esx server

VMware ESX Server Virtual Infrastructure Node - W/ ProLiant Essentials Virtualization Management Software - license - 2 processors - Linux, Win, NW ( 397426-B21 )

VMware ESX Server is virtual infrastructure software for consolidating and managing systems in mission-critical environments. ESX Server speeds service deployments and adds management flexibility by partitioning x86 servers into a pool of secure, portable and hardware-independent virtual machines. Ideally suited for enterprise data centers, ESX Server minimizes the total cost of ownership (TCO) of computing infrastructure by increasing resource utilization, minimizing maintenance downtime and maximizing server manageability.

Configuring VMware ESX Server 2.5 (Vol 1)
$49.95
I bought this book about a month ago along with some others on VMware. It definitely covers some critical P to V methods that other books just don't cover. The writing style is pretty good too, not stuffy, and the author is very enthusiastic about VMware, and that comes across well. It is slightly more basic than some, but it's a great book for someone new to VMware who is trying to come up to speed quickly, and learn the product thoroughly. It's not filled with theory, it's got good "in the trenches" anecdotes and real world info, not conjecture put in there just to fill up space. Get it!

VMware ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers
$54.99
Synopsis: Loaded with practical real world scenarios, best practices, and handy checklists, "VMware ESX Server in the Enterprise" is geared toward those who have some ESX 2 experience and need to prepare for and optimize an ESX 3 environment.

Pros:
- One of my favorite aspects of the book are several checklists for preparing for, deploying, and connecting ESX hosts to the rest of the infrastructure. These include not only the steps to installing ESX (which you can find most anywhere), but also some invaluable checklists for securing the hosts, managing storage, networking, etc. This alone may mean the difference between success and failure.
- Mr. Haletky shares not only what he's learned from his own research, but from real world scenarios from customers projects large and small.
- Tables, lists, illustrations and screenshots are clear and well placed.

Cons:
- Although well written, the editing was mediocre at best. Particularly in the opening chapters it is apparent the text was written, re-written, and then edited further. The finished product therefore is sometimes difficult to follow.
- The book reads as if Mr. Haletky began writing about ESX 2 and attempted to extend it to v.3. The result was a text that is over-reaching and lacks focus.
- Lacks a glossary, which is particularly confusing as several acronyms are used without introduction or explanation.
- There are several minor distractions, such as diagram captions referring to colored lines, where the rendering is black and white. However the message is always clear.
- Less than a year old and already a bit dated as ESX 3.5 and new hardware options have changed the rules a bit. This is always a reality with IT reference material, but is felt keenly in this publication as it tends to focus on older yet ESX 2.0.

How to Cheat at Configuring VmWare ESX Server
$49.95
I wanted a book to give me the knowledge for installing ESX 3.x servers. Chapter 1 is ok for installing v3.02 but not v3.5 (the current version). The book is filled with typos and grammatical mistakes. Chapter 2, "Installing Virtual Center" is the same directions repeated for each screen with no explanation. The book suffers from a lack of option explanations, and is therefore useful only for a test setup of VMWare.