When we talk about VMWARE ESX servers and the virtual environment (virtualization), we actually need to start from understanding what are the virtual machines all about. A virtual machine or virtual computer means that it is a computer & operating system as we know it, only it is based on software (not hardware). Which means all of its characteristics are based on software definition hosted on a physical machine.

To simplify this explanation without going too deep into the technical measures, it is a definition of what a computer needs to be (emulating its exact environment) only those definitions are based on a program that is a configuration of that environment in order to emulate a real computer, but there are no physical parts, they are sort of a logical part.

The resources which are configured for the creation of that virtual machine are being taken from a physical machine, which allocates those resources from the physical machine to the virtual computer. Now since we are allocating part of the real physical sources, we can use the remaining resources to create another instance (another virtual computer), which can use other free resources. So, if we have many resources on a physical computer, like for example a physical 4GB RAM, which we then allocate 1GB of RAM for each virtual machine, we actually get 4 different virtual computers with 1GB RAM, that can be installed with different operating systems, like Linux, different versions of Windows operating systems, either desktop or servers.

Now if you understand that concept, you now realize that you can test any type of computer or operating system, by raising it virtually, test it, and delete it, without destroying or re-installing your own computer. You just host those virtual machines on the same computer you are working on. Many use those types of ESX servers, to create different types of computer machines to enable the testing environment, without purchasing another hardware. For the same price of having a strong server computer, you can get many different servers or desktop, hosted on the same machine, which only shares it’s resources with those virtual servers and saves the cost of purchasing a separate computer for each computer we need to use.

What is an ESX Virtual Server? Well, it is the environment that enables us to place upon it and manage many different virtual machines (desktop, server computers, with different types of operating systems). ESX Server is one of the most used virtual servers, even though the Microsoft Hyper-V virtual server is starting grasp hold in this market, ESX servers are still the most used ones.

The options you can use are:

1. You can dedicate a strong physical server, and install the ESX server operating system on it, which comes as a full environment, which you manage using an external management client (which you can install on your desktop computer) and only certain definitions can be defined using the ESX server management console.
2. You can decide you want to use the ESX Desktop server version, which enables you to host virtual machines, on your desktop computer (no server hardware is required). Now since it is not a server, the number of virtual computers you can operate online at the same time will rely on the number of resources your desktop computer has. You can create many virtual machines if you have the hard-disk capacity for it, but you will be able to get only one of them online, in case you do not have enough memory, for example.

Advantages of Virtual machines on ESX Servers:

1. You can host many different types of computers on one computer (Cost-effective, as you don’t have to spend more money on another hardware computer)
2. You can backup a whole computer (a whole virtual instance) and recover it completely very quickly. (This is a better, quicker solution for backing your whole hardware computer’s operating system, and recover from it, like when you use Norton Ghost).
3. Installation of new servers (virtual servers) is much faster than installing them on a regular physical computer.4.

Disadvantages of Virtual machines on ESX Servers:

1. You need a stronger computer/server to use the ESX server on, in order to utilize many hosted virtual computers at once.
2. If an ESX server crashes, and you have multiple virtual computers/server running on it, they will all go down at once.

Downloading ESX server and start working:

• Follow the instructions on this link – Download ESX Server 3.5
• Installing ESX server – step by step.
• Virtualization Simplified – Guide to Server Virtualization
• Virtual Machine backup guide
• How to install VMware ESX 3.5 inside VMware Workstation 6.5 – Video lesson
• Live IT. Love IT. VMware IT – Comic Video presentation of VMWARE 🙂

Summarizing: There are many benefits to using virtual servers, to be able to have the flexibility and ease of installing new servers, and raising a server environment quickly and more securely. But do not forget that it is risky to place all of your eggs in one basket, so for really important servers that server your network you might want to create a more solid infrastructure is at least a contingency solution in case of a disaster.

Microsoft servers have been a great addition to the business world, and many companies have used them to improve their business control and efficiency. The Microsoft server world was built on the main servers, which were the Server 2003 replaced by the Server 2008 version, with the Microsoft exchange server for using e-mails and the Microsoft SQL server, for Database use.

