Comments on: Where’s the install CD for the 64 bit version of VMware ESX? http://vmetc.com/2008/11/22/wheres-the-install-cd-for-the-64-bit-version-of-vmware-esx/ Go Green with Virtualization. Go UGLY Green with vmetc.com. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:41:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ESX and the Service Console Are Going Away » boche.net – VMware Virtualization Evangelist http://vmetc.com/2008/11/22/wheres-the-install-cd-for-the-64-bit-version-of-vmware-esx/comment-page-1/#comment-4562 ESX and the Service Console Are Going Away » boche.net – VMware Virtualization Evangelist Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:30:10 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=2054#comment-4562 [...] are going away.  Theories on this are evident all plastered over the internet:  here, here, here, here, here, here, here, [...] [...] are going away.  Theories on this are evident all plastered over the internet:  here, here, here, here, here, here, here, [...]

]]> By: Mark Dean http://vmetc.com/2008/11/22/wheres-the-install-cd-for-the-64-bit-version-of-vmware-esx/comment-page-1/#comment-1577 Mark Dean Sat, 06 Dec 2008 16:58:25 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=2054#comment-1577 The service console and vmkernel are both 32-bit in ESX 2.x/3.x. There is no reason why the service console needs to be 64-bit but there is reasons why you would want the vmkernel to be 64-bit so it no longer would need to use PAE for memory above 4GB and other things. I haven't had time to work with ESX 4 in its current private beta, but my understanding was the service console was going away anyways-making all versions like ESXi-which I whole-heartedly support; there's no reason to have a service console anymore. Just patching alone is much easier since just about every security patch out there for ESX is for the Linux console and not the vmkernel. The service console and vmkernel are both 32-bit in ESX 2.x/3.x. There is no reason why the service console needs to be 64-bit but there is reasons why you would want the vmkernel to be 64-bit so it no longer would need to use PAE for memory above 4GB and other things. I haven’t had time to work with ESX 4 in its current private beta, but my understanding was the service console was going away anyways-making all versions like ESXi-which I whole-heartedly support; there’s no reason to have a service console anymore. Just patching alone is much easier since just about every security patch out there for ESX is for the Linux console and not the vmkernel.

]]> By: Mark Dean http://vmetc.com/2008/11/22/wheres-the-install-cd-for-the-64-bit-version-of-vmware-esx/comment-page-1/#comment-5531 Mark Dean Sat, 06 Dec 2008 16:58:00 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=2054#comment-5531 The service console and vmkernel are both 32-bit in ESX 2.x/3.x. There is no reason why the service console needs to be 64-bit but there is reasons why you would want the vmkernel to be 64-bit so it no longer would need to use PAE for memory above 4GB and other things. I haven't had time to work with ESX 4 in its current private beta, but my understanding was the service console was going away anyways-making all versions like ESXi-which I whole-heartedly support; there's no reason to have a service console anymore. Just patching alone is much easier since just about every security patch out there for ESX is for the Linux console and not the vmkernel. The service console and vmkernel are both 32-bit in ESX 2.x/3.x. There is no reason why the service console needs to be 64-bit but there is reasons why you would want the vmkernel to be 64-bit so it no longer would need to use PAE for memory above 4GB and other things. I haven’t had time to work with ESX 4 in its current private beta, but my understanding was the service console was going away anyways-making all versions like ESXi-which I whole-heartedly support; there’s no reason to have a service console anymore. Just patching alone is much easier since just about every security patch out there for ESX is for the Linux console and not the vmkernel.

]]> By: Cody Bunch http://vmetc.com/2008/11/22/wheres-the-install-cd-for-the-64-bit-version-of-vmware-esx/comment-page-1/#comment-1530 Cody Bunch Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:17:36 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=2054#comment-1530 To agree with Ian, I don't either. I do think however, that it will open up possibilities for memory management to get more efficient, as well as remove some of the other limitations present, at least from a vmkernel perspective. To agree with Ian, I don’t either. I do think however, that it will open up possibilities for memory management to get more efficient, as well as remove some of the other limitations present, at least from a vmkernel perspective.

]]> By: Cody Bunch http://vmetc.com/2008/11/22/wheres-the-install-cd-for-the-64-bit-version-of-vmware-esx/comment-page-1/#comment-5528 Cody Bunch Wed, 26 Nov 2008 02:17:00 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=2054#comment-5528 To agree with Ian, I don't either. I do think however, that it will open up possibilities for memory management to get more efficient, as well as remove some of the other limitations present, at least from a vmkernel perspective. To agree with Ian, I don’t either. I do think however, that it will open up possibilities for memory management to get more efficient, as well as remove some of the other limitations present, at least from a vmkernel perspective.

]]> By: Ian Reasor http://vmetc.com/2008/11/22/wheres-the-install-cd-for-the-64-bit-version-of-vmware-esx/comment-page-1/#comment-1525 Ian Reasor Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:02:11 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=2054#comment-1525 The service console cannot leverage more than 800MB of memory and frankly, I can't see why it would ever need to. For this reason, I don't see any real benefit from having a 64-bit SC over a 32-bit one... The service console cannot leverage more than 800MB of memory and frankly, I can’t see why it would ever need to. For this reason, I don’t see any real benefit from having a 64-bit SC over a 32-bit one…

]]> By: Ian Reasor http://vmetc.com/2008/11/22/wheres-the-install-cd-for-the-64-bit-version-of-vmware-esx/comment-page-1/#comment-5530 Ian Reasor Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:02:00 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=2054#comment-5530 The service console cannot leverage more than 800MB of memory and frankly, I can't see why it would ever need to. For this reason, I don't see any real benefit from having a 64-bit SC over a 32-bit one... The service console cannot leverage more than 800MB of memory and frankly, I can’t see why it would ever need to. For this reason, I don’t see any real benefit from having a 64-bit SC over a 32-bit one…

]]> By: Clayton Olley http://vmetc.com/2008/11/22/wheres-the-install-cd-for-the-64-bit-version-of-vmware-esx/comment-page-1/#comment-1516 Clayton Olley Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:06:05 +0000 http://vmetc.com/?p=2054#comment-1516 The ESX console is still 32 bit but it uses VT/HV to trick the VM's into running 64 bit. You can do the same thing in linux and windows. Because of the 32 bit console, I believe memory is managed a little differently than 64 bit, and you have the 2TB volume limit (but you can use extents to overcome that). I believe with ESX 4 there will be a 64 bit console which should alleviate these issues. You'll still need the VT/HV for hardware assisted virtualization (which will hopefully also be improved in processors by the time 4 is out). So in short, there will actually soon be a 64 bit install cd for ESX. I'm not sure if there will be a 32 bit one though. I doubt it. Does anyone else know? The ESX console is still 32 bit but it uses VT/HV to trick the VM’s into running 64 bit. You can do the same thing in linux and windows. Because of the 32 bit console, I believe memory is managed a little differently than 64 bit, and you have the 2TB volume limit (but you can use extents to overcome that). I believe with ESX 4 there will be a 64 bit console which should alleviate these issues. You’ll still need the VT/HV for hardware assisted virtualization (which will hopefully also be improved in processors by the time 4 is out).

So in short, there will actually soon be a 64 bit install cd for ESX. I’m not sure if there will be a 32 bit one though. I doubt it. Does anyone else know?

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