Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

AWS Lambda VS VMware ESXi

Compare AWS Lambda VS VMware ESXi and see what are their differences

AWS Lambda logo AWS Lambda

Automatic, event-driven compute service

VMware ESXi logo VMware ESXi

VMware ESXi is a bare metal hypervisor that installs easily on to your server and partitions it into multiple virtual machines. Discover what it can do for you today
  • AWS Lambda Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-29
  • VMware ESXi Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-22

AWS Lambda features and specs

  • Scalability
    AWS Lambda automatically scales your application by running your code in response to each trigger. This means no manual intervention is required to handle varying levels of traffic.
  • Cost-effectiveness
    You only pay for the compute time you consume. Billing is metered in increments of 100 milliseconds and you are not charged when your code is not running.
  • Reduced Operations Overhead
    AWS Lambda abstracts the infrastructure management layer, so there is no need to manage or provision servers. This allows you to focus more on writing code for your applications.
  • Flexibility
    Supports multiple programming languages such as Python, Node.js, Ruby, Java, Go, and .NET, which allows you to use the language you are most comfortable with.
  • Integration with Other AWS Services
    Seamlessly integrates with many other AWS services such as S3, DynamoDB, RDS, SNS, and more, making it versatile and highly functional.
  • Automatic Scaling and Load Balancing
    Handles thousands of concurrent requests without managing the scaling yourself, making it suitable for applications requiring high availability and reliability.

Possible disadvantages of AWS Lambda

  • Cold Start Latency
    The first request to a Lambda function after it has been idle for a certain period can take longer to execute. This is referred to as a 'cold start' and can impact performance.
  • Resource Limits
    Lambda has defined limits, such as a maximum execution timeout of 15 minutes, memory allocation ranging from 128 MB to 10,240 MB, and temporary storage up to 512 MB.
  • Vendor Lock-in
    Using AWS Lambda ties you into the AWS ecosystem, making it difficult to migrate to another cloud provider or an on-premises solution without significant modifications to your application.
  • Complexity of Debugging
    Debugging and monitoring distributed, serverless applications can be more complex compared to traditional applications due to the lack of direct access to the underlying infrastructure.
  • Cold Start Issues with VPC
    When Lambda functions are configured to access resources within a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), the cold start latency can be exacerbated due to additional VPC networking overhead.
  • Limited Execution Control
    AWS Lambda is designed for stateless, short-running tasks and may not be suitable for long-running processes or tasks requiring complex orchestration.

VMware ESXi features and specs

  • Stability and Reliability
    VMware ESXi is known for its stability and reliability in managing virtualized environments, ensuring consistent performance and minimal downtime.
  • Bare-Metal Hypervisor
    As a bare-metal hypervisor, ESXi runs directly on server hardware without needing an additional operating system, which enhances performance and resource management.
  • Resource Efficiency
    ESXi offers efficient resource allocation and management, allowing for high levels of resource utilization and scalability in virtual environments.
  • Advanced Features
    VMware ESXi supports advanced features such as vMotion, High Availability (HA), and Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), which contribute to better management and optimization of resources.
  • Large Ecosystem
    Being widely adopted, ESXi benefits from a large community and ecosystem, offering extensive support and a wide range of third-party integrations.

Possible disadvantages of VMware ESXi

  • Cost
    While ESXi is available as a free version, many advanced features require paid licenses, which can be expensive for small and medium-sized businesses.
  • Complexity
    Managing and configuring ESXi environments can be complex, particularly for those who are new to virtualization, potentially increasing the learning curve for administrators.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    ESXi has strict hardware compatibility requirements, meaning it may not run on all hardware configurations, requiring careful planning and possible hardware investment.
  • Limited Free Version
    The free version of ESXi has limitations that can restrict access to some features and scalability options, potentially necessitating an upgrade to a paid version for full functionality.
  • Support and Maintenance
    While community support is available, organizations may need to invest in formal support contracts from VMware for more reliable and dedicated service.

Analysis of AWS Lambda

Overall verdict

  • AWS Lambda is a strong choice for developers looking for scalable, event-driven applications with minimal management overhead. It is particularly beneficial for applications that experience intermittent traffic or unpredictable workloads.

Why this product is good

  • AWS Lambda is a popular serverless computing service because it allows users to run code without provisioning or managing servers. It automatically scales applications by running code in response to triggers such as HTTP requests, changes in data, or system events. This can significantly reduce operational overhead and costs, as you only pay for the compute time you consume.

Recommended for

  • Developers building microservices or serverless applications.
  • Companies looking to reduce infrastructure management.
  • Startups wanting to quickly deploy applications with limited operational costs.
  • Organizations needing to integrate with other AWS services for a comprehensive solution.
  • Projects with unpredictable or variable workloads that require automatic scaling.

AWS Lambda videos

AWS Lambda Vs EC2 | Serverless Vs EC2 | EC2 Alternatives

More videos:

  • Tutorial - AWS Lambda Tutorial | AWS Tutorial for Beginners | Intro to AWS Lambda | AWS Training | Edureka
  • Tutorial - AWS Lambda | What is AWS Lambda | AWS Lambda Tutorial for Beginners | Intellipaat

VMware ESXi videos

AMD Ryzen with VMware ESXi 6.5 - Ultimate Homelab? We Tried It

More videos:

  • Review - VMware ESXi Quick Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to AWS Lambda and VMware ESXi)
Cloud Computing
90 90%
10% 10
Cloud Hosting
92 92%
8% 8
Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS)
Developer Tools
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare AWS Lambda and VMware ESXi

AWS Lambda Reviews

Top 7 Firebase Alternatives for App Development in 2024
AWS Lambda is suitable for applications with varying workloads and those already using the AWS ecosystem.
Source: signoz.io

VMware ESXi Reviews

8 Free & Best Open source bare metal hypervisors (Foss)
Note: VMware ESXi is not a FOSS project but free to download and use. It is here just for knowledge…

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, AWS Lambda seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 277 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

AWS Lambda mentions (277)

View more

VMware ESXi mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of VMware ESXi yet. Tracking of VMware ESXi recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing AWS Lambda and VMware ESXi, you can also consider the following products

Amazon S3 - Amazon S3 is an object storage where users can store data from their business on a safe, cloud-based platform. Amazon S3 operates in 54 availability zones within 18 graphic regions and 1 local region.

Proxmox VE - Proxmox is an open-source server virtualization management solution that offers the ability to manage virtual server technology with the Linux OpenVZ and KVM technology.

Amazon API Gateway - Create, publish, maintain, monitor, and secure APIs at any scale

vSphere - Get started with VMware vSphere editions, the world’s leading server virtualization platform and the best foundation for your apps, your cloud, and your business.

Google App Engine - A powerful platform to build web and mobile apps that scale automatically.

c12n.cloud - 100% Open Source based cloud solution for your own private IaaS based on OpenStack, Kubernetes and Ceph