by mrbill

Question by spcat01: What is the new VMware 2.0 and what all is it capable of doing?
I need the best article I can find to submit for an assignment. I know basically what VMware is and what it does, but the new version coming out is web based. Need feedback.

Best answer:

Answer by Kevin G
Hi – Vmware 2.0 lets you install and run operating systems as separate computers on your single computer. You install VMWare (runs on WinXP, Vista, 2003, 2008, or Linux), then setup a virtual computer (choose what OS, how much ram, how many CPU’s (only 1 or 2 with the free version), how much hard drive space, setup networking, and then put in a new OS’s CD or DVD, and install it. It then boots and runs from within VMWare.

With V2.0 you access it by going to a local web address/port on your PC using IE or Firefox. I use it at work quite a bit. I have it running on a 64-bit RedHat Linux box, then installed a 32-bin Linux login server, and a 32-Bit Windows 2003 server with Terminal Services. The “host” linux box is very secure, and does not allow anyone except root to login, and then only from one of our admin workstations. The “guest” login server is not very secure, and allows all users to login to check email, SFTP or FTP files in or out of their home directories, etc. The Win2003 server allows up to 100 users to use Remote Desktop to get a remote Windows login to check email, run specialized software, etc. Vmware let’s me purchase one machine, and turn it into three – the host machine also runs our Samba, Authentication, Web, and email servers too.

I have VMWare installed on my desktop PC running XP 32 bit too, where I use it for testing stuff. I currently have a Windows Server 2008 64-bit install on this machine. I can switch back and forth between my WinXP and Win2008 server on the fly, and test to see how different software works with 2008, and also how 2008 works as a domain controller for XP and Vista clients. Microsoft gave me a 9 month free trial of 2008, and since it’s running on my XP box, I didn’t need to purchase any hardware to give it a try.

VMWare has some non-free versions that let you allocate multiple cpu’s to guest OS’s, and setup redundant clusters of hosts – cool stuff, but out of my price range. The free one does everything I need it to do.

If you have a modern CPU/motherboard, it will run the guest OS almost as fast as if it were the only thing installed on the computer – both Intel and AMD have virtualization enabled CPU’s – the linux box at work is an 8-core Xeon with 16Gig of ram. My office PC is an Athlon64 X2-6400+ with 4 Gig ram. The area where a lot of computers will be lacking is with Ram – the host and guest need to share this, so you need enough to keep both happy. Hope this is what you were looking for

Oh yeah – I have a faculty member that runs it on his WinXP desktop machine with Windows98 installed as the guest OS so that he can run his ancient video games. For Win98 I chose NAT networking, so the guest OS is safe even if it’s Win98.

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