions for your virtualization needs.

Which VMware is free?

VMware offers a free version of its virtualization platform called VMware vSphere Hypervisor. This free version provides basic virtualization capabilities and is commonly referred to as "VMware ESXi Free" or "VMware vSphere Hypervisor."

Here are some key features and details about VMware vSphere Hypervisor:

VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi Free):

Purpose: VMware vSphere Hypervisor is a bare-metal hypervisor that allows you to virtualize multiple operating systems on a single physical server.
Basic Features:
- Virtual Machine Support: Create and run virtual machines.
- Hypervisor Management: Basic management capabilities through the vSphere Client.
- Snapshot Support: Take and manage snapshots of virtual machines.
- Resource Management: Allocate CPU, memory, and storage resources to virtual machines.
Limitations:
- The free version has limitations compared to the paid versions of VMware vSphere. Notable limitations include the absence of certain advanced features such as vMotion, High Availability (HA), and vSphere Replication.
Licensing:
- VMware vSphere Hypervisor is free to use, but if you plan to use advanced features, you would need to upgrade to one of the paid editions of VMware vSphere.
Management Interface:
- The vSphere Client is used to manage the ESXi host and virtual machines. The older Windows-based vSphere Client has been deprecated, and the web-based vSphere Client is the primary interface.

Please note that the features and licensing details may have changed after my last update, and it's recommended to check the official VMware website for the latest information on available free versions and their features. Additionally, VMware may introduce new products or updates, so checking their official documentation is essential for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Free Versions of VMware Software:

1. VMware Workstation Player:

Available for Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Free for non-commercial use (personal and home use).

Offers basic virtualization features:
- Create and run virtual machines.
- Import and export virtual machines.
- Use USB devices in virtual machines.
- Take snapshots of virtual machines.
- Share virtual machines with other computers.

Limitations:
- Limited CPU and memory allocation for virtual machines.
- No support for features like nested virtualization, vSphere integration, and advanced networking configurations.

2. VMware ESXi Free:

Available as a bare-metal hypervisor for physical servers.

Free for personal use and small businesses with up to 3 hosts and 6 CPUs per host.

Offers enterprise-grade virtualization features:
- Live vMotion for migrating VMs without downtime.
- Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) for optimizing resource utilization.
- High Availability (HA) for automatic failover of VMs in case of hardware failure.
- vSphere Client for managing and monitoring your virtual environment.

Limitations:
- Limited scalability compared to paid versions.
- Requires more technical expertise to manage than Workstation Player.
- Lacks some advanced features like vSphere Update Manager and vRealize Suite integration.