Comparing terminology for storage
Virtual machine files must be stored somewhere, and that means storage features and different types of virtual machine storage are an essential aspect of any virtualization solution. The next table compares some of the storage terminology used by VMware with that used by Microsoft.
VMware | Microsoft |
---|---|
VMDK (Virtual Machine Disk) | VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) |
Raw Device Mapping | Pass-Through Disk |
Volume/Extent Grow | Expand Disk / Volume |
Thin Provisioning | Dynamic Disk |
Storage vMotion | Quick Storage Migration |
Table 2
Comparing terminology for high availability
High-availability (HA) solutions mask the effects of hardware or software failure by maintaining the availability of applications, services, and other workloads so that their perceived downtime is minimized from the user's perspective. Both the VMware and the Microsoft platforms offer various technologies you can implement to ensure your virtualization solution is highly available. The next table compares HA terminology used by VMware with that used by Microsoft.
VMware | Microsoft |
---|---|
VMware HA (High-Availability) | Failover Clustering |
VMFS | Cluster Shared Volumes (CSV) |
Primary Node | Coordinator Node |
vMotion | Live Migration |
Table 3
Comparing terminology for managing solutions
Virtualization is more than just running workloads in virtual machines on hosts. It also needs to include tools for managing those hosts and the virtualization machines running on them in an efficient and practical way. This especially becomes important as your virtualization solution grows and expands with more services and features being implemented across your organization. That's why we've included this next table which compares the terminology used by VMware for their management products and tools with those offered by Microsoft for their Hyper-V platform.
VMware | Microsoft |
---|---|
VI Client | Hyper-V Manager |
vCenter | System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) |
vCenter Operations Management Suite | System Center Operations Manager (OpsMgr) |
vFabric Application Performance Manager | System Center AVICode (integrated with OpsMgr 2012) |
VMware IT Business Management Suite | System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) |
Web Access | Self Service Portal (SSP) |
Consolidated Backup | System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) |
Update Manager | Virtual Machine Servicing Tool (VSMT) |
Table 4
Additional Resources
Instead of trying to take a neutral stance when comparing the offerings of the Hyper-V and VMware, I've simply attempted to provide you in this article with a tool that can help you cut through the terminology differences so you can better compare the features and capabilities of each platform. It can also be helpful however to listen to how each company describes their virtualization offerings and compares it with their competitor--provided you listen to both sides before you make your decision. To help you do this, I've assembled a short list of additional resources below so you can learn for yourself how VMware views Hyper-V virtualization and how Microsoft views VMware virtualization.
How VMware views Hyper-V virtualization
Every Hypervisor is Not Created Equal: Learn more about how VMware vSphere Hypervisor is - and will continue to be - the industry's most robust and production-proven hypervisor and why VMware is the best choice for building a virtual infrastructure.
How a Hypervisor-Converged Software-Defined Data Center Enables a Better Private Cloud (VMware whitepaper - PDF).
At a Glance: The VMware Advantage Over Hyper-V 3 (VMware.com - PDF).
Managing VMware vSphere Using Microsoft System Center Increases Costs and Complexity (VMware whitepaper - PDF).
Total Cost Comparison: VMware vSphere vs. Microsoft Hyper-V (VMware whitepaper - PDF).
How Microsoft views VMware virtualization
VMware vs. Microsoft: Compare VMware’s high cost and limited cloud solutions to how Microsoft enables you to shape a comprehensive, flexible, and cost-effective IT environment for your business (Why Microsoft).
VMware or Microsoft? Quick Comparison between vSphere 5.5 and Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V (Pracheta's Musings - TechNet Blogs).
VMware vs. Microsoft, A Memorandum to IT Leadership and Decision Makers (Yung Chou on Hybrid Cloud - TechNet Blogs).
VMware or Microsoft?–The Complete Quick List (Matt Hester - TechNet Blogs).
Debunking VMware’s Top 10 Virtualization Myths (Microsoft - PDF).
VMware to Hyper-V Migration (Microsoft Virtual Academy).
Microsoft Tools for VMware Integration & Migration Jump Start (Microsoft Virtual Academy).
Migrating from VMware to Hyper-V for VMware Professionals (Microsoft Ignite 2015 on Channel 9)
Migrating to Microsoft: VMware to Hyper-V and Microsoft Azure (Microsoft Ignite 2015 on Channel 9)