I’ve had numerous emails about this question which can be found in my VCP410 Practice Exam. So I think it’s time to sort this out once and for all.
According to the VMware document: ESX and vCenter Server Installation Guide page 16, it clearly states;
Memory — 3GB RAM. Memory requirements might be higher if the database runs on the same machine.
According to Scott Lowe’s new book: Mastering VMware vSphere 4.0 in Chapter 3, page 61 under “Sizing Hardware for vCenter Server” he says;
2GB or more.
According the VMware vSphere 4 Install, Configure, and Manage course books they says;
2GB, more if you run the vCenter Database locally.
So what is it?? I want to get the questions/answers to my practice exams 100% right, as there would be no point if I was giving out the wrong answers.
Please comment or contact me directly if think you can help answer this question.
Thanks to: Christian Mohn, Scott Vessey, vinf_net and Gabrie for checking their books.
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I've installed vCenter 4 on a Windows Server 2003 box with 2GB RAM installed. As for other minimum recommendations that stop you at the install if the requirement isn't met, such as 64bit CPU and 2GB RAM for ESXi, I have to believe if the minimum was 3GB it would have stopped me at the install like it did for both ESXi examples above.
I've installed vCenter 4 on a Windows Server 2003 box with 2GB RAM installed. As for other minimum recommendations that stop you at the install if the requirement isn't met, such as 64bit CPU and 2GB RAM for ESXi, I have to believe if the minimum was 3GB it would have stopped me at the install like it did for both ESXi examples above.