What is the recommended approach for managing ESXi hosts centrally?

The recommended approach for managing ESXi hosts centrally is through vCenter Server using the vSphere Client. This method provides numerous advantages that enhance the overall management experience.

vCenter Server acts as a centralized management platform that allows administrators to manage multiple ESXi hosts and virtual machines from a single interface. By using the vSphere Client, administrators can perform tasks such as provisioning, monitoring, and configuring ESXi hosts and their associated virtual machines more efficiently than with other methods. This centralized management capability is particularly beneficial in large environments where there are numerous hosts, as it streamlines administrative tasks and offers features like resource allocation and load balancing, which would be cumbersome to manage if done on a per-host basis.

Moreover, vCenter Server supports advanced features such as High Availability (HA), Distributed Resource Scheduler (DRS), and vMotion, which would not be available or easily managed if using standalone options or command-line interfaces. Overall, managing through vCenter Server maximizes the potential of the vSphere environment, enabling better performance, availability, and ease of use for IT operations.