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Free virtualization options
tinjaw:
Question - if VMware Server and can create and run multiple VMS is free why does anyone now buy VMware Workstation.
Are there any advantages to the Workstation version?
-Carol Haynes (October 21, 2007, 07:34 AM)
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The usual reasons. More better features. For example, large businesses will be using the higher-end server products from VMware, and the workstations will be integrated with the workstation version. Also support for Windows Vista, multiple monitor displays, support for USB 2.0, I think it works better with accelerated 3D, and a bunch more stuff.
Carol Haynes:
Thanks that's useful - now the biggy - is it worth $99 to upgrade? I think their upgrade policy stinks a bit really - you have to upgrade EACH VERSION to get upgrade price. Version 4 -> 6 is not allowed, it is treated as a new purchase. So as I own version 5 I have to decide is it worth upgrading to version 6 or when version 7 is released do I start again.
Alternatively do I just stick with version 5 which does what I want (I'm not using Vista at all at the moment) or do I move to Virtual CP (which I didn't especially like when I tried it when it was first released as a freebie - it just isn't as slick or easy to use as VMWare IMHO)?
tinjaw:
Yeah, I know what you mean Carol. I have VMware Workstation 4, but can't bring myself to spend the money for the latest version. I plan on just using the free server version and MS VPC 2007 until I run into some kind of hurdle, and then I'll decide if it is worth the money.
mitzevo:
Your best options are MS Virtual PC 2007, VMware Server (which is not just the player), and VirtualBox.. all are free.
And regarding the legalness of windows vm's (for download).. they are not legal.. that's why you find only *nix based "Virtual Appliances" at the the virtual appliances section at the vmware site.
tinjaw:
I would really like to see somebody put together a LiveCD that you pop into all of your computers. When you boot them up they become one large cluster of CPU and memory and you run virtual machines on it. Take the volume group approach to disk space and just start stacking the disks end to end in a huge storage bin. Make it a virtual RAID5 with enough parity built in to that one or more disks could go bad and nothing but some performance would be lost.
Maybe have your "best" computer run on bare metal for gaming and act as the frontend for all of these virtual machines on the cluster.
Oh, and let's not forget you should be able to hook monitors up to all of them and be able to use it as one H U G E virtual desktop, X style, so you have apps from any of the virtual machines opening up windows on the common virtual desktop.
(Please excuse me while I go calm down, I got a bit excited thinking about such a thing being possible in the next few years.) :-* :-* :-*
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