Submitted by “The majority of Linux users have gotten used to keeping more than one operating system on their hard disks. Most frequently the second system is a version of Microsoft Windows. Switching between the two systems tends to be irritating, especially when the secondary system is needed only once – to run an application WINE has refused to start, for example. Now we introduce the virtualization technology which allows us to run several systems on the same computer, at the same time, all under the control of one of them, called a ‘host’. My examples are based on the VMware Server Console v. 1.0.3 (distributed from its manufacturer’s website free of charge) running under Mandriva Linux Spring with KDE 3.5.7.”
I wish they’d release a version of VMware Server console for OS X. While the separate PC is nice to offload all the virtualization heavy lifting to the old PC, the console on my Mac would be great. I still don’t know why people pick VMware player over server, they’re both free and you seem to get so much more with server.
I still don’t know why people pick VMware player over server
Probably because they get confused by the name VMware server. Unlike player, it doesn’t sound like something Joe User wants.
Yes , but it’s in fact a vmware workstation with login feature.
Server doesn’t support sound does it?
VMWare Server 1.0.3 for Intel x86 supports sound on the host machine but does not redirect the sound via the VNC/SSL interface when the console is running on a remote machine. There is an interesting feature where a CD/DVD drive can be either on the remote guest machine or on the host, hopefully they will expand this idea to cover floppy drives, printers, USB devices, sound, etc..
“I still don’t know why people pick VMware player over server, they’re both free and you seem to get so much more with server.”
The server product was developed long after the player product and they it is a much more powerful product. Many large customers want free licensing per seat, but still want a paid support contract option, which server offers and player does not.
Accidentally closing the server monitor leaves all the guest VM’s running. The server can also be configured to shut down the guest gracefully when the host is shut down.
I’ve never tried it, but you should be able to run VMWare server on a machine that does not even have X-Windows installed (using remote monitor login over port 902, for example). This is definitely not possible with workstation or player.
“I still don’t know why people pick VMware player over server, they’re both free and you seem to get so much more with server.”
I’ll give one very good reason that I have run into:
VMWare Player (and workstation) seems to have better video/input performance than VMWare Server. I have tested both side-by-side with various guest OSes, and I’ve found that Player (and Workstation) seem much smoother to use.
VMWare Server seems to use a slower protocol to transfer video/input information back and forth with the client.
Maybe this is better now in the newer versions – but when Server was first offered freely available, my observations were such.
“I’ve never tried it, but you should be able to run VMWare server on a machine that does not even have X-Windows installed (using remote monitor login over port 902, for example).”
This work really excellent on my very minimal CentOS 4.2 server without X for a Windows Server 2003 and a Debian Etch Guest.
Been doing this very thing for ages now. I can’t fault VMware’s products.
And I agree with bsharitt, we need a VMware server product on OS X. I can’t be doing with that POS Parallels being the only option with regards OS X Server.
There is a VMWare product for OS X, it’s called VMWare Fusion. It’s in RC1 right now, but you can preorder it for 39.99, and the msrp is 79.99. You can download the RC from VMWare’s website.
“There is a VMWare product for OS X, it’s called VMWare Fusion.”
I asked for a server product, not the Mac OS X version of VMware Workstation.