Linux Virtual Server vs VMware vSphere

Linux Virtual Server (LVS) turns a cluster of real Linux servers into one virtual server for users. Its IPVS component performs layer 4 balancing in the Linux kernel, directing TCP and UDP requests sent to a virtual service IP toward servers behind it. Supported forwarding methods are NAT, FULLNAT, tunneling, and direct routing. The project lists web, cache, mail, FTP, media, and VoIP services as applications. Capacity can be changed by adding or removing cluster nodes. Failure detection can identify node or daemon problems and reconfigure the system for availability. Keepalived checks server-pool state at layers 3, 4, and 5 and tells the kernel to remove a failed server. KTCPVS supplies application-level balancing but is under development. LVS is free GPL-licensed software for Linux and self-hosted use. Administration uses ipvsadm, with documentation for configurations, scheduling, high availability, and DoS defense.

VMware vSphere has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.