VMware 100 Success Secrets - 100 Most Asked Questions: The Missing VMware Server, Workstation Planning, Installation and Management Introduction Guide

VMware 100 Success Secrets: 100 Most Asked Questions – The Missing VMware Server, Workstation Planning, Installation an...

Author: Bret Jerrod

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VMware 100 Success Secrets: 100 Most Asked Questions – The Missing VMware Server, Workstation Planning, Installation and Management Introduction Guide

Bret Jerrod

VMware 100 Success Secrets Copyright © Bret Jerrod Notice of Rights All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Notice of Liability The information in this book is distributed on an “As Is” basis without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the products described in it. Trademarks Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.

3 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

V M WA R E 1 0 0 S U C C E S S S E C R E T S

There has never been a VMware Guide like this. 100 Success Secrets is not about the ins and outs of VMware. Instead, it answers the top 100 questions that we are asked and those we come across in forums, our consultancy and education programs. It tells you exactly how to deal with those questions, with tips that have never before been offered in print. This book is also not about VMware best practice and standards details. Instead, it introduces everything you want to know to be successful with VMware.

VMware 100 Success Secrets | 4

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

Foreword.................................................................................................3 VMware's Future: Can VMware Maintain Dominance in Virtualization Software? ............................................................................................... 9 Easy Steps in Installing VMware Tools ................................................ 11 Mac OS X VMware Features & Functions ............................................ 13 Beneficial Features of VMware 3 .......................................................... 15 The Edge of Having VMware Windows ................................................ 17 Importance of Installing VMware.........................................................19 Advantages When the User Installs VMware Tools.............................. 21 Savvy Tips on Using VMware .............................................................. 23 Free VMware Software with VMware Torrent......................................25 The Capabilities of VMware Workstation.............................................27 The Uses of Having OS X VMware ...................................................... 29 Ubuntu VMware as a Virtual Machine ................................................. 31 Benefits and Risks of Using VMware Beta ...........................................33 Understanding VMware Config Files ...................................................35 The Two Worlds of VMware Fusion .....................................................37 Enjoying New Ubuntu Features with Ubuntu 7.04 VMware .............. 39


How to Enable Accelerated VMware 3D...............................................41 Understanding the VMware Client, Server and Master....................... 43 Methodical Understanding of VMware ESX........................................ 45 Guides for VMware Install Server 1.0 on Ubuntu 6.06 LTS ................ 47 Understanding VMware Server for Linux............................................ 49 Does Linux Stand a Good Position on VMware? ..................................51 Can Ubuntu Be Installed on your VMware Player? ............................. 53 VMware Server Download: Making Your Computer World Easier..... 55 Working on the VMware Server Vista...................................................57 What is VMware IPO?.......................................................................... 59 Assessing the Right VMware Player......................................................61 What is a VMware Server Console? ..................................................... 63 VMware Server Serial: The Way to Protect the Download .................. 65 How to Work Perfectly with the VMware Tools .................................. 67 A Free OS Software Known as CentOS VMware.................................. 69 The Feisty Fawn in the VMware Server ................................................ 71 What is VMware? ................................................................................. 73 VMware Workstation 6.0: The Sixth Generation .................................75 Features of the VMware Workstation 6 ................................................77 The VMware Works with Fedora 7 ...................................................... 79 Tips for Installing VMware Server........................................................81 Purchase of the VMware 6 ................................................................... 83 All about VMware Server ..................................................................... 85 The VMware Workstation Version 6.0 & its Unmatched Features ..... 87 The Benefits of Using Debian VMware Application ............................ 89 Understanding the Basics of Gentoo VMware Virtualization...............91


How to Install VMware: Understanding the Recommended Host Requirements....................................................................................... 93 Steps on Setting-up Mac OSX86 VMware on a Virtual Machine .........95 How to Uninstall VMware Leftover Registry Entries ...........................97 Evaluation & Licensed VM Serial Numbers: Giving Customers the Freedom to Choose .............................................................................. 99 High Five for VMware 5...................................................................... 101 VMware 5.5: The Power of Virtualization at the Hands of the User ..103 Critical VMware 64 bit Extension for Supporting Multiple Platforms .............................................................................................................105 VMware Any-Any Patch: Solving Common VMware Software Issues107 Where to find the VMware Any-Any Patch ........................................109 Simple Solution for VMware Any-Any Update on Linux ....................111 VMware At a Glance: Virtual Appliance ............................................. 113 Backup Solutions for VMware ............................................................ 115 VMware Bridged Networks: Protecting the Entire Network from System Faults.......................................................................................117 The Impact of VMware Certification on IT Professionals .................. 119 What is a VMware Clone?................................................................... 121 An Overview of VMware Cluster Set-Up ............................................123 Familiarizing Your Way through a VMware CMD ............................. 125 VMware.com: Your One-Stop Site...................................................... 127 Basic Need to Know about the VMware Console................................129 An Exciting New “Converter” Offering from VMware........................ 131 A How-To of VMware Converter ........................................................133 Fuss-Free Conversion with VMware Convertor ................................. 135


VMware ESX 3: The Complete Hypervisor of the Virtual Environment .............................................................................................................137 Smart Solutions Only from VMware ESX Server ...............................139 Where to Get VMware Exam Samples ................................................ 141 Fedora: A New Offering for VMware ..................................................143 How to Install VMware for Linux .......................................................145 VMware Forum: Source of Information for the Virtualization Community..........................................................................................147 Where to Get Your VMware Free........................................................149 Basic Information about Fusion Beta for VMware ............................. 151 VMware GSX Upgrades: Providing New Fixes & Improving Virtual Performance........................................................................................153 VMware HA: High Availability Can Mean High Performance & Productivity.........................................................................................155 Top Requirements for a Better VMware Host .................................... 157 Working with VMware Tools: Easy as Pie ..........................................159 The Benefit of VMware Images........................................................... 161 VMware Infrastructure for your Software Needs ...............................163 Management Impact of VMware Infrastructure 3..............................165 VMware iSCSI Integration: Driving IT Virtualization to New Levels. 167 The VMware License Program: Giving Users the Full Benefit of Virtualization ......................................................................................169 VMware Machine Works Wonders ..................................................... 171 VMware Mount: Allowing the Virtualization of the Disk Utility ........ 173 How to Reconfigure the VMware NAT ............................................... 175 Build a Better Network with VMware Host ........................................ 177


3 Modes of VMware Networking ........................................................ 179 General Installation Guide for VMware on Ubuntu ........................... 181 VMware OS: Enabling Multiple OSs to Run on One Physical Machine .............................................................................................................183 VMware P2V: Tools for Cloning the Physical to the Virtual...............185 Top VMware Performance Enhancer Tips ......................................... 187 VMware Player Download: New Version with Extra Security Settings .............................................................................................................189 VMware Server & USB 2.0: Enabling High-Speed Data Transfers in a Virtual Environment........................................................................... 191 VMware Server Serial Numbers are Completely Free!.......................193 VMware Support: Delivering Beyond Expectations ........................... 195 VMware & USB Flash Drives Eliminate the Need for Multiple Computers........................................................................................... 197 Several Operating Systems on One VMware Virtual Machine: That's Multitasking!.......................................................................................199 VMware Virtual Server: A Number of Servers, All for the Price of One .............................................................................................................201 VMware & Vista: Working Together in Perfect Harmony................. 203 VMware & XP: Boosting the PC’s Versatility..................................... 205 VMware (www.VMware.com): Providing a Unique Alternative for Optimizing Business Operations ....................................................... 207


V M WA R E ' S F U T U R E : C A N V M WA R E M A I N TA I N D O M I N A N C E I N V I R T U A L I Z AT I O N S O F T WA R E ?

VMware's revenues have reached nearly $1B in less than 10 years since its founding. Can the company maintain its dominance of the virtualization software market or will Microsoft, open source and/or others prove that their glory days are now? It's clear that VMM/Hypervisor is a piece of technology that is rapidly becoming a commodity and is potentially an interesting candidate for being 100% in hardware. Given this, it seems clear that virtualization vendors that will be successful long term are those who are VMM/hypervisor agnostic and who have diverse virtualization technologies. VMware is still in the lead in this regard. They are clearly working to create value above and around the actual virtualization layer. Long term this is where most of the value for all virtualization players will be created. VMware has 'gets it' and has been moving quickly in front of their competitors towards this goal.


Whispers from inside the walls of VMware tell they are going so far as to consider making ESX server type functionality free or nearly free in the not so distant future (think: post-IPO). This is an effective means for beating Microsoft to the punch and they clearly have enough leverage through other software and support services to pull it off in a way that means business. In other words, yes, VMware will continue to dominate for a while longer. Is it glory days? Yes. Are they over? Probably not for a while.


E A S Y S T E P S I N I N S TA L L I N G V M WA R E T O O L S

The process of installing VMware tools rely on Windows version. The newer Windows versions require more automated procedures. For Windows XP guest, the following are the steps to follow: First, the virtual machine should be powered on. Prepare the virtual machine in the installing process of VMware tools when guest operating system has begun. In the File menu, choose Install VMware Tools. The next steps will be done by the virtual machine. If the auto run is enabled in the guest operating system, the dialog box will appear after few seconds. It will ask if the VMware tools should be installed. Then click the yes button and the Install Shield Wizard will be launched shortly.


However, if the auto run is disabled in the operating system, the dialog box will not automatically appear. Run the installer of VMware tools by clicking the start menu and choose run. In the run command bar, type D:\setup\setup.exe where drive D: is the initial virtual CD-ROM. There is no need for actual CD-ROM in order to install the VMware tools. The CD-ROM does not also need to be downloaded or to be burnt since the software of VMware workstation already contains the ISO image. The image is similar to the CD-ROM in the guest operating system and in the windows explorer. All the needed files for installing VMware tools in guest operating system are contained in the ISO image. After successfully installing VMware tools, the image file disappears in the CD-ROM drive. For the final step, simply follow on-screen instructions. For Windows XP guest and Windows 2000, there is no need to reboot because the new diver is ready to be used.


M A C O S X V M WA R E F E A T U R E S & FUNCTIONS

VMware is the leader of software industry in terms of virtualized servers and desktops. The new VMware product launched was Mac OS X VMware fusion. It is the virtual machine software that is run by Intel processors. Because of fusion, Intel based Macs are allowed to run X86 and X86-64 guest operating system on Windows, Solaris, Linux, and Netware simultaneously with the Mac OS X as host operating system with the use of virtualization, dynamic recompilation, and emulation. VMware fusion is supported by the advanced and robust virtualization technology of VMware Inc. Moreover, the virtual machines produced with VMware products run with Intel based Mac OS X VMware similar to non-Mac OS X virtual machines. The following are the steps in order to install or upgrade the VMware fusion.


First, there should be no running virtual machine. The VMware fusion can be downloaded at its website. The user needs to double click the VMware-Fusion-e.x.p-<xxxxx>.dmg file where the <xxxxx> is a build number used in download release. In the finder window, the VMware fusion volume can be browsed. Then, double click VMware fusion 1.0pkg icon to start on Assistant for installation. The Assistant will provide the instructions for installing the VMware fusion. The user should make sure to follow the instructions carefully. And in the final step of installation, the Assistant will prompt for the serial number. One of the most valuable features of VMware fusion is that it provides support and assistance in order to install and run in Mac OS X VMware with ease. For further instructions and uses of VMware fusion features, Help command is provided.


