VMware ESXi
VMware ESXi (formerly ESX) is an enterprise-class, type-1 hypervisor developed by VMware for deploying and serving virtual computers. As a type-1 hypervisor, ESXi is not a software application that is installed on an operating system (OS); instead, it includes and integrates vital OS components, such as a kernel.
| Developer(s) | VMware, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Initial release | March 23, 2001 |
| Stable release | 8.0 Update 2 (Build 22380479)
/ September 21, 2023 |
| Platform | IA-32 (x86-32) (discontinued in 4.0 onwards), x86-64, ARM |
| Type | Native hypervisor (type 1) |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | www |
After version 4.1 (released in 2010), VMware renamed ESX to ESXi. ESXi replaces Service Console (a rudimentary operating system) with a more closely integrated OS. ESX/ESXi is the primary component in the VMware Infrastructure software suite.
The name ESX originated as an abbreviation of Elastic Sky X. In September 2004, the replacement for ESX was internally called VMvisor, but later changed to ESXi (as the "i" in ESXi stood for "integrated").