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Apache Mesos is a distributed systems kernel used for cluster management. It’s designed to simplify running applications with APIs on shared pools of servers across entire datacenter and cloud environments.
VMware vSphere is a powerhouse in the world of server virtualization. It allows organizations to reduce operating costs and complexity by consolidating applications on fewer servers.
This article compares the use cases, license options, performance and extra features for Mesos vs. VMware.
Mesos vs. VMware
Both Mesos and VMware are meant to simplify server management and reduce costs but they use different methods for accomplishing this. VMware is primarily a virtualization platform that helps organizations build a cloud computing infrastructure with a focus on containerization. It offers a large suite of features and has the added benefit of efficient cloud storage.
Apache Mesos provides computing resources to frameworks to provide CPU, I/O, file system and memory isolated resources. It abstracts resources away from physical hardware to enable teams to build fault-tolerant and elastic distributed systems. Mesos offers native support for launching containers with Docker and AppC image. It’s also highly scalable with the ability to seamlessly scale up to tens of thousands of nodes.
License Options for Mesos and VMware
Apache Mesos is a free open source SaaS solution. There’s only one edition but given its scalability, it can handle the cluster management needs of small to large enterprises.
VMware vSphere offers two SaaS editions. The standard version primarily enables server consolidation and business continuity capabilities to protect against security breaches, natural disasters, power outages, equipment failures and sudden staff departures. The VMware vSphere Enterprise Plus version offers a number of other features that improve resource management, simplified lifecycle management, intrinsic security and performance.
Meso and VMware Key Features
The following are key features of Mesos and VMware vSphere:
Apache Mesos:
- Linear scalability
- High availability
- Containers
- Pluggable isolation
- Two-level scheduling
- APIs
- Built-in web user interface (UI()
VMware vSphere features:
- Desktop virtualization
- Data migration
- Namespace management
- Performance management
- Version control
- Virtual Machine (VM) monitoring
Operating Systems Supported by Mesos vs. VMware
Both Mesos or vSphere support most major operating systems (OS). vSphere supports Windows, CentOS, RedHat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise and Ubuntu. Apache Mesos also Windows and Linux but also offers support for Mac OSX. Both platforms are cloud-provider agnostic.
Choosing Mesos vs. VMware
The first factor to consider when choosing between Mesos or VMware is whether you currently use a solely cloud-based system or plan to switch over to one in the future. The purpose of Apache Mesos is to simplify and condense network infrastructure across a shared pool of servers. This only applies to organizations that still use physical servers in some capacity. If you currently or will soon operate on a fully cloud-based system then opt for VMware vSphere as a SaaS offering to simplify the complexity of server management.
If you use a hybrid-cloud system and could benefit from either, the next thing to consider is your budget. The VMware vSphere Standard Edition starts at $995 per year. Apache Mesos is free, so if you’re on a limited budget, that may be the choice for you.