B E N E F I C I A L F E AT U R E S O F V M WA R E 3

VMware software devices are now very popular among various enterprises. Both the desktop applications and server applications are slightly gaining more support from the market. Among the widely used VMware applications is the VMware Infrastructure 3 or more commonly known as the VMware 3. This application is used for creating a self-optimizing information technology infrastructure. As the developer said, VMware 3 is the most widely deployed virtual infrastructure suite. This application has a lot of features that can deliver the production-proven availability, efficiency, and vibrancy needed in order to create a responsive data center. Virtualizes servers, networks, and storage are the primary function of the VMware. This leads to transformation of IT infrastructure into an automated and always-on computer utility plant. In fact, there are now more than 100,000 companies who were able to cut their cost for IT infrastructure because they can now able to streamline the management of different IT environments and deliver better services to the business enterprise.


The wide use for this application can now be attributed to its features. VMware 3 can minimize the total cost of infrastructure ownership of the user by increasing the use of hardware while reducing the hardware requirements. The VMware 3 also helps in lessening the required datacenter power, rack space, cabling, cooling, network, and storage components since it can reduce the number of physical machines. VMware 3 can also decrease the IT labor cost so the user can only focus on the IT team’s added and more strategic tasks. There are actually more features that the user can surely find very beneficial from VMware 3. Anyway, prospect consumers can already evaluate the VMware 3 with the trial version of this application and see if VMware 3 is the right software for his business enterprise.


T H E E D G E O F H AV I N G V M WA R E WINDOWS

The popularity of Microsoft Windows and its spread use is unstoppable. That is why a lot of software developing companies are creating their software that can run on a Microsoft Windows platform. If not, their software will lose millions of possible consumers. That is the move done by VMware, Inc. They make their desktop software to run on Microsoft Windows, and it is now known as VMware Windows. Aside from this operating system, VMware also makes available software versions compatible for the free OS Linux and the Apple Computer’s Mac OS X. When it comes to desktop applications, their compatibility with Microsoft Windows should never be ignored. It may be true that there are other operating systems in the planet but it is also undeniable that more of computer users are running their computers using the Microsoft Windows. That may be the reason why VMware made its first product, the VMware Workstation to be compatible with the Personal Computers. That gives birth to the VMware Windows.


What make this a better idea is that VMware Windows is not only contained to one Microsoft Windows platform but it speaks of all the available Windows operating systems. That even adds more convenience for the Microsoft Windows users who may have the old Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows XP, or the new Windows Vista. Of course, all these platforms can only run the compatible software. A certain application that can be used for Windows XP may not be compatible for the Windows Vista. But the VMware Windows is far different from these software devices. VMware Windows can be used for different versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems.


I M P O RTA N C E O F I N S TA L L I N G V M WA R E

Installing VMware to Windows, Linux, Netware, and FreeBSD operating systems is easy. The installers are contained at the ISO image files. Without VMware tools, running the guest operating system with VMware is more intricate. Also, mouse synchronization, which is a valuable operation, becomes more painful. The VMware tools are worth a 6-Megabyte application that is installed directly to guest operating system. Both the VMware and the host operating system are no longer needed in the installation process. The fastest way to determine that VMware is not yet installed is when the mouse gets caught inside VM when it is clicked on screen. To unstuck the mouse, press the Alt and Ctrl keys and it will be released. It must be noted however, that installing VMware in the guest operating system is different for every Linux operating system. Compared to Windows OS, installing VMware to Linux is more complicated.


Installing VMware to the guest operating system is important. The VMware tools help the workstation support the graphic performances faster. The complete package of VMware also provides support needed for operations such as sharing folders, dragging and dropping operations. Moreover, installing VMware to Windows guest operating system helps improve the performance and compatibility of video graphics. Another important benefit of installing VMware is that it eases up mouse synchronization with host operating system. This means that the mouse does not have to be released from guest in order to go back to host OS. Installing VMware also helps improve the network performance and compatibility. It also allows copy and paste commands between host and guest operating systems.


A D VA N T A G E S W H E N T H E U S E R I N S T A L L S V M WA R E T O O L S

The typical tools everyone knows are those used for mechanical repair. What these kinds of tools do for machines is also similar to how the tools of VMware software do. They aid for an easy usage of the software and also permit access to software’s other potentials. But before these VMware tools can make any possible advantage for the user, they need first to be installed in the computer. Every VMware product application needs a set of tools to allow using of the full potential of the application. The advantages of these tools depend on the software since the tools are working for a better usage of the application.


If the tools have to be used for the VMware Workstation they will then benefit the guest computers. Installing VMware tools will improve the video performance of the various operating systems in the computer machine. The user will also have a more synchronized mouse. The user does not need to release the mouse from the guest to the host every time he switches operating system. The copy-paste function between the host and the guest computer will also be enhanced with the VMware tools. Other VMware software will surely benefit a lot from installing the VMware tools to his computer. Anyway, installing the different VMware tools is just easy. These tools are usually included in the installation CD. Sometimes, the tools are already installed along with the installation of the application. But there are also added VMware tools that can be easily downloaded from VMware site. After downloading, the user just needs to follow the normal procedure of installing the tools.


S AV V Y T I P S O N U S I N G V M WA R E

The VMware tools are virtual machine software devices ideal for business environment. It is used for application and server consolidation. Aside from these, there are several benefits in using VMware

tools

to

improve

graphics

performance,

mouse

synchronization, network compatibility and other operations. In simple terms, the VMware helps in running virtual computer inside the regular host computer. And this allows many other operations without the need to hose up the real computer. The VMware image can be reset to its original state any time the user desires to. There are ways that the VMware can help save in the entrepreneurial bacon. The first step that must be done is to set up the virtual machine with all the software, bookmarks and custom settings according to the will and need of the user. Then the virtual machine should be saved into a compact disc or into a flash drive. And lastly, a copy of free VMware player must be saved and kept handy for future use.


For instances when the computer breaks down and the user needs the VMware to function in order to get back to business, there is a simple solution to this problem. The free VMware player must be installed to a new unit. And by copying that virtual machine to the computer, the user can readily resume the functions. In using VMware perfectly, the VMware tools must be installed properly to the guest operating system. The VMware tools make the use of VMware more efficiently and easier. There is a noticeable difference between a unit installed with VMware tools and one without.


F R E E V M WA R E S O F T WA R E W I T H V M WA R E T O R R E N T

VMware, Inc. is a known company that develops various software products ranging from desktop software to complex server software. Though the VMware is in business and profit plays a big role to their survival, they also offer their products both as commercially available and as freeware versions. Freeware means that the software they develop can be enjoyed by the user for free. One way of sharing these VMware freeware applications is through torrents, more commonly known as VMware torrents. VMware torrents are small files containing only few kilobytes. These torrents have all the information one needs in order to properly download the VMware software or file. Included to the torrent information are the application’s or file’s name, size, where to download, how to download it, and other relevant data. VMware torrents are recognizable via their file extension .torrent, which anyone can conveniently get from any websites or special torrent search engines.


One can also find VMware torrents comparable to peer-to-peer sharing where a person will share his files while others can also download his shared files. However, if a peer-to-peer sharing needs one to sign-up in a certain group, downloading files through torrents also need a prerequisite. There should be the torrent client so one can download the VMware software that he wants to have. A popular torrent client now is the bit torrent but with the popularity of torrent download, there now exist a lot of other torrent clients. There are also free torrent clients one can easily download and install. Some VMware torrents available for download are the VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation, VMware Appliance, VMware Vista Ultimate, VMware Converter, and a lot more other software.


T H E C A PA B I L I T I E S O F V M WA R E W O R K S TAT I O N

VMware Workstation is the first desktop application created by VMware, Inc. And though it is the debut product of this company, it can already do a more complex work compared to other simple desktop applications. The VMware Workstation is called a virtual machine software suite used for both x86 and x86-64 computers. With this application, user can enjoy a multiple operating system running in his single physical computer like the Microsoft Windows, BSD variants, Linux, and others. Aside from that, the VMware Workstation offers more for its users. With the help of other VMware application, the VMware Workstation can transfer the various virtual machines throughout a multiple host-machines. It also allows taking of multiple successive snapshots of a specific operating system. Each of these snapshots will permit the user to roll back the created virtual machines under saved status, at any time he may wish.


Application like the VMware Workstation is a very useful tool for persons selling different software devices. He can try his products on different operating systems and test their environment when being used in a certain platform. He can possibly do that without the need for many computer machines. Aside from allowing multiple virtual machines, the VMware Workstation can also reproduce or simulate some hardware. For example, this application allows mounting of an ISO file as a CD/DVD ROM or as a hard disk. The hardware’s network adapter driver can also be configured with this application. The VMware Workstation also allows bridging of different hardware devices to existing host network adapters, which makes them more useful for a more number of users in a network.


T H E U S E S O F H AV I N G O S X V M WA R E

Some are just eager to learn the differences between operating systems. OS X is among the new software that deserves to be studied for flaws or incredible enhancements. And this study will be much easier as long as the VMware software is used. The Mac OS X just needs to belong as one of the virtual machines that will be properly called as the OS X VMware. OS X is said to be the Apple’s first complete revision of an operating system that is said to have focused on modularity so that future changes will be easier to incorporate. This new Apple platform even has support for UNIX-based applications and for those applications written only for Macintosh computers. Meanwhile, the VMware is a software company known for producing software that will make users capable of having virtual machines. Through these virtual machines the user can possibly study the platform differences without the need of an extra computer machine.


With the software called VMware Workstation, a Mac OS X can now be installed in a Windows-based PC. VMware Workstation is a virtual machine application that can incorporate different operating system in one computer. These are called the virtual machines. Usually, the purpose of having virtual machines is for studying the differences among operating systems or testing the effects of certain software in two or more platforms. That is why an OS X VMware is a very useful tool since Mac OS X is among the commonly used operating systems today. Comparing its function with Windows or Linux will surely be possible with the OS X VMware. Further study of these operating systems will surely lead to better enhancement and development of future platforms.


U B U N T U V M WA R E A S A V I R T U A L MACHINE

Ubuntu is an operating system used for desktops, servers, and laptops. This is also popular with many Linux distributions. What’s good about Ubuntu is that it provides up-to-date and stable Linux distribution for many users. It also focuses on usability and simplicity of installations. The great thing about Ubuntu is, like Linux, it is a freeware that can be shared by millions of users. Maybe, the only downside of having Ubuntu is the few compatible software devices available in the market today. Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, and Linux are the most popular operating systems and most software devices are only made compatible with these platforms. But some users can still use Ubuntu while using other operating systems. What is needed is just VMware software or more specifically the Ubuntu VMware.


Ubuntu VMware defines a virtual machine running on Ubuntu platform. It is included in one computer along with other operating systems. This was made possible through the VMware software. Some VMware applications are platform-independent, which means they can be used regardless of what operating system the user has. The specific VMware software that makes it possible for the Ubuntu to be one of the user’s virtual machine is the VMware Workstation. This enables using of more than one operating system in one computer. That means one can use the Ubuntu while using the Microsoft Windows and Macintosh. To install Ubuntu as one of the virtual machines, the user must first download the ubuntu.iso. After that, he should create a new virtual machine with workstation or VMware server. Other instructions can be found in many blog sites and VMware, Inc. website. With this, the user doesn’t have to choose between the various operating systems and he can more possibly try using the Ubuntu VMware.


