VMware vSphere 5

VMware vSphere 5 is the industry-leading virtualization platform for building cloud infrastructures. vSphere 5 enables users to run business-critical applications with confidence and respond to their business faster. VMware vSphere 5 accelerates the shift to cloud computing for existing datacenters, while underpinning compatible public cloud offerings, paving the way to the only hybrid cloud model.

VMware vSphere 5 Editions

VMware vSphere 5 is available in a number of kits and editions conveniently packaged to meet specific infrastructure needs — for server consolidation, high availability, automated resource allocation or simplified IT operations. The following VMware vSphere 5 packages are available:

• VMware vSphere 5 Essentials Kits — Designed especially for small and midsized business (SMB) environments with fewer than 20 physical servers, these kits deliver enterprise-class virtualization with integrated management and business continuity features.
• VMware vSphere 5 Standard Edition — This entry-level solution for basic consolidation of applications slashes hardware costs while accelerating application deployment. VMware vSphere 5 Standard provides an entry solution for basic consolidation of applications to slash hardware costs while accelerating application deployment. VMware vSphere 5 Standard builds on the performance and reliability of VMware's ESXi hypervisor to deliver a managed virtualization environment for test labs, preproduction servers, and remote offices.
• VMware vSphere 5 Enterprise Edition provides key features for minimizing downtime, protecting data, and automating resource management. Combining VMware's ESXi hypervisor with critical features like VMotion, Fault Tolerance, and Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), vSphere Enterprise provides applications a safe and robust platform to improve availability and up time.
• VMware vSphere 5 Enterprise Plus includes the full range of vSphere 5 features for transforming datacenters into dramatically simplified cloud computing environments for providing the next generation of flexible, reliable IT services. Combining VMware's industry leading virtualization technology and experience, VMware vSphere 5 delivers uncompromising control, with greater efficiency, while preserving customer choice.

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VMware vSphere 5 Kits and Editions Compared

 * All VMware vSphere 5 Essentials Kits contain a version of VMware vCenter™ Server for centralized management.
** A version of VMware vCenter Server (licens d separately) is required for all VMware vSphere 5 editions.

VMware vSphere 5 Complementary Products and Add-ons

VMware vCenter Server: vCenter Server complements vSphere 5 and provides unified management for the entire virtual infrastructure and unlocks many key vSphere 5 capabilities such as live migration. Administrators can use vCenter Server to manage literally thousands of virtual machines across multiple locations and, in the process, to streamline administration with features such as rapid provisioning and automated policy enforcement. Note: vCenter Server is a required element of a complete vSphere implementation and is licensed separately on a per-instance basis. Customers can also get vCenter Server for Essentials as an included component of all vSphere 5 Essentials Kits.

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Cisco Nexus 1000V — The Cisco Nexus 1000v is a pure software network switch that integrates with vSphere 5 to deliver virtualization-aware network services. It is available for purchase as an add-on product for use with vSphere 5 Enterprise Plus.

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VMware vSphere 5 Storage Appliance — New with vSphere 5 is this new virtual appliance that provides customers with the benefits of shared storage, but without the cost and complexity. Small and medium sized organizations now have access to enterprise-class features such as VMware Storage vMotion and VMware High Availability, but in affordable smaller configurations.

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VMware vSphere 5 Acceleration Kits

VMware vSphere 5 Acceleration Kits are designed for midsize businesses that want advanced capabilities for their virtualized environment. Each Acceleration Kit combines a number of VMware vSphere 5 Edition licenses with vCenter for central management. You may add VMware vSphere 5 Editions to expand your virtualized environment as your business grows.

Choose the VMware vSphere 5 Acceleration option to serve your needs.

VMware vSphere 5 Acceleration Kits for Business Continuity and IT Infrastructure Automation

• vSphere 5 Standard Acceleration Kit — Scalable server consolidation with high availability and no planned downtime
• vSphere 5 Enterprise Acceleration Kit — Powerful and efficient resource management to give your applications all the computing power they need when workload increase and shut down servers when workloads drop
• vSphere 5 Enterprise Plus Acceleration Kit — Policy-based datacenter automation, enabling you to prioritize compute, network, and storage resources at all times for mission-critical applications
• vSphere 5 Essentials Kit for Retail and Branch Offices — Designed for deployments in branch offices of mid-size or large enterprises, the vSphere 5 Essentials Kit for Retail and Branch Offices package allows remote management of the office deployment either locally or from central location running VMware vCenter Server.

VMware vSphere 5 Acceleration Kits for Infrastructure and Operations Management

You may also combine vSphere 5 Acceleration Kits with 25-virtual machine packs of management products to take your IT infrastructure to the next level.

• vSphere 5 Standard Acceleration Kit with Smart Operations Management: Performance management to maximize your IT infrastructure efficiency
• vSphere Enterprise Acceleration Kit with Business Production Management: Multi-site availability and protection of your business critical applications from network-based threats
• vSphere 5 Enterprise Plus Acceleration Kit with Cloud Infrastructure Management: Datacenter transformation into on-demand private clouds that accelerate your delivery and consumption of IT services

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