### Step 1: English Answer
As a domain expert in virtualization technologies, I'd like to clarify the differences between ESX and ESXi, which are both products from VMware, a company known for its virtualization and cloud computing software.

ESX, which stands for Elastic Sky X, was an older version of VMware's server virtualization product. It featured a full-fledged operating system, known as the Service Console, which provided a command-line interface (CLI) and graphical user interface (GUI) for managing the virtualization environment. The Service Console was essentially a stripped-down version of the Red Hat Linux operating system, which allowed for a broader range of applications to be run directly on the host system, not just those confined to virtual machines (VMs).

On the other hand, ESXi, which stands for Elastic Sky X Infrastructure, is a more modern and streamlined version of the ESX product. The primary difference lies in its architecture. ESXi is a minimal-footprint hypervisor that does not include a Service Console. Instead, it is managed through the vSphere Client, which is a web-based interface, or via the vSphere CLI (Command Line Interface). This shift was made to improve security, reduce the attack surface, and simplify the management of the hypervisor.

Here are some key differences between ESX and ESXi:


1. Service Console: ESX had a Service Console, which was a full operating system environment that could be used to run additional services and applications. ESXi does not have a Service Console; it is a bare-metal hypervisor that requires management through external tools.


2. Management: ESX was managed through the Service Console's CLI and GUI, while ESXi is managed through the vSphere Client and vSphere CLI, which are more centralized and offer a consistent management experience across the ESXi hosts.


3. Security: ESXi is considered more secure because it has fewer services running on the host, reducing the potential attack surface. The absence of a Service Console minimizes the risk of vulnerabilities associated with a full operating system.


4. Performance: ESXi generally offers better performance due to its lightweight nature. Without the overhead of a Service Console, more resources are available for VMs.


5. Deployment: ESXi is easier to deploy because it requires less storage space and has a smaller attack surface, which simplifies the setup process.


6. Compatibility: Both ESX and ESXi can run the same VMs, but ESXi is forward-compatible with newer VMware technologies and features.

7.
Licensing: VMware's licensing model may differ for ESX and ESXi, and it's essential to understand the licensing requirements for each product to ensure compliance and avoid additional costs.

8.
Support: As ESX is an older product, it may no longer be supported by VMware, whereas ESXi is actively supported and receives regular updates and patches.

In summary, while both ESX and ESXi serve the purpose of server virtualization, ESXi is the more modern, secure, and efficient choice, designed to meet the demands of contemporary data center environments.

### Step 2: Separator
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It's been a long debate that everyone has been asked by what is the difference between ESX and ESXi. ... ESX (Elastic Sky X) is the VMware's enterprise server virtualization platform. In ESX, VMkernel is the virtualization kernel which is managed by a console operating system which is also called as Service console.read more >>