BENEFITS AND RISKS OF USING V M WA R E B E TA

VMware, Inc. is a software developing company that specializes in creating different desktop software and server software. Among the many programs it has produced is the VMware Workstation, a virtual machine software device. But just like many other software companies, VMware beta applications are being released before the official release of the software. One may ask what VMware beta is and what are its benefits for both the users and the software developer. The VMware, Inc. does an initial round or in-house testing of all the products it produces. After this in-house testing, VMware, Inc. releases that program version for free to be tested by the public. But it should be noted that this is not the official release of that software. That free version is called the beta version or the VMware beta. Some beta software can be noted with the “b” in their version number.


Releasing the VMware beta is needed since the software developer could not possibly test the VMware software under all possible circumstances. If the VMware beta is released to the public, it is expected that more users will be able to assess the software and report possible flaws on the application that were not uncovered during the in-house testing. That’s the benefit of VMware beta for the software developer. The user, on the other hand, can also enjoy the first and free full version of the application. However, the VMware beta users should expect to run the beta software into bugs since this is not the final and fully scrutinized version of the software. These bugs can be as simple as those that may seem not to affect the computer to those bugs that may cause the computer to crash.


U N D E R S TA N D I N G V M WA R E C O N F I G FILES

VMX file is a primary VMware configuration file in the virtual machine. Upon creating a new virtual machine, questions about operating system, networking and disk sizes will be prompted. The user’s answers to these questions are stored in the VMware config file. VMX VMware config file is like a common text file that can be edited in Notepad. VMware config file is located in every folder of every virtual machine there is. By looking at the detail, one can analyze the syntax and construction of VMX VMware config file.


The following are some tips that can be noted from the syntax of the file. The pound sign # is utilized for comments. Hence, those that start with the pound sign # can be ignored and considered as comments. The displayName is used to recognize a virtual machine. The memory can be determined in the MEMSIZE line. One can set the memory to the size that he desires. The virtualHW.version defines the parameters of VMX on what VMware version it will work. When the lines scsi0.present=”TRUE” and ide0.present=”TRUE” appear, this is a call for advance config for the device. VMX file is the VMware config file for the VMware guest operating system. As the user adds more devices to the system, the more the VMware config file grows. The VMware GUI can be used to create virtual guest config. The knowledge of how these VMware config can be edited or downloaded will save the user a lot of time. A program that creates a VMX VMware config file will help to avoid typos.


T H E T W O W O R L D S O F V M WA R E FUSION

VMware Inc. produced virtual machine software for Macintosh computers that come with Intel processors known as VMware fusion. Fusion basically fused a clean and sensitive interface that goes with a platform of virtualization reason why this is trusted by numerous users. This software is convenient to use as it permits one to easily launch his Windows application. He may also switch easily the applications from Windows and Mac speedily. Through the aid of the advanced virtualization technology, it is now easy for one to control the entire hardware available on his Mac through the use of VMware fusion. Using this, performing the following is a cinch: simultaneous running of the operating systems ranging from 32 and 64 bit; using two processors together at the same time; using USB 2.0 devices and running and choosing 3D games. To sum it all up, VMware fusion makes it possible to enjoy two worlds— Windows applications on Mac.


Additionally, this VMware fusion is compatible with the virtual machines designed by the present versions of VMware Server and Workstation. This software can also be employed with the free VMware player 2.0 either on Windows or on Linux. Because of its wonderful features, VMware fusion is currently in tight competition with Parallel Desktop. The latter was first to be released in the market. The prices of these two also do not greatly vary. Both cost about a hundred dollars lesser than the VMware’s Windows version. Of course, there are cheaper choices available in the market too. However, these two top in the market when it comes to features and performance. Hence, either of these are not a waste of investment.


E N J O Y I N G N E W U B U N T U F E AT U R E S WITH

U B U N T U 7 . 0 4 V M WA R E

Ubuntu 7.04 is among the newly released version of Ubuntu operating system. It has amazing new features that will surely captivate the interest of many computer enthusiasts. But this operating system can now be easily incorporated in other platform-based computers for the purpose of testing Ubuntu 7.04. That can be done with the VMware application. Also, the user can create various virtual machines in an Ubuntu 7.04 computer with the VMware application. Whatever the user wants to gain from using Ubuntu 7.04 and VMware application, definitely, he will have the power of Ubuntu 7.04 VMware.


Experiencing Ubuntu 7.04 VMware will provide opportunity for the user to experience the new features of this new operating system. Among the many new features in an Ubuntu 7.04 is its Windows migration and partitioning tools. With this capability, users can now migrate wallpapers, Firefox bookmarks, Internet Explorer favorites, AOL and Yahoo Messenger contacts from a Windows platform to Ubuntu 7.04. What’s more amazing is that this capability can be much easier and more possible as long as there is the use of the VMware application. As explained, VMware applications, like VMware Server and VMware Workstation, can make it possible for the user to create virtual machines. With this new Windows migration feature of Ubuntu 7.04, a more harmonious use of Microsoft Windows and Ubuntu 7.04 can be enjoyed. The user can easily transfer the different applications from the Microsoft Windows virtual machine to Ubuntu 7.04 virtual machine as long as there is the Ubuntu 7.04 VMware in the user’s computer. Not only that, Ubuntu 7.04 features can be used for other platforms created as virtual machines in one computer with the VMware software.


H O W T O E N A B L E A C C E L E R AT E D V M WA R E 3 D

3D gaming and features are now becoming the standard of virtual community. That is why many software companies are now working hard to turn their old 2D versions to newer 3D versions. Add to this advancement the ability of running more than one platform or operating system in a single computer at a time. But of course, one 3D capability of one operating system may be different from the other. And so, 3D acceleration is now becoming a need. If a user is running on more than one operating system, it is needed that he enables and accelerate the VMware 3D.


One can easily enable a specific virtual machine for an accelerated VMware 3D. First, of course, the computer system should have the VMware 3D. There should be the VMware software, which will enable one computer system to run or shift from one operating system to another. Now that the computer machine has now virtual machines, the user should select one virtual machine using the Windows 2000 or XP operating system. It is important to disable the Direct3D application on this virtual machine. Next, the user should add the configuration file with the VMX file extension, for the virtual machine. This will enable the accelerated VMware 3D on the host. The user should also make sure that the accelerated VMware 3D in guest computers is supported while the accelerated 2D should also be enabled for the guest display. With these simple, short, and easy steps, one can already enable a computer’s accelerated VMware 3D. There are still other choices or options for the user in configuring the VMware 3D. The above steps are the only necessary way to enable the accelerated VMware 3D.


U N D E R S T A N D I N G T H E V M WA R E C L I E N T, S E RV E R A N D M A S T E R

There are three separate VMware appliances, namely VMware Client, VMware Server, and VMware Master. This approach help reduce downloads and increase usage by users. It requires 10 Mb in order to download the Master and Client. The VMware Master works as the cache, DHCP server, PXE server, and the gateway for VMware Client. Through caching, there is reduced number of transfers needed for images. Upon booting VMware Client, the list of virtual machine appliances is presented. The texts given come from PXE server by way of the VMware Master, which acts as the receiver of information coming from VMware Server. After completing the booting operation, the same scheme is presented to the user just like if he boots an image locally.


Considering the server-side run time, to adjoin additional appliances to the server, disk images should be added into VMware configuration files. After the server has been booted up, certain commands need to be executed for the new appliances. Upon finishing the execution, the new appliances become available for consumer. Many times, users are merely interested to demo the appliances and are not concerned with extracting or downloading huge images. This problem is resolved by the three-tiered system of appliances. The partition of the three appliances specifically VMware Master, VMware Server, and VMware Client is of great help. This is how VMware facilitate the use of multiple individual logical servers to be run by one computer. The downside of this is in the performance overhead on running a VM in place of the native way.


M E T H O D I C A L U N D E R S TA N D I N G O F V M WA R E E S X

VMware ESX is a virtualization server produced by VMware Inc. The fundamental server needs certain persistent storage such as a range of hard drives in order to store support files and virtualization kernel. A variation of this type of design called ESX Server ESXi is capable of transferring the server kernel to a dedicated hardware. Nevertheless, both of these types of servers are supported by Virtual Infrastructure. VMware ESX is run by bare metal. Unlike the other VMware products, VMware ESX doesn’t run atop the operating system. Instead, it includes a kernel of its own. In version 3 of ESX, the Linux kernel must be registered first in order to load varieties of specialized components of virtualization.


VMware ESX server makes use of the Linux kernel so as to manage the ESX propriety kernel, which loads some additional code. Because of the difference in the major versions of software, the Linux portion of ESX server and VMware have changed their dependencies. In addition, VMware ESX server has incorporated the service console which is based on Linux 2.4 kernel. This is utilized to boot VMware ESX virtualization layer. On the ESX host, Linux kernel is run before the other software. In the traditional scheme, the given operating system can run a single kernel. Moreover, VMware ESX contains both the vmkernel and the Linux 2.4 kernel. This has confused the ESX to have the Linux base. Finally, VMware ESX can be differentiated from the other virtualization products because it supports the propriety cluster file called VMFS. This allows several hosts to access same SAN LUNS concurrently as the file-level locking offers security to file system integrity.


G U I D E S F O R V M WA R E I N S TA L L S E R V E R 1 . 0 O N U B U N T U 6 . 0 6 LT S

Reliable guidelines for the installation process of the free VMware Server 1.0 on Ubuntu 6.06 LTS are essential. As much as possible one should not install this system without the proper installation knowledge. For this reason, the following steps for installation are gathered to serve as a guide for one to properly install VMware serve 1.0. This however is not the sole way to install such system. There are still some other ways although this one is suggested because it already gives out a successful result.


Just before the installation of VMware, one needs to finish first the set up of the fundamental of Ubuntu 6.06 system. There is no problem whether one uses desktop version or Ubuntu server. However, it needs to be taken note that there should be a working root account before doing the installation because the process will run as root. Now, the first thing to install is the required packages by VMware on the Ubuntu system. When doing this, the var partition needs be reviewed if it has enough space because the virtual machine needs a big disk space. After this, one can already download the free VMware server right from the website of this software. To successfully run the VMware, one needs a serial number, which is also for free. The serial number can be acquired through the download page. Now, to finally set up the VMware Server, the following packages are needed: VMware Server for Linux; and Management Interface. Both of these are obtainable on the download page too. Additionally, to produce new virtual machines, client package of VMware server is needed for either Linux or Windows. To download the software to the server, using the program of Linux command line is highly suggested.


U N D E R S TA N D I N G V M WA R E S E R V E R FOR

LINUX

With virtualization, there are so many things that one should understand to the least prior to having the VMware server or the operating system of your choice be downloaded or installed. For one, it should be clear and understood on how the VMware server actually works and what it needs in order for it to be functionally useful. Or, it would be best to dig in deeper how and where you can actually download the VMware Server that you want. The VMware server as they always claim is a very powerful and full of potential application program that one can use for free. However, along with this comes the reality that VMware server requires too many resources on your PC. However, this drawback can be equated with the good things that it can actually bring to you and your computing life. The wonders that it brings are essentially more tangible compared to what it requires you to have.


