Two Approaches to Managing Virtual Machines

Two Approaches to Managing Virtual Machines
VMware Infrastructure Client (VI Client) is a flexible, configurable solution for
managing your virtual machines. There are two primary methods for managing your
virtual machines:
 Directly through an ESX Server host (a single or standalone host) that can manage
only those virtual machines, and their resources, installed on it.
 Through a VirtualCenter Server that manages multiple virtual machines and their
resources distributed over many ESX Server hosts.
The figure below illustrates the components in an ESX Server Virtual Infrastructure.
 VMware Infrastructure Components with an ESX Server Host
The figure below illustrates the components in a VirtualCenter Server Virtual
Infrastructure.

           Components of VMware Infrastructure
To run your VMware Infrastructure environment, you need the following items:
 ESX Server – A virtualization platform used to create the virtual machines as a set
of configuration and disk files that together perform all the functions of a physical
machine.
Through ESX Server, you run the virtual machines, install operating systems, run
applications, and configure the virtual machines. Configuration includes
identifying the virtual machine’s resources, such as storage devices.
The server provides bootstrapping, management, and other services that manage
your virtual machines.
Each ESX Server has a VI Client available for your management use. If your ESX
Server is a registered host with the VirtualCenter Server, a VI Client that
accommodates the VirtualCenter features is available.
 VirtualCenter – A service that acts as a central administrator for VMware ESX
Server hosts that are connected on a network. VirtualCenter directs actions on the
virtual machines and the virtual machine hosts (the ESX Server hosts).