Software Alternatives & Startups

vSphere VS OpenStack

Compare vSphere VS OpenStack and see what are their differences

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.

Rating
0 reviews
OpenStack

OpenStack software controls large pools of compute, storage, and networking resources throughout a datacenter, managed through a dashboard or via the OpenStack API.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, OpenStack seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 2 times since March 2021.

social mentions
0 vs 2
Cloud Computing popularity
44% vs 56%
alternatives listed
126 vs 239

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

vSphere
OpenStack
Website vmware.com openstack.org
Pricing —
Open source
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

vSphere 7 features
OpenStack 5 features
  • High Availability
    vSphere offers built-in high availability (HA) features that ensure continuous availability of applications by minimizing downtime and providing quick failure recovery.
  • Scalability
    vSphere can scale both horizontally and vertically, meaning it can handle increasing workloads by adding more servers or by enhancing the capabilities of existing servers.
  • Advanced Resource Management
    Provides sophisticated resource management capabilities including Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS) and Network I/O Control, enabling efficient distribution and utilization of resources.
  • Security
    Incorporates numerous security features such as encryption, secure boot, and role-based access control (RBAC) to safeguard sensitive data and ensure compliance.
  • Ease of Management
    Comprehensive management tools like vCenter Server facilitate streamlined administration, monitoring, and automation of virtual environments.
  • Backup and Recovery
    Supports robust backup and recovery solutions, including integration with various third-party backup software for disaster recovery planning.
  • Performance Optimization
    Optimizes performance through features like VMotion and Storage VMotion, enabling live migration of virtual machines without downtime.

Possible disadvantages

  • Cost
    vSphere is often considered expensive, with high initial licensing fees and ongoing maintenance costs, which may not be affordable for smaller organizations.
  • Complexity
    The platform can be complex to deploy and manage, necessitating skilled personnel for setup, configuration, and ongoing administration.
  • Hardware Compatibility
    Requires specific hardware for optimal performance and compatibility, which may necessitate additional investments in new hardware or upgrades.
  • Resource Intensive
    Resource-hungry environment that can impact performance if not properly managed, particularly in terms of CPU, memory, and storage requirements.
  • Vendor Lock-In
    Heavily relies on VMware's ecosystem, creating potential vendor lock-in issues, making it difficult to switch to other solutions without significant effort.
  • Learning Curve
    Steep learning curve for new users, requiring extensive training and experience to utilize all the features and capabilities effectively.
  • License Compliance
    Complex licensing model can result in compliance challenges, necessitating rigorous tracking and management of licenses to avoid penalties.
  • Open Source
    OpenStack is open source, which means there is no licensing fee and a broad community of users and developers contributes to its development and support.
  • Flexibility
    It supports a wide variety of hardware and software, allowing organizations to customize their cloud infrastructure to meet specific needs.
  • Scalability
    OpenStack can scale horizontally, allowing organizations to add or remove resources as their needs change, effectively managing large pools of compute, storage, and networking resources.
  • Vendor Neutrality
    Being vendor-neutral, OpenStack offers flexibility to avoid vendor lock-in and choose from a wide range of compatible technologies and service providers.
  • Community Support
    A large and active community provides extensive documentation, forums, and support, which can be very helpful for troubleshooting and development.

Possible disadvantages

  • Complexity
    Setting up and managing OpenStack can be complex and requires a significant level of expertise, which may necessitate specialized training for staff.
  • Performance Overhead
    Being a feature-rich platform, it often involves more performance overhead compared to other simpler, more streamlined services.
  • Resource Intensive
    OpenStack can be resource-intensive in terms of CPU, memory, and storage, which might not be suitable for all organizations, especially smaller ones with limited resources.
  • Interoperability Issues
    Integrating OpenStack with existing systems and third-party tools can sometimes present challenges, especially when dealing with legacy infrastructure.
  • Evolving Platform
    The platform is constantly evolving, which can be both a pro and a con. Keeping up to date with the latest releases and changes can be time-consuming and may require ongoing maintenance.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

vSphere
OpenStack

Overall verdict

  • Overall, vSphere is a strong product for managing virtual environments, offering excellent performance and interoperability. It is widely regarded as a good solution for businesses seeking to optimize their IT infrastructure efficiently.

Why this product is good

  • vSphere by VMware is considered a robust and reliable virtualization platform due to its comprehensive set of features, scalability, performance, and strong support for hybrid cloud environments. It provides powerful tools for automation, resource management, and disaster recovery, making it a top choice for many enterprises.

Recommended for

  • Large enterprises managing extensive data centers
  • Organizations looking to implement hybrid or private cloud solutions
  • IT departments requiring advanced resource management and automation capabilities
  • Businesses needing a reliable platform for virtualization and disaster recovery

Overall verdict

  • OpenStack can be an excellent choice for businesses and enterprises looking to deploy a cloud infrastructure, particularly if they value flexibility, scalability, and control over their environment. Being open-source, it also offers cost advantages compared to proprietary solutions, provided the organization has the necessary expertise to manage and maintain it. However, it may be challenging for smaller teams without dedicated IT resources due to its complexity and the steep learning curve associated with its deployment and management.

Why this product is good

  • OpenStack is a popular open-source cloud computing platform that enables users to build and manage both public and private clouds. It offers a flexible and scalable solution for organizations that need to handle large amounts of data and infrastructure. OpenStack is developed by a vast community of developers and organizations, ensuring continuous improvement and adaptation to new technologies. It supports a wide range of APIs, which allows for customization and integration with other services and tools.

Recommended for

    OpenStack is particularly recommended for large enterprises, organizations with skilled IT teams, academic institutions, and service providers that need a highly customizable and scalable cloud solution. It's also a great fit for entities with specific compliance requirements or those that need to run a private cloud with tailored configurations.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

vSphere 3 videos + Add
OpenStack 3 videos + Add

What is VMware vSphere ESXi and vCenter?

More videos

  • - VMware vSphere Review (Real User: Stewart Hardy III)
  • - VMware vSphere Review (Real User: Marcelo Garcia)

OpenStack Summit Primer, The Who, What, Why and How of OpenStack

More videos

  • - Red Hat OpenStack Platform GPU use case
  • - Performance Analysis Review for Production OpenStack Private Cloud in SaaS

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
vSphere
OpenStack
44% 44%
56% 56%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
VPS
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

vSphere no reviews yet
OpenStack no reviews yet

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

vSphere 0 mentions
OpenStack 2 mentions

Tracking vSphere since Mar 2021.

  • Learn OpenStack by Example: Part 1 - Install DevStack
    In my first post, I looked into what is OpenStack and how, if done right, can be quite a powerful ally in our cloud deployment strategies. In this post, I want to start looking at how we can create an application to learn the basics and... - Source: dev.to / over 5 years ago
  • Learn OpenStack by examples: Part 0 - Summary and Goals
    While searching for solutions and documentation on the various problems I've come across, I would often see references to OpenStack and it got my curiosity going. What is OpenStack? What services does it offer and who owns it? How do I... - Source: dev.to / over 5 years ago

Alternatives to vSphere and OpenStack

When comparing vSphere and OpenStack, you can also consider the following products.