On the other hand, Linux as an operating system, when virtually used along with the VMware server, can bring so much ease and comfort to any computer user. In addition to the fact that, by merely virtualizing this operating system, all features that this OS has are not compromised and are available for use, Linux is one of the most commendable operating systems. Its large capacity to handle and control the whole computer system is unequalled and unparalleled. When this feature is tapped along with the other operating systems thru virtualization, it can actually do great things for any user.


D O E S L I N U X S TA N D A G O O D P O S I T I O N O N V M WA R E ?

VMware or Virtual Machine Software is taking a greater leap in the industry of computers and information technology. The term virtualization or virtual machine has become a common household term to most techie people because of the wondrous comfort that it is able to give computer enthusiasts. Think about virtual machine software as partitioning a whole object into several parts without the actual cut on it. Sounds good but never complicated! A lot of PC users nowadays are venturing into a lot of works on their single PC. Most of the time, these enthusiasts are in need of too many resources all at the same time. Take a look at working on a job that requires different operating systems. You may think about how this could be possible. With virtualization, this is going to be possible.


Think about virtualization or VMware as allocating your computer resources into several other resources that a PC user wishes to utilize. This is done without the actual partitioning of the drive where you can install the other “resources” that you need. The “actual partitioning” that is done only happens on “virtualization mode”. VMware works with several other OS platforms. The more popular of which is the Windows platform. However, Linux, another robust operating system, works well with VMware. Not only can you use both the Linux and Windows together using a virtual machine, apparently you can work on many other OS platforms along with these. Mac OS X is the other OS platform that can be worked on to utilize the VMware technology.


C A N U B U N T U B E I N S TA L L E D O N YOUR

V M WA R E P L AY E R ?

The Ubuntu or the Linux OS in a more popular term has been raising too much questions about the possibility of having it installed and executed on a VMware Player. A lot of PC enthusiasts and IT experts alike have tried and worked on having this done, and fortunately, all attempts to do it have been made successful. Yes, it is possible to have your Ubuntu installed on your VMware Player. The Ubuntu may have been tagged as the more complex operating system but looking for the compatibility of it to a lot of potential software and hardware in the market is never complicated and difficult. In fact, the Ubuntu operating system works so much better with many other software programs or players.


The VMware player is proven to be working perfectly with Ubuntu. As a matter of fact, even when the other OS like Windows XP and Server are having compatibility issues Ubuntu never had a problem with it. The complications that other users may have experienced with VMware players over the Ubuntu software are treated to be isolated cases and have not been witnessed to be a problem with the general users of the Linux OS. As it is, when complications arise from installing the Ubuntu on the VMware player, the user must immediately check with the VMware player makers before jumping into any other conclusion that Ubuntu is having problems with VMware players. Or better yet, contact the Ubuntu vendor for any possible fix that they can offer.


V M WA R E S E R V E R D O W N L O A D : MAKING YOUR COMPUTER WORLD EASIER

Have you ever been caught unaware about working on one file that is easily made in a flash using a Windows version of an operating system and that you find it difficult to do on another type of an operating system? Well, you do not need to worry about it. The good news is that, the VMware or the Virtual Machine Server application that is easily downloadable via the net is just a click away. The VMware Server is an application that allows you to fully maximize the virtual technology on your personal computer. With the rapid invasion of virtualization in the world of computers, you need to address it instantaneously. And the answer to that is to have yourself a downloaded VMware Server application. Although the VMware Server has compatibility issues, the good thing about this is that there are just so many varieties that you can choose from and download. These choices will allow you then to similarly enjoy just the same what virtualization can actually offer.


What is more is that, every variety has a different set of good features that it can offer to the user. All you need to do is practically determine what fits your needs the most. The VMware Server is a free download that you can have. Most VMware manufacturers offer these application programs for free and there are some that are premium. The premium services may contain add-ons compared to the non-premium but just the same, any free downloads that you get give you the most features that you need.


W O R K I N G O N T H E V M WA R E S E R V E R V I S TA

One of the few drawbacks that a lot of computer wizards have to say about VMware is the issue about compatibility. Although you can practically virtualize your computer machine at any time, the need for the application software to make the whole process of virtualization makes it a little complex. Take a look at how the Vista operating system works well with the VMware Server. The family of Windows operating system did not record any problem or issue of compatibility with Virtual Machine Servers – to date. As a matter of fact, the recorded most compatible operating systems to work with the VMware is the Windows platform. In such cases, the Windows Vista operating system then perfectly works with the VMware Servers.


Just a tidbit of information about VMware -- a VMware server works perfectly fine with Intel machines and that it works well with any operating system platform. Another thing, Vista operating system as we all know consumes a lot of PC memory space due to its massive graphic interface. Just like Vista, the VMware server does eat too much memory space, too. Although you can potentially limit and control the amount of RAM that will be allotted to using the VMware server, however, the minimum requirement to have it properly downloaded and installed is still significantly higher. With these drawbacks, the VMware Server that you will use for your Vista operating system will require too many resources from your end. As such, you should prepare your PC resource very well should you plan to actuate virtualization on your PC with Windows Vista altogether.


W H AT I S V M WA R E I P O ?

With the sudden outburst of virtual machines in the computing industry,

the

makers

of

VMware,

specifically

the

VMware

Incorporated, have thought about the IPO or the Initial Public Offering that they will have to do – thinking one good marketing strategy! The public offering of the VMware is a critical component that the manufacturers need to deal with. After virtual machine has gained tremendous acceptance from the consuming public, the need to sustain it on its initial public offering should be made clearly and specifically. A clear and strong plan to forego with the VMware IPO shall allow the makers of Virtual Machine Software to create a well-established environment not only to its workforce but more specifically to its external environment. Particularly, this move shall create a positive image in the eye of the potential clients and buyers. The Initial Public Offering of VMware which constituted roughly about $30 per share created a positive impact on its market mapping made in the year 2007. This business action allowed for VMware to create a strong name in the business industry and made VMware a more credible, competitive, and established business entity.


Now, as it embarks onto a new and promising Initial Public Offering or IPO for the year 2008, more and more tremendous happenings are expected to come in as far as the VMware is concerned. It is forecasted to happen that there is not only going to be greater revenue to be earned, but to make the Virtual Machine industry a long lasting and strongly competitive industry in the arena of business world.


A S S E S S I N G T H E R I G H T V M WA R E P L AY E R

Prior to fully utilizing the extra ordinary features of the Virtualization technology one must be able to realize the need for a VMware Player as a necessity to attain the functionalities of the VMware. A VMware Player is a peripheral that you need to use in order to run and execute multiple operating systems at once on a computer. More to that, with the use of the VMware Player, you can be able to utilize a virtual machine manufactured, designed, and created the leading

virtual

machines

provider

like

the

Virtual

Machine

Workstations, the Virtual Machine Software Server or the more famous Microsoft Virtual Machines.


When choosing and assessing the right Virtual Machine software player, you have to make sure that the actual need to partition and “chop” the peripherals of the PC just so you can utilize the VM technology will no longer be necessary. Another great factor that you need to remember in assessing the right kind of VMware Player is the fact that it should be free of charge and will not require you to shell out any payment identification information from you. The VMware Player should be free to download and install on your personal computing device. There may be other VMware Players that are being charged but apparently, majority of the VMware that are available in the market are not of any charge. Lastly, your VMware player should be able to allow for you to test and assess and eventually share the software via the virtual machine. Ultimately, this is the right trait of a VMware Player that you need to look into.


W H AT I S A V M WA R E S E R V E R CONSOLE?

Many computer enthusiasts and majority of computer whiz have the same behavioral pattern of installing more than one operating system on their PC. This has more likelihood when the operating system that is installed on there is PC is the Ubuntu or the Linux. Linux is a very powerful operating system however; there are just some things that are not realistically possible to be made with Linux and that is made possible with Windows. So, if these and all are possible, what then prevents other people from having it done? What sort of difficulties are they bound to face? Are there sort of limitations to it?


In order for one to get the whole concept of having multiple installations of operating systems, one needs to have a VMware Server Console. A VMware server console is necessary to make the various families of operating systems such as Linux family and the Windows generations, the clan of Solaris and practically the whole Novell Netware. What is good with VMware Server Console is that it allows for the 32 and 64 bit versions to easily work with the environment. The VMware Server Console is a very powerful application that it allows for VMware player and Virtual boxes to work with it. Apart from the idea that the latter are essential to successfully run and execute multiple operating systems, the VMware Console Server makes it easier for the installation process to progress. A lot of people are not aware about the existence of this application. But having knowledge about this can really make your whole computing life very easy and bearable.


V M WA R E S E R V E R S E R I A L : T H E WAY T O P R O T E C T T H E D O W N L O A D

If you have not noticed it, every time that you are downloading and installing new application software on your computer, the need for a serial number to be entered is a pre-requisite. The key serial number, usually a combination of alpha numeric, is a way of the manufacturer to protect and seal the download and installation process. There are serial numbers that are universal – meaning, one key is applied to all potential download and installation – and there are others which are dynamic by nature.


Usually, every attempt to download and install the Virtual Machine software gives you automatically the serial key numbers. More often, the serial numbers are at the last part of the “What you need to know” section. At times, before you can get the serial number, you will need to undergo the registration process. This is the common misconception that people who download software for free – they think that because it is free no registration is needed. The VMware Server requires that you register first. After having completed the registration process, it is then that you can get your serial number. This is one way of protecting the manufacturer’s intention. Just a witty note for those who wish to download the VMware Server application, you can actually save the serial key number and have it saved for future use because there are downloads that require the same serial number from previous downloads. This move actually saves you time from registering at anytime you want to download the same application program.


H O W T O W O R K P E R F E C T LY W I T H THE

V M WA R E T O O L S

When you are engaged into learning Virtualization or the Virtual Machine Software, you will have to ready yourself with how you can perfectly work with the VMware tools. Working effectively with the VMware tools can generally create far better results.

These VMware tools are a bunch of add-ons and utilities that are used to help enhance the graphics side o the various operating systems that are being utilized on a single PC. At a certain point, the VMware tools also allow for both the main (host) system and the guest systems to fuse themselves together giving in a more powerful and stronger feature such as synching in the PC or OS clock, or a better and improved plug and play thing.


VMware Tools come in different boxes. There are VMware tools that are specifically designed for Windows platform and there are tools which are working perfectly for Linux. Whichever you think works perfectly fine, the need to have a different tool based on platform is essentially useful. When these VMware tools are properly installed on the PC, there is an attained better graphics performance and a lot faster drag and drop movement. This is because the VMware tools were designed to perfectly enhance the PC resources to a far better performance. One of the few tips that you may find very useful is to understand the effective way to deal with the VMware installer files. Usually, these installer files are built onto the VMware installer as image files or graphical icons for easy recognition.


