Technology | Cost | Restrictions | Reliability | Management | Serial console | Performance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VMware ESXi | Free | Only runs on certain h/w | Fine | Only through Windoze application | Only through Windoze application | |
VMware Server | Free-ish | 8Gb per VM, 10 NICs per VM | Fine | Web interface, but probably can do all configuration via command line | Console via browser plugin. Can do virtual serial console but through 3rd party app which would need work to setup | |
Xen under DICE | Free | None | Panic when trying to run two VMs | All command line. Easy. However, see notes | Can ssh onto host box and use command line interface to connect to guest's serial console | Wasn't stable enough to try meaningful tests |
XenServer Express | Free | No VLANs, 2 CPU sockets, 3 NICs per VM, 6 physical NICS, was 4Gb host limit (not in 5.0.0), doesn't allow overcommit on host memory ?? | Fine | Windoze tool to create and configure VMs. Probably can create through command line interface, but might be a lot of steps involved? Configuration held in "database" not text files ![]() |
Can ssh onto host box and use command line interface to connect to guest's serial console |