VMware without a Console. COS-Less and it's effect on you.

So in talking with some of the other professionals in the field we have discussed what needs to happen to make COS-less ESX the next big thing. ESXi is the first attempt and it's a good start. But there is a way to get the console in ESXi. In order to move this forward, all the console functionality will need to put in vCenter or something.

I was just thinking how Sweet it would be if when they move completely COS-less if you came up to the ESXi splash and entered in all the information and then put in the address of the vCenter server if you had one.

Once COS-less ESXi connects to the vCenter server you could have the options to roll-out a specified config (ala answer files for custom roll-outs) or push down a base config to use later. The only information you would need is the IP information on the hosts.

I can see a number of situations where this type of controlled roll-out would be beneficial. The other issue running through your head right now is "What if I don't have a vCenter server?". It's a good one. Maybe a limited functionality config database could reside on a server called "basic vCenter" some type of free version. By the time that this would happen clustered vCenter servers would have become the norm so up time would be slightly less of a concern.

I don't know if this is the way that VMware is heading towards but it would be cool nonetheless.

Let me know your thoughts. Then we can run through pro's and con's on the next blog article.