A F R E E O S S O F T WA R E K N O W N A S C E N T O S V M WA R E

Most VMware software products runs using Linux or Windows host system. If you do not have any of these operating systems, you can make use of VMware image or virtual appliance. One of the virtual machine software developed is the CentOS VMware. CentOS is free software available on Linux distribution wherein the source code can be freely modified, used and redistributed by anyone. The sources are provided by a well know North American Enterprise Linux Vendor. CentOS was based on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). In as much as the RHEL source code was only open for Linux subscribers, CentOS developers use the RHEL source code to develop a final product very similar to RHEL

The CentOS conforms with the

upstream vendors redistribution policy and strives to be 100% binary compatible with upstream product. The name CentOS stands for Community ENTerprise Operating System.


CentOS supports architectures such as i386 (Intel x86 architecture 32-bit). x86-64 (AMD's AMD64 and Intel's EM64T, 64bit), IA-64 (Intel Itanium architecture, 64-bit), PowerPC/32 (Apple Macintosh and PowerMac running the G3 or G4 PowerPC processor) ("beta" support) and IBM Mainframe (eServer zSeries and S/390) CentOS VMware is developed by team of core developers which gets its supports from active user community composed of system administrators, network administrators, enterprise users, managers, core Linux contributors and Linux enthusiasts from around the world. It is available free for download over the internet for public use, however it is not maintained or supported by Red Hat.


T H E F E I S T Y FAW N I N T H E V M WA R E SERVER

The Feisty Fawn is the Canonical’s 6th release of Ubuntu Linux. It is also called as Ubuntu 7.04. The Feisty Fawn was released on April 19, 2007. It is one of the most popular open source Linux based operating system. It is software that is community developed, regularly updated and offered free to the public for use. VMware allows companies to work with multiple operating systems on a single host. Some companies opt for low level applications to enable them to work on this kind of environment. The software is user friendly and guides users on how installation should be done. The Feisty Fawn can be installed in the VMware server. The following are steps and things to remember during installation: 1.

Start the VMware Server and locate from the home

menu, New Virtual Machine. Follow instructions to install a CD of Feisty Fawn Ubuntu Linux 7.04. The CD should not auto-launches within Windows, if it does, cancel it and do not install, as this will erase your physical disk.


2.

Allocate enough disk space for the Feisty Fawn

installation partitions 3.

When Ubuntu 'talks' of drive formatting and erasing

information, disregard such talks as they refer to space allocation within the VMware virtual machine environment and you need not be scared. 4.

The installation takes some time to complete. So be

patient. 5.

Make choices for screen-resolution, networking and

RAM usage. 6.

Upon completion, the Feisty Fawn Ubuntu will restart

the computer and you would have a nice working installation of Feisty Fawn Ubuntu Linux within your Windows. With the Feisty Fawn on a VMware Server, companies can save money on buying operating systems and still run multiple virtual machines.


W H AT I S V M WA R E ?

VMware is a software developed by VMware, Inc. a company that markets virtualization software and which are compatible for x86 computers. VMware headquarters is located in Palo Alto, California, United States. It has additional offices located in Palo Alto and San Francisco, California; Cambridge, Massachusetts; London, UK; Aarhus, Denmark; Sofia, Bulgaria; Beijing, China; Bangalore and Pune, India, and in Cork, Ireland. The name VMware was derived from the acronym "VM", meaning "virtual machine", and ware from second part of the word "Software”. The desktop software is compatible for computers running on Microsoft Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X operating system. The VMware is a software that installed in one computer and allows the duplication of the program execution to multiple computers. It provides all other computers connected to the main computer a complete system platform that supports execution of the complete operating system. This software allows each computer to behave as if they are running on its own operating system having its own set of programs and hardware resources.


The VMware, Inc develops software products as such VMware Workstation, VMware Server, VMware Converter, VMware Capacity Planner and VMware ACE. With the use of VMware, computing activities are free from physical and geographical limitations. It also minimizes the cost of companies in terms of energy savings and lower capital expenses as hardware resources are use efficiently. The VMware also addresses better desktop management, increased security, and improved disaster recovery processes as virtual infrastructure is built. VMware is the software that many companies should have. It makes all your computers work in just one operating system. It is worth saving the time, money and effort.


V M WA R E W O R K S TAT I O N 6 . 0 : T H E S I X T H G E N E R AT I O N

The VMware Inc, the developer of VMware software introduced its most advanced VMware Workstation 6.0 in 2007. It is VMware’s sixth generation of desktop virtualization software product. The VMware Workstation 6 supports Windows, Linux, NetWare, Solaris x86 and FreeBSD operating systems. It features includes full 64-bit support, industry-first support for up to 10 network interface cards and experimental support for two-way Virtual SMP The following are some of its new features: 1.

It supports Windows Vista

2.

It supports multiple monitor or display. Users are able

to specify as to how many monitors a VM can detect regardless of the number of monitors attached to the host. 3.

It supports high speed USB 2.0 devices such as Apple

iPods and fast storage devices.


4.

It has ACE authoring capabilities. The ACE is a security

pack that allows users to securely transport virtual machines on portable media devices such as USB memory sticks. 5.

It has integrated Physical-to-Virtual (P2V) functionality

where users can create virtual machines by cloning a physical computer 6.

It has an Integrated virtual debugger

7.

It has a background virtual machine execution. The

system provides a tray icon as to how many virtual machines are running even as you exit the Workstation 8.

It has automation APIs where users write scripts and

programs that will automate and make it quick for virtual machine testing support for VIX API 2.0. The VMware Workstation 6.0 allows users to maximize the benefit of virtualization on their desktop VMware Workstation can be electronically downloaded or purchased on its package retail version. It is considered to be the most advanced desktop virtualization product for industry-standard PCs.


F E A T U R E S O F T H E V M WA R E W O R K S TAT I O N 6

One of the VMware software products that VMware, Inc. develops is the VMware Workstation 6. The VMware Workstation 6 makes one physical computer machine to run multiple operating systems at same time. The VMware Workstation 6 makes it easy for users to create and run multiple virtual machines . VMware Workstation is compatible with Windows, Linux and other host operating systems Some of the features of the VMware Workstation 6 are: 1.

It uses multiple operating systems on same PC. Users

are able to switch between operating systems, share files between virtual machines and access on all peripheral devices. 2.

It takes Snapshots & Videos of Virtual Machines. The

VMware Workstation provides a display thumbnails snapshots of what you have work on, on a single screen. This makes it easy in tracking and reverting to return to your work at any time.


3.

It runs an Entire Multi-tier System on a Single Host

Computer. Allows you to create teams, considered as virtual network environments consisting of a client, server and database virtual machines. This enables administrator to identify what virtual machines needs to be turned in or off, suspend or resume utilization based on team designations. 4.

It allows you to make copies of your virtual machines

from a single installation and configuration process. 5.

It has the ability to create and deploy secure virtual

machines allowing users to take their desktops with them. The VMware Workstation 6 is more about managing multiple virtual machines, each having its own processor, memory, network connections and peripheral ports with a single host computer working on it.


T H E V M WA R E W O R K S W I T H FEDORA 7

Fedora 7 is a free operating system developed by Fedora Project that produces Fedora Linux distribution. Fedora is a Red Hat Package Manager whose main objective is to provide a rapid progress of Free and Open Source software. Fedora 7 OS can run the VMware Server. The latest version of Fedora OS is the Fedora 7 with a codenamed Moonshine. Fedora 7 was released on May 31, 2007. There is a big difference of Fedora 7 from Fedora 6. The Fedora 7 has merged the Red Hat “Core” and Community “Extra” repositories and new build system was designed to manage those packages. Thus, there is only one repository of open source tools, and the assembly depends on whatever the Fedora community spins desire. The Fedora 7 is available on three official spins. The spins are variations of Fedora built from specific set of software packages. Each of the spin is a combination of software that is design to meet the specific kind of end user. The spin choices are:


•

Live CDs for GNOME and KDE desktop environment.

This can be installed to a hard disk and the spins are for desktop users who choose to do a single disk installation and share the Fedora with friends, family, and event attendees. •

A regular image designed desktops, workstations, and

server users. This spin is to provide a good upgrade path and similar environment for users who have previous releases of Fedora. •

A set of DVD images which includes all software

available in the Fedora repository. This spin is designed for users who have no broadband Internet access and choose to have the software available on disc. Pick your choice and spin the Fedora 7. Make your VMware Server work under Fedora 7 OS.


T I P S F O R I N S T A L L I N G V M WA R E SERVER

The VMware Server is the entry-level server virtualization software created by VMware, Inc. The VMware Server runs on Linux or Windows host system. You will have to uninstall the VMware products such as VMware Workstation, VMware GSX Server, VMware Player, or VMware ACE before you can install a VMware Server. To download the software is to go to http://www.VMware.com/download/server/. You will be asked for your email address in order to receive the serial numbers from VMware. You will be asked to select the host system that you are operating. There is a serial number assign for Windows hosts and another number for Linux hosts. Prior to installing your VMware Server there are several things that you need to make sure that you have: 1. The server and host operating system must meet the systems requirement for running the VMware Server


2. The remote management client and operating system must meet the systems requirement for running the VMware Server remote management software. 3. The VMware installation software you downloaded is in your files 4. The VMware serial number that was sent to your email address 5. The CDs or disks installer for your guest operating systems The installation of VMware Server software includes VMware Management Interface, the VmCOM API, the VmPerl API, the Programming API, and the VMware Server Console. Use the serial number provided to you during the installation of the VMware Server Console. The software will allow you to create your virtual machine for your guest operating system using the New Virtual Machine Wizard. Install a VMware Server free and start running through multiple instances.


P U R C H A S E O F T H E V M WA R E 6

If you would like to save your money in purchasing operating systems for each of your computers at work, the VMware Workstation 6 is the solution. The VMware Workstation 6 allows you to give more flexibility with your desktop or laptop computers. It reduces the hardware cost by 50% or more as your machines are running multiple operating systems on a single PC. VMware automates and streamlines work thus saving time and improving company’s productivity. The VMware Workstation is helpful to IT professionals, software developers and testers, and those from the technical sales and training professionals.

Some of the key benefits of the VMware

Workstation are as follows: 1. IT professionals –

The creation and test of multiple

computing environments as virtual machines on a single PC makes the job of IT Professionals easy. The VMware reduces the cost of the PC equipment by 50%-60%. It facilitates the software migration and updates, and accelerates resolution of Help Desk tickets.


2. Software Developers & Testers – It allows them to accelerate time to market as they eliminate time consuming set up tasks, enhance quality assurance and automate repetitive tasks. 3. Technical Sales & Training Professionals – It makes complex multi-tier applications easy to work out. VMware Workstation reduces the cost and complexity of software demos. It allows instructors to have their students work on a sandbox environment where experiments can be done safely. The VMware Workstation 6 can be electronically downloaded or purchased on its retail packaged version. It is available in Japanese or English language and hosts Windows or Linux. The cost of the electronic download is quite lower than the packaged version as the latter includes VMware Workstation on CD, printed manual and webbased support for the first 30 days after shipment.


