Short description of VMware Products

There is a nice Google Cloud developer’s cheat sheet describing Google Cloud products in 4 words or less. There are short & crisp descriptions of Azure & AWS products in the official documentation. As one aggrieved VMware user pointed out on Reddit that it is hard to find short descriptions of VMware products. This compilation is based on that Reddit thread and other online sources. I'll keep revising these descriptions as I come across better definitions.

* vSphere - virtualization platform that uses the power of virtualization to transform data centers into simplified cloud computing infrastructures. Name of the product line that includes the ESXi hypervisor. vSphere = vCenter+ESXi

* vCenter - virtual appliance to manage and configure ESXi/vSphere hosts

* ESXi - enterprise-class, type-1 hypervisor (run directly on a physical host server unlike type 2 hypervisor which runs as a software layer on an OS)

* vSphere 7 is the biggest release of vSphere in over a decade with Kubernetes included natively. vSphere 7 delivers the essential services for the modern hybrid cloud.

* vSAN - shared storage, virtual SAN. Flash-optimized, vSphere-native storage for private and public cloud.

* NSX - network virtualization platform. Provides East-West (traffic moving within your network. North-south = traffic moving in and out of your network) traffic security. Enables complete network management and microsegmentation of networks, as well as additional security measures.

* NSX-T - designed for cloud and multi-cloud

* HCX or Hybrid Cloud Extension - provides workload mobility between clouds

* VMware Cloud Foundation - a unified software-defined data center or SDDC platform that integrates vSphere, vSAN and NSX

* Tanzu - portfolio of products and services for app modernization

Source: VMware

* vRealize Suite - automation and proper monitoring tools. The suite consists of vRealize Automation, vRealize Operations, vRealize Log Insight, vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager

* Horizon Suite - for desktop virtualization

* Workspace ONE UEM or Unified Endpoint Management (formerly known as AirWatch) - device manager that enables users to use email, apps, and other corporate tools (like VPN) securely.

* VMware Workstation - runs VMs on Windows or Linux workloads

* Fusion - runs VMs on a macOS

* VMware Converter - application that virtualizes physical machines

* vMotion - enables the live migration of running virtual machines from one server to another with zero downtime

* VMware Cloud Director (formerly vCloud Director) and SaaS-based “VMware Cloud Director service” - service delivery platform for Cloud Providers

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References -

The Periodic Table of the VMware Solutions

VMware product overview: Virtualization and end-user computing

VMware Product Walkthroughs

Comparison of Public Cloud VMware offerings

VMware Hybrid Cloud Deployment Model