[nzlug] VMware x Xen x KVM x Qemu

[Michael Hutchinson]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nzlug-bounces at linux.net.nz [mailto:nzlug-bounces at linux.net.nz]
On
> Behalf Of Daniel Lawson
> Sent: Wednesday, 2 April 2008 5:40 p.m.
> To: NZLUG Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nzlug] VMware x Xen x KVM x Qemu
> 
> >
> > I have to agree with Daniel about the fact that you're discussing
> > different technologies and comparing them.
> >
> > However, for what it's worth, here's my 2 cents.
> >
> > I have tested several Virtualisation programs, and it would appear
to
> > me, without a doubt at all, that VMWare is the most mature of them
> > all.
> >
> > What do I mean about mature? Vmware is stable enough for us (here at
> > work) to use in a production environment, with Windows and Linux
> > servers
> > hosted under it, running live, serving virtual terminals, web pages,
> > etc... no problems. I cannot say this about any other Virtualisation
> > software, they pale in comparison in terms of reliability and speed.
> > (which is fair enough, most of them are younger than Vmware, and
need
> > more development time).
> 
> Can you not say that because you've not used them, or because you've
> used them and found them lacking?

I have used them and found them lacking.

> I'm not going to turn this into a virtualisation flamewar, but
> performance and reliability isn't such a wide gap as you might
> think.   Of course, it all depends on what you're comparing. VMware is
> brand, not a product, and you haven't mentioned which product you're
> using.

OK I don't want a V-War either, which is why I mentioned that its my
2cents worth, not my companies opinion, or anyone else's :) (and
certainly not gospel!)

I've used VMWare Server, and Workstation extensively. We have
consolidated servers at work running on 3 baremetal VMWare hosts,
totalling around 12 virtualised servers altogether. 

Have done a bit of work in ESX Server - although someone else maintains
that here, so I don't get a lot of time with that, but it appears to be
a very solid product. We are never fixing VMWare at work.

My only complaint would be with Workstation 5, (and 6 - non ACE
edition). This is to do with making a clone of the machine, even when
Vmware understands that it has to change hardware for Ethernet to work
on the new clone, it usually does not and leaves me rebuilding something
I should have been able to clone. 

Mind you, if I was using HDD cloning software I imagine this would be
different, as the new VM would get built, and then have data loaded on
it, thereby circumventing the hardware conflict issue with Ethernet.
<shrug> it's not really a big problem.

I don't want to comment too much on the other V software's because I
don't want to be too down on them. But let me put it this way, I
wouldn't put them in a production environment, yet, which was my point
originally about the maturity of the software. I do hope they will get
to that stage, and provide commercial competition for VMWare.

Cheers,
Mike