What is VMware vCenter Server and What Its Benefits
Here you will find out:
- what is VMware vCenter Server
- what are its features
- how DiskInternals can help you
Are you ready? Let's read!
What is VMware vCenter Server?
VMware vCenter Server is a special software tool that centrally manages resources for VMware vSphere virtual infrastructure.
VMware vCenter responsibilities include fundamental functions, including automating workflows, managing user privileges, providing functions and resource allocation on demand, monitoring performance, and managing multiple ESXi servers and virtual machines through a single console.
All additional options, such as HA, FT, VMware vMotion, etc., cannot function properly without VMware vCenter.
VMware vCenter Server architecture
vCenter Server includes 3 main parts:
- vCenter Server databases. This has all the information about the server and allows for the management of this data (from inventory items to resource pools). One vCenter Server requires one database.
- vSphere Web Client is a web application similar to the vCenter Server user interface. With this application, console access to virtual machines and management, with subsequent processing of inventory objects in a vSphere deployment, are possible.
- vCenter Single Sign-On. This enables the user to access the entire vSphere infrastructure with a single login; no further authentication is needed.
VMware vCenter Server features
VMware vCenter Server has many useful and practical features. The main ones are outlined below:
- Unique integrated management (also known as multi-hypervisor management) for Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware hosts.
- Centralized control of the entire vSphere infrastructure from one place, so you can manage every vSphere function you need from any browser.
- Timely VM protection by using vSphere HA to cluster virtual machines and their hosts. This feature performs automatic VM restart, so in case a server fails, vSphere HA will be responsible for the auto-restart of the VMs on other hosts. This also applies to VMs within the cluster.
- Improved on-premises expansion to vSphere-based public clouds no matter which version of vCenter Server you are using. Scale management is also improved: now on you can manage up to thousands of hosts and VMs with only one vCenter Server.
- The possibility of simple and affordable resource optimization for maximum server management efficiency.
- Plug-in extensibility allows IT, administrators, to seamlessly and easily manage third-party items in their data center directly from vCenter Server.
Storage for VMware clusters
VMware clusters require shared storage. This storage is available for all servers on the VMware cluster, so each participant in the cluster can access it. Storage for VMware is connected to each host. In addition, each of these hosts can view, manage, and run virtual machines that are stored here. Typically, shared storage is represented by a NAS or SAN, but local drives on each server can be used.
If you want to use the parameters for HA, DRS, vMotion, etc., then Storage for VMware clusters is required.
What else does your VM need?
For a complete security, your virtual machine needs special software for recovering VMDK files: DiskInternals VMFS Recovery. Data recovery will be performed in a safe way so you can don't worry about its integrity. In addition, file names and multi-level recovery folders are supported. And virtual disks can be mounted as local disks available for Windows Explorer, etc. The application supports Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10 or Windows Server 2003-2019. A free preview will give you more confidence in your actions.
Download the application and install it, then follow this guide:
If necessary, connect via SSH and then open the disk (it can be a local disk or SSH).
Begin the scanning process. After the process is complete, find the necessary VMDK files.
After that, mount the VMDK file.
Now open this file and preview it at no cost.
At the last stage, buy a license to complete the export of data.