A L L A B O U T V M WA R E S E R V E R

Another VMware software product developed by VMware, Inc. is the VMware Server. The VMware Server was formerly known as GSX Server. The VMware Server was released in 2006 and was a continuation of the retired GSX Server. VMware Server has the capabilities of creating, editing and playing virtual machines. It uses a client-server model, which allows remote access to virtual machines, using some graphical performance and 3D support. VMware Server can also run virtual machines created by Microsoft Virtual PC other than VMware created virtual machines. The VMware Server is a free virtualization product for those with Windows and Linux servers that have enterprise-class support and VirtualCenter management. Thousands of customers for more than 6 six years have proven the success of this virtualization technology. The following are some of the benefits of the VMware Server :


•

It streamlines the software development and testing. It

allows developers to create multiple environments with different operating systems on the same server. •

It simplifies the IT test of patches, new applications and

operating systems. It allows systems administrators to test virtual machines in a secured environment and enables them to roll back to a clean state by leveraging snapshots. •

It simplifies server provisioning. A virtual machine is

build once and deployment done in multiple times. •

It evaluates software in a ready-to-run virtual machines

without the need for installation and configuration. The VMware Server is free and can be downloaded electronically. It is an easy to use server virtualization product.


T H E V M WA R E W O R K S TAT I O N V E R S I O N 6 . 0 & I T S U N M AT C H E D F E AT U R E S

The VMware Workstation 6.0 is one of the software developed by VMware, Inc. and is considered as the most advanced virtualization for desktop and laptop computers. The VMware Workstation 6.0 is the new release version has made the VMware, Inc. The VMware workstation is essential for companies who work with multiple operating systems or computing environments. People who are IT engineers/system administrators/software developers and QA engineers, call center/help desk/tech support engineers, computerbased educators/trainers and their students, salespeople and sales engineers who run software demos. Users who need to run Linux on Windows (or vice-versa) and users of modern operating system such as Windows Vista find VMware Workstation useful. The VMware Workstation allows virtual machines to run just like a full PC with its own CPU, memory, disks, I/O devices, etc.


The Workstation 6.0 runs with Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Apache Web Server, Microsoft Visual Studio, Kernel debuggers, Firewalls and VPN software. The VMware Workstation 6.0 has unmatched set of value-added features that enhances the productivity of technical professionals and organizations. These features include: 1. It has support for Windows Vista both for guest and host operating systems; 2. It has multiple monitor display that spans the virtual machine display across a second monitor; 3. It has support for USB 2.0 devices which includes high-speed storage and iPods; 4. It has a VMware Converter that makes it easy for users to create new virtual machine from a physical disk; 5. It has the ability to access remotely the console of a virtual machines from a VNC client; 6. It has the ability of running virtual machines in the background without the Workstation UI; 7. It has integration with leading IDEs, (Visual Studio and Eclipse); and 8. It has state record/replay capabilities.


THE BENEFITS OF USING DEBIAN V M WA R E A P P L I C AT I O N

Debian is a freeware open source operating system that runs on a Linux kernel developed along the principles of the GNU project. A user can install this in a workstation using Windows operating system without necessarily altering the partition and the boot system sequence of the host machine. This can be made possible through the Debian VMware virtual appliance installation on the host operating system. This means the Debian VMware virtual appliance will run as one of the window of the host operating system. It can give users full functionality of the Linux distribution while at the same time maintaining the original OS installation of the host machine. This virtualization of two workstations in a single host can fully optimize the performance of the desktop system.


Installing the Debian Etch VMware application is also easy. It’s much like installing a stand along application the current operating system. A user can download either a full gnome or a minimal gnome desktop Debian VMware. These applications are freeware and readily available on the Internet. Because of its big file size, it would be faster to download it through Bit Torrent. It comes in a zip file or compressed format. After unzipping the files, it can now be installed as a virtual appliance on the host Windows operating system by following the instruction dialog boxes. The Debian VMware virtual appliance is a very useful application that can enable Windows users to switch between operating system. This maximizes the capabilities of the workstation because it can now run different programs written for different platforms. This is ideal for enterprise as well as home use.


U N D E R S TA N D I N G T H E B A S I C S O F G E N T O O V M WA R E V I R T U A L I Z A T I O N

Gentoo Linux operating system is a lightweight, easy to use, highly modular distribution application designed to provide high optimization for desktop performance. It primarily focuses its operation on the distribution of the OS from the source code. The development of Gentoo fast-tracked this distribution and the system attained a reputation for high-speed performance. For nonLinux users, installing the Gentoo system could be a daunting task especially if the workstation operates on the Windows platform. Fortunately, the virtualization capability of the VMware system will allow users and system administrators to view and experiment with the Gentoo distribution without changing their current operating system.


Through Gentoo VMware deployment, the Linux distribution could be installed as a guest appliance on the host machine. This means VMware will create a virtual workstation for the Gentoo OS and it can run as a single window of the current Windows platform. In this way, the Gentoo distribution can be tested and used fully even without partitioning and altering the system configuration of the present workstation set-up. To set-up the Gentoo operating system, users need to prepare first the virtual machine. This means the VMware virtualization program needs to be uploaded first on the current desktop environment. After setting up the virtual machine, the guest operating system can be installed on it. Installing the Gentoo Linux on the virtual machine would be easier especially if the Gentoo Handbook is available. All the installation and customization instructions can be found in it. When all things are settled, the current workstation can now function as a dual workstation with a host OS and a guest virtual machine with separate OS.


H O W T O I N S TA L L V M WA R E : U N D E R S TA N D I N G T H E RECOMMENDED HOST REQUIREMENTS

Many information articles can be found detailing the step-bystep process on how to install VMware. In fact, detailed guides can be found on each site that offers a free download of VMware. It is best however to know first the recommended system requirements especially when installing a guest VMware server on a host machine. First, make sure that the host machine is an Intel. That’s because VMware server will only run on Intel-based host. It is also ideal to have Linux as the operating system of the host but the VMware server will still run on Windows XP.


Second, VMware server requires lots of memory power. The host machine will significantly slow down if it only has less than 512 MB of physical memory. The ideal RAM of the host machine should be at least 1 GB. This will allow the user to install 1 to 2 servers on the host. Upon set-up, users can tweak the memory allocation for each server that will be installed. Ideally, the virtual VMware server should have at least 256 MB RAM allocation to run smoothly. Third, disk space and CPU utilization will also be taxed by the additional guest server. The host and the guest servers will naturally use the resources of a single machine. So it would be best to consider this fact before installing additional guest VMware server. The hard drive requirement could be maxed out especially if the guest servers will be used for commercial or enterprise related purposes.


STEPS ON SETTING-UP MAC OSX86 V M WA R E O N A V I R T U A L M A C H I N E

Installation of Mac OSX86 VMware will allow a workstation to run two operating systems. This is especially useful for workstations that are running on Windows platform. The addition of the Mac OS on a virtual VMware guest machine would create additional opportunities and superior flexibility for the Host machine. To install a Mac OS X on a PC Windows, one needs to download first a copy of the VMware program. This is available as a freeware on the VMware website. There are also lots of websites that offer free downloads of VMware complete with installation instructions and serial numbers. Once the download is complete, the VMware can be installed to set-up a virtual machine on the PC workstation. Installation of the VMware virtual guest machine is as just like setting up a new application for the PC. The user will be prompted by a wizard so it would be a matter of just clicking buttons until the installation can be completed.


After installation of the VMware virtual machine, it can now be configured manually to allow users to allocate the physical memory of the host. Each guest appliance will need 256 MB of RAM in order for it to run optimally. It can be set to 128 MB per virtual machine but there would be a significant slow down when another OS is loaded on it. The next step would involve installation of the Mac OS X on the virtual machine. Mac OSX86 can be purchased online. There are free downloadable versions of it but there could be an issue that may arise from these free OSX86 downloads. So, upon securing a copy of the Mac OS, it can now be loaded on the VMware virtual machine as a separate operating system using the resources of the host PC.


H O W T O U N I N S TA L L V M WA R E LEFTOVER REGISTRY ENTRIES

VMware users may need to uninstall the program for several reasons. Sometimes however, uninstalling it could run in some problems especially if it was loaded on a Windows Vista platform. Regular un-installation should pose no issues but problems usually occur when a VMware virtual machine installation was interrupted and the system crashed thus leaving incomplete registry files on the host. Users will not be able to install another version of VMware because it will conflict with the previous registry that will be detected by the system. Because the user will not be able to clear the registry entry on the add / remove program functionality of the PC, it would be best to perform the uninstall on the dos window of the PC. The general steps should follow this sequence:


First, when an installation error was detected by the system on the new VMware version, users should reboot their PC. After reboot, the Dos window should be opened and perform a query on the command line. One should type C:\temp>VMware-workstation(version of the VMware).exe /?. The succeeding line will provide an option for the user to clear the previous VMware installation where the /? in the command line should be replaced by a /c for a command that instructs clearing the previous registry information of the VMware application. After hitting the enter command, the previous installation of VMware will be automatically purged from the host operating system and the new installation can now be uploaded to the host system. Reboot the PC after the uninstall procedure and load the new VMware version to install it on the machine.


E VA L U A T I O N & L I C E N S E D V M SERIAL NUMBERS: GIVING CUSTOMERS THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

VMware, Inc., whose parent company is the well-known storage and information management software developer EMC Corporation, is a company that focuses on making virtualization software. The name VMware comes from VM, acronym of the phrase "virtual machine." Virtualization is all about maximizing resources, and because of this reason, it's considered a very important concept in the IT industry. With virtualization, several physical resources can be combined to create just one virtual resource. Conversely, a single physical resource can be divided into several virtual resources, also with virtualization. Whatever the need may be, virtualization allows the customization of resources to ensure that everything is used and nothing is wasted.


VMware

addresses

that

need

by

designing

reliable

virtualization software that companies can use to manage their IT resources. VMware has a respected reputation in the industry—its products are considered high quality. However, pirated copies of VMware products exist, so clients are warned to be careful not to make purchases from anywhere else but the online VMware store. To avoid being a victim of pirates, clients are directed to the Serial

Number

(http://www.VMware.com/support/serial_number.html)

page in

the

official VMware website. A couple of options are usually available for all VMware products—first one is a free 30- or 60-day evaluation serial number good for a trial period, and the second one is a paid licensed serial number. Clients are free to test drive VMware’s products by going for the evaluation serial numbers first before buying the licensed ones. However, for VMware server, licensed serial numbers are given away for free.


H I G H F I V E F O R V M WA R E 5

VMware for virtual machines have been around for quite some time now. The latest version it has been able to offer is the version 5. There are many satisfied users of VMware, which undoubtedly explains the steady upgrades done with this virtualization solution. A couple of months ago they released VMware version 5 and as such there are many people whose jobs involve software development and reviewing have been eagerly anticipating such an offering and have made their jobs a lot less difficult. The release of VMware 5 is the product of strict focus and concentration on the actual and practical needs of different testers and developers who would be using such a release in order for them to manage and deliver the great new features that are waiting to be used.


One of its most salient productivity features for many developers would be the new feature called new team functionality. By this, we mean that a team is present to help you group together multiple virtual machines into one single entity. Doing so will allow you a more efficient method of turning on a web server, a client and a database server and let you boot up all three virtual machines at the same time in one swiftly fluid operation. Aside from this, this new feature also has an improved memory sharing technology to allow developers to work in teams more efficiently. Using memory sharing, you are less likely to take up around 512 megabytes of physical random access memory because the VMware is aware of what can be found on every ram.


