VMware ESX 4 (vSphere 4.0) finally gets 64 bit Kernel

by Eddy on

VMware ESX 4.0 or vSphere is finally a true 64 bit Virtuailization OS. Vmware vSphere is the next major version of VMware infrastructure 3, the virtual datacenter operating systems is finally uses 64 bit kernel. VMware ESX 3.5 uses 32 bit Kernel, along with wide varities of features added to VMware ESX 4 , the biggest one is core 64 bit kernel.

What’s new in VMware ESX 4.0 or vSphere 4.0 ?

VMware ESX 4.0 has some advanced power management capabilities, 64-bit host with 64-bit Service Console, Enhanced Memory, Storage and networking Features with distributed netwoking.

VMware ESX 4.0 Host Features :

64-bit Service Console :The Redhat Enterprise based Linux service console for VMware ESX 4.0 is now true 64-bit.The new Service console runs on Redhat Enterpise 64-bit kernel.You can verisy this by running uname -m command on ESX 4.0 Linux host which returns x86_64.

VMware ESX 4.0 now uses 64-bit VMkernel : The VMkernel, a core component of the ESX/ESXi 4.0 hypervisor, is now 64-bit. This provides greater host physical memory capacity , enhanced performance and more seamless hardware support than earlier releases.VMware ESX 4.0 /vSphere 4.0 now can support upto 512 GB of physical Memory on 64-bit hadrware platforms.

VMware ESX 4.0/vSphere 4.0 Host Memory — ESX/ESXi 4.0 now supports systems with up to 512GB of Memory/RAM. See the Systems Compatibility Guide Additions and Modifications for a list of systems for which 512GB host memory is supported.

VMware ESX 4.0/vSphere 4.0 CPU Support :VMware ESX 4.0/vSphere 4.0 now can support upto 64 Logical CPUs and 256 Virtual CPUs Per Host — ESX/ESXi 4.0 provides headroom for more virtual machines per host and the ability to achieve even higher consolidation ratios on larger machines.

Keep reading more on VMware ESX 4.0