Have been digging around a bit deeper to see what the changes are in the new VMware Vsphere 5 release. I suspect there will be a few more articles around this but initially … my comments in brackets
Vmware say
vSphere 5.0 continues to build on the rich set of capabilities provided in vSphere 4.1. vSphere 5.0 supports virtual machines with up to 32 vCPUs and 1TB of RAM, making it possible to virtualize even the biggest workloads. (Great but still need tools to manage and loadbalance IO demands)
Along with the impressive virtual machine size, vSphere 5.0 further extends the features and capabilities of the virtual machine to include support for 3D graphics, USB 3.0 devices, and smart card readers. (Will be interesting to see what this actually amounts to in real terms)
vSphere 5.0 provides a new and improved command-line interface that for the first time provides a consistent command structure for both local and remote management of VMware ESXi hosts. The new services-based firewall improves the security of the VMware ESXi host and offers an improved user experience. (Good)
The new Image Builder puts an end to the challenge of customizing VMware ESXi installation images by providing a PowerCLI snap-in, enabling administrators to create and maintain customized installation images. (Better for frequent flyers)
The Auto Deploy server streamlines the deployment and configuration of large numbers of VMware ESXi hosts by leveraging the PXE-based network boot infrastructure to deploy VMware ESXi on the fly. To support Auto Deploy, vCenter Host Profiles have een updated to include additional configuration parameters such as iSCSI, FCoE, multipathing and kernel-level settings. In ddition, Host Profiles now includes support for per-host answer files that can be used together with Auto Deploy to apply host-specific settings. (Again good for large installs)
Finally, the new vSphere 5.0 Update Manager also includes many improvements and enhancements to greatly improve your bility to upgrade, patch and maintain your hosts as well as upgrade the virtual machine hardware and the VMware Tools running inside your virtual machines. (About time!!)