- Service Console
VMware ESX : A standard Linux environment and a user has access to the VMware ESX Kernel. You can highly customize the environment by installation of agents and drives and even executing scripts.
VMware ESXi : With an aim to make server a computing appliance. It is mainly a firmware than old software like’s. It provides hardware security and reliability. It does not support advanced access envrionment. In this case, to enable any interactions with the agents, VMware provides CIM providers through monitoring and management can be done. VMware also provisions RCLI to allow execution of scripts. - Remote CLI
VMware ESX : A host CLI for the VMware ESX to be configured. It also supports RCLI.
VMware ESXi : The service console CLI has been put to RCLI for VMware ESXi. RCLI to understand is a virtual appliance which interacts with VMware ESXi host and to enable host configuration through scripts or commands. - Scriptable Installation
VMware ESX : Support utilities such as KickStart
VMware ESXi : It does not support any script installations, but you can install at a later stage using RCLI-based configuration scripts. - Boot from SAN:
VMware ESX : It support boot from SAN
VMware ESXi : It does not support boot from SAN. In most cases, VMware ESXi is deployed as embedded hypervisor directly on the server which does not require any local storage and no SAN booting is required. - Serial Cable Connectivity
VMware ESX : It support direct-attached serial cable to the VMware ESX host
VMware ESXi : It does not support direct-attached serial cable to VMware ESXi host - SNMP
VMware ESX : It support SNMP
VMware ESXi : It supports SNMP only when it’s license to VI foundation or other editions. - Active Directory Integration
VMware ESX : It supports AD through other agents which are installed on the service console
VMware ESXi : With Virtual Infrastructure license and virtualCenter which allows users to authenticate with AD. - HW Instrumentation
VMware ESX : They provide range of HW instrumentation
VMware ESXi : It provides HW instrumentation through CIM providers - Software Patches and Updates
VMware ESX : Software patches and upgrades are similar to linux environment.
VMware ESXi : They work as firmware. You have all inclusive patches and upgrades, no dependencies on the previous versions - VI Web Access
VMware ESX : Supports VM through VI web access
VMware ESXi : Does not support VI web access - Licensing
VMware ESX : VMware ESX is licensed as part of VMware Infrastructure 3 foundation and other editions
VMware ESXi : Can be separately licensed or as part of the editions - Jumbo Frames
VMware ESX : iSCSI frames are not supported
VMware ESXi : iSCSI frames are not supported for VMkernel networking interface in ESXi 3.x