Those main servers have built the base for a whole organizational network infrastructure where all of the company’s employees could get their whole services out of the same Microsoft environment and developers could use the Microsoft Visual Studio (which is now at version 2010) to develop applications for the same Microsoft network environment.

The Microsoft server 2008 includes more technologies to enable IT, professionals, to increase reliability, stability and flexibility for their servers infrastructure and enable the control needed for managing the organization’s needs. This system includes Virtualization tools, enhanced management and great integration with the Windows 7 operating system (as it is the OS system designated for the client computers on the network, replacing the Windows XP and Windows Vista versions).

This version is also cost-benefit and provides a more efficient data center. The IIS (Internet information system) is more advanced at version 7.5, better updates system, Hyper-V platforms, and window PowerShell version 2.0 to enable better control for customers, increasing efficiency and availability pushing performance to the front line of businesses today.

Summarizing the Microsoft Server 2008 platform is saying it is the most efficient and solid server system by Microsoft, more reliable, stronger, and efficient. Businesses that were using the previous version, should upgrade and get more efficient ways to conduct their business.

The SQL Server by Microsoft is one of the best-enhanced databases out there. This Microsoft SQL server now at version 2008, is stronger and more efficient than it predecessors. The database delivers the same reliability and flexibility needed by programmers/developers and much more. Microsoft developers have grown to love the flexibility this database enables, to create whatever is needed by their programs.

The Microsoft SQL Server has proved that it can contain a large amount of data, and process it with an efficiency that is so required by large organizations. Large companies, with even 1000’s of employees require efficiency, and performance for their applications. Since most of the programs who compute and store a large amount of data need to perform quickly and efficiently the Microsoft SQL server delivers that requirement, and Microsoft keeps updating and improving this great database system.

The Microsoft Exchange server system, is one of the most common ones, for large enterprises. This is a communication system that is cost-effective and flexible. Which can deal with the enormous amount of communication and data being transferred by large organizations? This system is one of the best in the market (again for large companies), it might not fit smaller companies who wants to save on spending a large amount of expense on a mail server.

For large organizations, this is the system to have. It grew much since it began, and got more reliable, more efficient and its performance got better.
Like any system developed there are always things you might find irritating, but in global, this system has improved greatly, and when used by a professional who got to know all of its techniques, and organization can soundly sleep knowing the system works, and the communication will be received and delivered on time.

Summarizing the Microsoft main servers systems, we have to acknowledge that Microsoft has proved that their system is the best as a whole package, and they keep improving them, to enable large organizations to feel at home and trust that the systems will deliver when it counts.

The need for a home computer has become a real necessity. So if we do not want to invest too much in buying the best computer there is today since all we want is a computer that will enable us to connect to the internet and enjoy the enormous public library of information that there is out there, we can invest on a simple computer at a very low price.

As computers have advanced and there are so many of them out there, with different configurations for different purposes, we can find a computer that suits only the things we need, only the things we define we want the computer to do. There are many second-hand computers out there at people who might want to upgrade to a newer faster computer, but their old computer might have all of the qualifications you need for simple use.

Since the computer designers know that there is a need for simple computers at cost-effective prices, they design computers in a way that enables them to save production costs and produce a computer package that can be sold at lower prices. There are laptops that are cheaper than other laptops, since they are used for the audiences who need simple tasks, without sophisticated applications that require a lot of resources to be able to run properly. The simple tasks require very little. Even old computers can surf the internet, it is all about our choice, what do we need and how much do we want to pay for it.

So how can we find cheap computers? Well, we just need to decide first if we want a new computer or a used one. We can find on the internet many used computer ads, that offer second-hand computers, and there are many good offers there, from people that took great care of their home computers, and they just want to move forward to new computers, maybe for their kids game playing desire or just to be able to run more sophisticated resource-consuming applications that they need (like graphical designing programs).

We can find cheap laptop computers, like the 10 Inch laptops, that have been produced lately and mostly for students, who need low weight, small-sized laptops to be able to type the lectures, or any other information during a lesson. Those are cost-effective and have the basic needs for such tasks.

Just inquire for a computer after you have defined your needs, and you will be able to get a price offer for a computer that is cost-effective for your demands, at the best cost, since it will have only what you really need.