V M WA R E 5 . 5 : T H E P O W E R O F V I RT U A L I ZAT I O N AT T H E H A N D S O F THE

USER

The VMware 5.5 will allow the use of multiple operating systems on a single PC workstation. This is called virtualization of machines and is the main feature of VMware workstations. VMware 5.5 is the most common virtualization engine currently used today but it has been upgraded with the VMware Workstation 6 and a beta version of VMware 6.5. Essentially, the VMware workstations will convert any desktop or laptop into multiple machines. The virtual machines are complete systems with their own sets of operating systems, processor configuration, network applications, memory, and peripheral ports setup. Users then will have multiple computers running on a single machine. This will certainly enhance the power of the desktop or laptop and multiply the productivity of the host machine.


Running the VMware Workstation will allow users to run different operating systems and access them with just a click of the mouse. Files and programs can be used across different platforms and it can be shared easily because of the drag and drop functionality of VMware virtual machines. So, a user may only need to open another virtual PC in a window and drag the files from the host or other guest machine to the window of another virtual machine. The peripheral and network resources can also be shared by all the machines so there would be no need for buying another set of peripherals. This means great savings and increased productivity. Virtualization of workstations is an excellent option for individuals and companies that need multiple computers with different platforms. The VMware application could certainly optimize the performance of the PC thus enabling users to add machines without investing on new hardware.


C R I T I C A L V M WA R E 6 4 B I T EXTENSION FOR SUPPORTING M U LT I P L E P L AT F O R M S

The ability of hybrid VMware 64 bit extension support enables virtualization of enterprise related and memory intensive programs such as data mining and database management. The VMware 64-bit extension support follows the capability of 64-bit machines to run applications using 32 bit and 64 bit under an operating system with 64-bit configuration. In this way, the extension support will allow installation of VMware virtual machines with 64-bit configuration on host systems running under the same set-up.


The virtual machines will also not conflict with 32-bit applications because it will allow its use on the current platform. It will just be moved to the 32/64 bit applications without altering the original configuration of the program. The VMware extension support also provides room for legacy 16-bit applications to run seamlessly on the virtual PC having 64-bit platform. This is a powerful feature because it will allow any applications written for different platform to run and operate on virtual machines configured under VMware systems. Companies therefore can consolidate all their 16 / 32 / 64-bit platforms into a unified workstation thus eliminating the need for expensive upgrades of hardware resources. Although for highly memory intensive programs such as database management, companies may have to upgrade their systems memory capacity. Upgrades on memory capacity will eliminate the danger of system crashes due to insufficient memory, system slow down, and system hang. The introduction of 64-bit extension support also extended virtualization of the entire enterprise network, which can improve the computing power of companies.


V M WA R E A N Y- A N Y PAT C H : S O LV I N G C O M M O N V M WA R E S O F T WA R E I S S U E S

VMware-any-any update patch is the proven solution of most VMware users having problems with their virtualization. Some systems that are running on the Linux distribution host have experienced problems with virtual engines created by VMware workstation and VMware GSX server. Sometimes, these problems are caused by incompatible host and client versions. The solution probably is to upgrade the host or to get the latest update of the VMware software. However, virtualization issues especially on Linux platform can be resolved by a simple patch to the current VMware software. This is the any-any patch, which can be uploaded to the host system.


It will be detected by the VMware installation and the succeeding procedure will automatically fix the problem or bug. If this patch works well on the host system, then upgrading or installation of new VMware would not be necessary. Virtualization can now perform its normal operation. The VMware any-any patch can be downloaded from the VMware website. It is available for free especially if the subscriber has a working license of the product. It can also be found in online tech magazines, forums and blogs. The command line for the VMware anyany- patch will be provided by the webmasters on their site and the user can simple copy the patch and install it on their system. Asking forum moderators or pinging back the blog owner for instruction on how to install the any-any patch would be useful also. Normally, forum moderators and tech bloggers will answer queries and help users configure their virtual machines.


W H E R E T O F I N D T H E V M WA R E A N YA N Y PAT C H

The most common issues that can be encountered on VMware virtualization installation is the response generated by the host on creating kernel modules. The host may find it difficult to consolidate the virtual kernel application thus it rejects if from the system. Another common issue that may be encountered on VMware program installation is the complaint of the virtual machine itself on the state of the physical machine’s kernel. VMware may sound an alarm that the kernel of your machine is totally new to VMware. If these problems persist after reconfiguring VMware, then a patch called VMware anyany could be the only solution. VMware any-any can be downloaded for free at the VMware website. It can also be found on other VMware module vendors and is readily available as an ftp or browser downloadable file. Tech websites, VMware forums, and tech blogs also provide any-any patch to its readers and members. One can easily search for VMware any-any patch on search engines. The most common destination for the download is forum sites.


After downloading the zip or packed any-any patch, unzip it and run the installation exe file. This should automatically correct the problem of the VMware installation. It should allow the kernel to be written upon thus completing the installation of virtual machines on the host system. If the problem cannot be solved by the VMware any-any patch, then look for the documentation of the VMware software package. See if the licensing information provides for support from the VMware website. If there were no immediate solution at hand, it would be ideal to upgrade the entire VMware software and run the latest version of it on the host system.


S I M P L E S O L U T I O N F O R V M WA R E A N Y- A N Y U P D AT E O N L I N U X

Running a VMware virtual machine or virtualization data center is indeed declaring yourself to be at the height of technological breakthroughs in the 21st century. But what if you use a non-windows platform and still want the benefit of using a virtual machine appliance or system? Is there any other way for non-windows users to integrate such a system in their own freeware operating systems? Simply put, how can Linux users, especially those who have chosen the way of the Ubuntu, get around such a problem? The answer is to look for a solution to this by using a patch. If you look hard enough, there is a solution for the VMware-server-1.0.5-80187 so you can run it in Ubuntu Hardy.


Of course, the prerequisite to this is to make sure that you have already taken the necessary steps and have upgraded your existing Ubuntu Linux kernel up to the latest version. When you have done so, simply type in uname -r prior to working on any other commands that will follow. When you are done with this, your next step would be to turn on and run on your computer the any-any patch update. After doing so, you can then go to your prompt box and do the usually sudo commands, but this time using sudo that are any-any update specific. Keep in mind that for users who have a sixty-four bit system, there are around three or four additional commands you need to run in sudo before any changes take effect.


V M WA R E AT A G L A N C E : V I R T U A L APPLIANCE

If you were looking for appliances for your VMware virtual machine, the best place for you to look would be at the actual VMware site itself. Sure, there are a lot of vendors found in many third party websites, but when you are looking for quality and ease of function then it is always best to go to the standard-bearer – and in this case, the standard-bearer is the actual home site itself. Simply put virtual appliances are pre-configured, pre-built and ready to run applications for enterprises that are packaged with its own operating system located inside a virtual machine.


Using these appliances, many customers can easily install as well as deploy many pre-integrated solution stacks. Doing so will help to speed up the time needed to value as well as simplify software development, management as well as distribution. The beauty about virtual appliances is that is has the ability to change the way a software is both developed and delivered. Using these virtual appliances, many ISVs now have the power to develop using a single platform only. Doing so will help to reduce both the cost as well as the complexity of software development as well as management. Additionally, using virtual appliances can allow such systems to securely and efficiently distribute the system that is under an industry standard format, which is popularly known as the Open Virtual Machine Format or OVF. Using these, customers now have the freedom to deploy the OVF packaged appliance on their own virtualization platform.


B A C K U P S O L U T I O N S F O R V M WA R E

So you have finally decided to integration virtualization and have been able to set up a virtual data center in your office or work space. While you certainly have made the right move, it also involves new responsibilities which will need to be fulfilled by you and your staff. One of these responsibilities is backing up your VMware. This is truly important because let us face it – if all your information becomes lost for any reason at all, your work would halt and come at a standstill! So before you panic about this very disturbing thought, take some care to back up your VMware.


In order to do this, you will need to invest in a solution called the VMware Consolidated Backup. This is a centralized back up facility which can offer you the leverage of a centralized proxy service while at the same time reducing the load on the production of VMware ESX hosts. Thanks to this consolidated backup, you can easily improve the manageability of your company while at the same time reducing costs. It enables you to have a LAN-free backup consisting of virtual machines that are all connected to a centralized proxy server. To summarize, the consolidated backup allows you to integrate the system with other existing backup tools as well as technologies which you were able to set up earlier. Additionally, it lets your perform both full as well as incremental file backups of your virtual machines. This way, you can also perform full image backup and manage such backups in a more centralized way.


V M WA R E B R I D G E D N E T W O R K S : PROTECTING THE ENTIRE N E T W O R K F R O M S Y S T E M FA U LT S

Configuring VMware bridged networking allows for teaming network adapters in order to increase its fault tolerance level. The idea behind network bridge teaming is to secure the network in cases where an adapter suffers failure. In this instance, when an adapter fails to function, traffic on the server and the entire network can still run and continue to function because of the bridging technique. This is essentially a double wall protection for systems running several virtual networks.


Fault tolerance can also be enhanced by leaving the original configuration of bridging typical to any Windows based platform. Automatic bridging is automatically loaded on a network with several adapters. The user however needs to manually configure and select which should be the primary and secondary adapters. In this way, when a crash or a glitch happens on the primary network, the system will automatically bridge all activities on the secondary route eliminating the danger of network paralysis. System administrators must thoroughly understand the network teaming configuration of the host machine before applying bridges to the virtual machines. Applying teamed networks on virtual machines involves binding the entire VMware bridging protocols to the teamed network. The individual virtual machines on the other hand should be released from the network interface cards of the host. This is to ensure that no conflict can occur on networked virtual machines. Information on how to configure these settings can be found on the host network configuration systems which include the methods on setting up the windows host settings.


T H E I M PA C T O F V M WA R E C E RT I F I C AT I O N O N I T PROFESSIONALS

VMware certification is given to individual technicians that have shown strong capabilities in creating virtual infrastructures using the VMware technology. This certification is open for partners, resellers, end-users, and virtualization consultants. Having an in-depth knowledge and skills in virtualization technology can certainly enhance the career of IT professionals and boost the credibility of individual service providers of VMware technology. The VMware certification has two levels of courses namely the VMware ESX server / VMware Virtual Center and the VMware Infrastructure 3. Today however, only the VMware ESX server remains as the sole course for certification.


To get certification as a VMware virtualization expert, one needs to undergo training in instructor-led courses for VMware applications and virtualization performance. This course will teach trainees the best practices and the current standards and technologies in the application of the VMware virtual machines software. Aside from instruction, those who wish to be certified as a virtualization expert must have hand on experience on virtualization technologies. IT professionals who have no actual experience on virtualization will find it difficult to pass the exams. After the training and hands on experience, one must apply for examination schedule on one of the certified testing centers for VMware. Applicants must successfully pass the exams to get formal certification. Successful examinees can use the VMware Certified Professional logo on their business information card or on their websites in order to show their proficiency in building and maintaining virtual IT infrastructures. This will surely give them an edge over competitors in the virtualization market.


W H AT I S A V M WA R E C L O N E ?

