VMware vSphere 5.5 introduces many new features and enhancements to further extend the core capabilities of the vSphere platform. This paper will discuss features and capabilities of the vSphere platform, including vSphere ESXi Hypervisor, VMware vSphere High Availability (vSphere HA), virtual machines, VMware vCenter Server, storage networking and vSphere Big Data Extensions.

• Provides centralized control and visibility at every level of virtual infrastructure
• Unlocks the power of vSphere through proactive management
• Is a scalable and extensible management platform with a broad partner ecosystem

vCenter Server database support: vCenter Server now supports the following external databases:

• Oracle 12c. Important: For pre-requisite requirements, see KB 2079443.
• Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Service Pack 1
• Microsoft SQL Server 2014