VMware vCenter Server concepts
VMware vCenter Server is available in two forms, a Windows version and a Linux appliance. An appliance is nothing but a virtual machine running a Just enough Operating System (JeOS) version of SUSE Linux with all the vCenter components pre-installed on it.
Tip
JeOS refers to a traditional operating system that has been customized to fit the needs of a particular application that will be installed on it.
There is no Linux installable version of vCenter. It is only available in the form of a Linux appliance. The Linux version of vCenter offers the same functionalities and performance as the Windows version. However, there are differences in how they can be installed, deployed, and configured. The Windows version will require you to run an installer on a virtual or physical machine running a supported version of Microsoft Windows; however, the Linux version is available in the form of an appliance, which can be deployed as a virtual machine.
The vCenter bundle contains...