HP BL680c - ProLiant - G5 Getting Started Manual page 3

Understanding VMware infrastructure
The following components make up VMware infrastructure:
Virtual machine—A virtual machine is a software-based computer capable of running
an operating system such as Microsoft® Windows® or GNU/Linux just as if the
operating system is installed on a physical machine.
Host—A host is a physical machine running platform virtualization software such as
ESXi. Hosts provide processor, memory, storage, and network resources for one or
more virtual machines.
VirtualCenter Server—VirtualCenter Server continuously monitors your virtual
infrastructure, automates system administration tasks, and centralizes remote
management sessions. It coordinates the resources and activities of individual hosts to
efficiently distribute virtual machines and tolerate hardware downtime across a data
center.
VMware Infrastructure Client (VI Client)—VI Client is the primary interface for
interacting with hosts and virtual machines. VI Client can manage a stand-alone host
by connecting directly to the host, or manage multiple hosts by connecting to a
VirtualCenter Server machine.
Management network—A management network enables the server administrator to
manage discrete, physical servers without relying on a general purpose
communications network. This dedicated network enables a reliable connection to the
hardware in the event of a failure in the general-purpose network.