Hypervisor Comparison

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DBordello

Member
Jan 11, 2013
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This may not be the correct place for this, but I'd love to see a comparison between some of the popular Hypervisors.

Of most interest is ESXi 6.5 vs Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2016 with a linux guest. Perhaps my Google-fu is failing me, but I cannot locate one online.

If all else fails, I might give it a go. If anybody has any feedback, let me know.
 

Evan

Well-Known Member
Jan 6, 2016
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I would also add on KVM being the other most popular hypervisor.
 

DavidRa

Infrastructure Architect
Aug 3, 2015
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Central Coast of NSW
www.pdconsec.net
What are you trying to understand with a comparison? Unless something has changed, you aren't permitted to evaluate performance (read the EULAs - they used to say this for sure). The architectures are very different (what do you do for storage and does your choice unfairly prejudice one over another)?

How do you evaluate comparable costs for management - e.g., what does VCenter and Enterprise Plus cost compared to SCVMM, compared to how many hours of "roll your own" at what rates?

Finally who is the audience? Most large companies have their preferred tools in place; small companies hit up their MSP. Home users - we won't pay anyway, and can fiddle - that's kind of the point - and homelabbers generally have either a need to satisfy or an itch to scratch.

Not saying it wouldn't be useful, I'm saying I don't understand.
 

Evan

Well-Known Member
Jan 6, 2016
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I am guessing he is just looking for a general round up of the different hypervisor sas in supports dynamic memory, or passthrough PCIe, or how clustering works.

I think I have said it before though ;

Mostly windows clients - ESX or Hyper-V
Mixed Linux windows and if anything else - ESX
Mostly Linux - KVM

That's not to say you can't run all Linux on hyper-v or all windows on KVM but it not not make all that much sense.

Some smaller things like Hyper-V can more easily pass though a drive without the whole controller passthrough, Hyper-V tends to be more power efficient certainly compared to ESX (don't know about KVM)
Both ESX and Hyper-v are best used with the paid for management tools.
 
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Evan

Well-Known Member
Jan 6, 2016
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Oh he posted it in benchmarks, I missed that since was looking only at new threads !!

Hmmm, no idea then.

What I can say is I have never need a Linux guest boot as fast as in a well tuned KVM environment. Can be super efficient for sure.
 

DBordello

Member
Jan 11, 2013
43
0
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I would also add on KVM being the other most popular hypervisor.
I do not have much experience with KVM, but I'd love to see some data.

What are you trying to understand with a comparison? Unless something has changed, you aren't permitted to evaluate performance (read the EULAs - they used to say this for sure). The architectures are very different (what do you do for storage and does your choice unfairly prejudice one over another)?

How do you evaluate comparable costs for management - e.g., what does VCenter and Enterprise Plus cost compared to SCVMM, compared to how many hours of "roll your own" at what rates?

Finally who is the audience? Most large companies have their preferred tools in place; small companies hit up their MSP. Home users - we won't pay anyway, and can fiddle - that's kind of the point - and homelabbers generally have either a need to satisfy or an itch to scratch.

Not saying it wouldn't be useful, I'm saying I don't understand.
I realize there are million variables. The EULA explains the lack of data available. I am just tinkering in a home lab.

I am guessing he is just looking for a general round up of the different hypervisor sas in supports dynamic memory, or passthrough PCIe, or how clustering works.

I think I have said it before though ;

Mostly windows clients - ESX or Hyper-V
Mixed Linux windows and if anything else - ESX
Mostly Linux - KVM

That's not to say you can't run all Linux on hyper-v or all windows on KVM but it not not make all that much sense.

Some smaller things like Hyper-V can more easily pass though a drive without the whole controller passthrough, Hyper-V tends to be more power efficient certainly compared to ESX (don't know about KVM)
Both ESX and Hyper-v are best used with the paid for management tools.
I am currently debating between ESXi & Hyper-V for a 50/50 Linux/Windows homelab. I realize in this day and age, the results are probably close enough. However, I thought it might be interesting.