[clue-talk] Vmware ESX / VI, WTF?

[David L. Willson]

On Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:28:13 -0600, Nate Duehr wrote
> David L. Willson wrote:
> 
> > The biggest reason that I used and recommended Vmware's line was their high degree of
> > platform neutrality.  That's what made them the best.
> 
> Not the best metric for business purposes, really.  What other metrics 
> drove you to choose VMWare?  If the only reason to choose it was 
> platform-neutrality (I don't believe that for a minute -- what it DOES 
> is more useful to you and your business than how you CONTROL it)

You are correct in disbelieving that platform neutrality was my only criterion for
selecting the Vmware line, and of course, I didn't say it was.  It wasn't the only
criterion, but it was a passage through a "barrier to entry", though.  I don't bother
evaluating or including in comparative evaluation, products that force the use of
Microsoft products.  Given the wide, and widening, field of choices, I see no need to
change that.  If I choose or endorse products that only work with MS Windows, for
example, I am endorsing the decision on the part of the program developer/vendor to
force me (or my clients) to use Microsoft software.  I can't endorse that decision. 
Yes, I suppose I take the social responsibility part of my SysAdmin role a little too
seriously, but I'm OK with that, too.

And "rip and replace" doesn't have to be an expensive temper tantrum.  It can be, a year
from now, saying to Joe Client, "Vmware Server 2.x is out and Vmware Server 1.x is on
software 'death row'.  We have to make some sort of move anyway, and, if I have your
permission, I'd like to roll out (insert the v platform I'm currently using and
recommending), and move the VMs to that over the next few months, rather than upgrading
what we have to Vmware Server 2.x.  What do you think?"

By and large, my clients trust me, because they get good results from the network I
built or rebuilt for them, and the answer is usually something like, "How much?"  "This
much."  "Do it."

-- David