A VMware clone is an exact replica of the actual virtual machine created on VMware program. There are two types of VMware clones. One is the full clone which is fully independent of the original virtual machine and serves as a separate entity with full functionality. The second type is the linked clone which is only a reference of the original virtual machine. Naturally a full VMware clone will take more disk space than a linked clone. VMware clones can be used as a testing environment of virtual guest machines. Normally, it would take hours to set-up a virtual machine including the installation of its operating system. When a security or a system update has been released, virtualization experts usually test its configuration first before fully applying it to the virtual architecture. The long hours of set-up can be very time consuming and annoying especially if specialists have many tasks on their hands. This is where the clones’ utility comes in.


By creating a clone, system administrators can easily test new configurations on the actual replica of the system. They can determine if it will work optimally or will create issues with the current set-up. They can then diagnose and reconfigure a solution to the clone and see its results. The customization then can be applied on the actual virtual environment, thus saving hours of set-up and avoiding trial and error configuration on existing virtual machines. This will certainly avoid any damage to the virtual machines if conflicts occur with the new set up.


A N O V E R V I E W O F V M WA R E C L U S T E R S E T- U P

Creating VMware cluster is relatively easy especially for system administrators that have enough experience on several virtualization techniques. VMware clustering essentially involves several steps similar to the ones encountered in normal set-up and configuration of programs in a virtual machine. First, system administrators must ensure that their virtual environments meet the recommended VMware cluster prerequisites. These prerequisites can be found on the documentation of VMware cluster program and configuration. Following the prerequisites can avoid possible issues that could arise due to incompatible systems environment. After determining the VMware prerequisites, the new cluster wizard can now be initialized.


In order to invoke or initialize the VMware cluster wizard, users have two options. They can right click on new folder and tick the new cluster tab or they can simply use keyboard hotkeys. Ctrl-L is the short cut for invoking the new cluster wizard for VMware. Configure the cluster settings. Configuration will also be guided by the wizard and different options are available for the administrator. Cluster configuration will generally depend on the needs of the virtual environment and these can be provided on a user friendly interface by the cluster wizard. Involved in the cluster configuration is the set-up for specific features that may be included in the cluster, the level of automation needed for the virtual platform, and selecting different options for virtualization. After this step, administrators must include the specific support needed by the VMware cluster. The support systems can affect the display and task configuration list of the newly created VMware cluster.


FA M I L I A R I Z I N G Y O U R WAY THROUGH A

V M WA R E C M D

VMware, a virtual machine company, also has a cmd function which one can perform in order to make the other commands a lot doable. Using the VMware utility, one can perform different kinds of options on the virtual machine like being able to register a virtual machine on to the local server, making attempts to monitor the power state of the virtual machine, as well as setting the different configuration variables. Keep in mind though that the previous virtual machine's VMware control utility has been termed as depreciated. Should you find yourself using scripts of the VMware control utility, you will need to update your scripts with the newer versions of the VMware cmd utility. Otherwise, it will not be able to work using the VMware GSX Server 2x or even the ESX Server. If you want to know the location of the VMware-cmd, it can be found in the directory of /usr/bin directory (if you are using a Linux operating system) and if you are using a Windows system, it can be found in C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware VmPerl Scripting API.


The VMware also has several options for commands which you can use as shortcuts for when you are programming the system. The H function may be used in order to specify the alternate host rather than just the local host. The O function is used when you want to specify an alternative port – and for this command, you can also take note of the default port number of 902.


V M WA R E . C O M : Y O U R O N E - S T O P SITE

If you want to look for a place where you can learn anything and everything about virtual machines – or more specifically, VMware – then there is no other place you should go to but VMware.com. This is your one stop website for information that is related to virtual machines. The great thing about the website is that it not only provides you with the usual information about the company itself, but it provides you with useful information and smart solutions that you can easily and readily appreciate. For example, you can easily click on a tab labeled solutions in order to look at a rundown of all the fixes and answers which VMware has to the many problems and predicaments technicians who work with virtual computers have, thereby making their work much more productive and efficient.


There are also, of course, a rundown of all the products which the company has for those who are interested in integrating virtualization and the virtual data center in their office or workplace. Of course, one can also give props to the many customers and partners - with whom the company VMware is affiliated and works – as a sort of testament to its efficient and quality service which is tried and tested by many other giants in the business and information technology industries. Navigating through the website will allow you an insight on how virtualization and the integration of the virtual data center is slowly changing the face of businesses today, leaving you convinced of the fact that this surely is the way to go in this day and age.


BASIC NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE V M WA R E C O N S O L E

One of the main functions of a VMware virtual machine console is to connect to actual virtual machines by way of the port 902. However, some users find that this particular port may post a bit of a problem for the sites, causing some downtime and error lags, especially for those who make full use of the chat program referred to as ideafarm. Should this be your case – or someone you know – then what you can do as a seemingly simple solution is to change the exact port number which your console is currently using. This port number usually means adding a variable manually until it satisfies several certain preference files.


There are some steps you will need to take and such steps will depend on the type of server host’s operating system – including the host where the console finds itself running on and how you are matching such a change to the actual GSX Server or to the actual console itself. If you change settings, remember that the authd.port type of setting is a lot different from the authd.client.port setting. The former is a variable which allows the GSX Server to identify the port it needs to monitor and listen to in order to establish the different console connections that come from the remote hosts and the clients. The latter, on the other hand, is a variable which makes the console aware – on the client side, however – of the particular port you are trying to use to bridge a connection.


AN EXCITING NEW “CONVERTER” O F F E R I N G F R O M V M WA R E

If you have been using virtual machines for quite some time now, you may have heard of a new kind of product from these merchants called the VMware Converter. It is now on the third release and is also based on the old and discontinued line originally called the VMware P2V assistant (which is why you might be a bit familiar with some of its more general features). The VMware converter has the purpose of allowing you to quickly and efficiently migrate all your data from the actual physical machines themselves to the virtual machines of VMware. There are many great things this product can do for you. It is designed to convert both local and remote physical servers using the unique “no downtime” feature. It can convert different types of P2V conversions while working with a centralized console at the same time. You can also use this to convert other third party virtual machines onto the VMware unit – for example, you can create virtual copies of popular third party Microsoft software applications such as MS PC, MS Server, backup Exec, Ghost and Live State.


Additionally, you also have the option to both clone and create backups of physical machines on the virtual machines as you please. Picky – or rather, very particular individuals – may choose their VMware converter from two choices – there is a free edition VMware converter Starter and there is an Enterprise line for those who expect heavy duty performance. Needless to say, there is a type of VMware converter for you – whatever your needs may be.


A H O W - T O O F V M WA R E CONVERTER

After you finally purchase your very own VMware converter for whatever need you might find for it, the next step you will want to make is to download and install the actual material on your computer. These might take several steps, but with careful execution you will easily find that it actually is a very simple set of actions to take. When you want to download the VMware converter itself, all you have to do is to follow the download link found on the webpage of the converter product. This will immediately bring you to the site where the actual file is installed and you can get the VMware Converter Starter file from there.


After clicking the download now button, you will be asked to fill in the registration form as well as accept the software license agreement. From there, you have the option to either run the download or simply save it. After it downloads, click run. This will then take you to the Installation Wizard from the VMware Converter. Here, you will just need to keep clicking next and accept the license agreement – it will then take you to the default installation directory and then ask if you would be willing to take the Typical (Recommended) installation method once you keep clicking on to the next. From here, you will be brought to the installation page and once it is complete, you can then check on the checkbox to allow the VMware Converter to run. Click Finish and you will then find yourself being able to work on the seventeen megabyte program.


FUSS-FREE CONVERSION WITH V M WA R E C O N V E R T O R

Need a powerful yet extremely efficient solution for your physical machines to convert into virtual ones? Your search for it is now over thanks to the VMware convertor. This convertor has a very intuitive set up that is wizard-driven in terms of interface design. It works to convert the physical machines to virtual ones, and does it very quickly too. It can also convert physical machines that run on a Microsoft Windows operating system onto a third party image that is formatted to work seamlessly with virtual machines.


Additionally, it can also do the job of converting virtual machines between two VMware virtual platforms. All you have to do is to simply automate and then simplify the physical machine to virtual conversion and vice versa using the VMware convertor itself. The great thing about the VMware convertor is that one can actually use it to run on a very wide variety of solution hardwares. Another great plus is that it has the capability to provide support for a lot of Microsoft Windows operating systems that are commonly in use by a lot of different environments, thus ensuring the wide compatibility feature of the machine. If you use this very robust system of class migration, you are opening yourself up to a very easy way of quickly and reliably converting both local as well as remote physical machines into virtual ones with the absence of any sort of disruption or even the dreaded down time. You can also use it to complete multiple conversions with a single management console that runs in a centralized manner as well.


V M WA R E E S X 3 : T H E C O M P L E T E HYPERVISOR OF THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

The VMware ESX server 3 is essentially a virtual hyper-visor that can be deployed easily on virtual environments and can run independently on whatever operating system is in place. VMware ESX can create an entire virtual PC which has its own set of processor, plugin peripherals, memory, networks, and storage capabilities. The application can literally create multiple fully functioning workstations on a single host machine. The VMware ESX serves as the foundation of an entire virtual infrastructure which is fully capable for data center support and multiple desktop activities. The ESX technology also enables system administrators to scale any virtual architecture based on the he needs of the enterprise using virtual machines. This certainly helps companies optimize the functionality of their virtual IT environments and avoid redundancy of the virtual systems.


Through the ESX VMware application, multiple machines can share the same resources of the host PC and allows efficient partitioning of the host system. This will save companies from expensive overhead costs on hardware requirements. Because the virtual machines does not use additional hardware, the cost saving effect can be converted to further boosting the power and capacity of its data center for more complicated data mining applications and resource intensive database operations. With ESX, the virtual machines can also run multiple operating systems without altering the system configuration of their host environment. This optimization can translate to increase performance and productivity of each workstation and server extensions. VMware ESX is an integral part of the VMware virtualization suite.


S M A R T S O L U T I O N S O N LY F R O M V M WA R E E S X S E R V E R

If you want to build the right foundation for a quick and efficiently responsive data center, you will need a solution that just does not believe in cutting corner. Thank goodness there is such a solution that is readily available – and that solution is called VMware ESX. This is what has been touted as the leading hyper visor out the in the market nowadays – by both its enthusiastic users and grudgingly agreeing competitors. The VMware ESX has proven itself more than a thousand times over when it comes to surveying customers that come from all sizes and walks. It is able to abstract the server processor along with the other components such as storage, memory, and the networking resources into a singularly enhanced virtual machine which is able to accommodate multiple functions. Thanks to this feature, the VMware ESX is now touted to be the only solution with the most robust foundation of the popular suite called VMware Infrastructure 3.


Ever since its inception in the year 2001, the VMware ESX has been able to consistently and admirably set the standard in order to prove that higher levels of performance can be done while at the same time taking in equally important factors such as scalability and reliability. Its robust foundation may also be attributed to VMware’s bare metal hyper visors which are able to partition the actual physical servers into different multiple virtual machines. Each type of virtual machine may also be a representation of the entire system, which also includes the processor, networking and BIOS among others.


W H E R E T O G E T V M WA R E E X A M SAMPLES

Taking the VMware exam is a necessary step in securing a certification for the VMware program. The exam is given after successfully attending several VMware courses and instructions. If an examinee passes the exam, an official certification will be given together with the complete benefits and perks for being a certified VMware professional. According to VMware exam providers, individuals who lack enough hands on exam experience may encounter difficulties during the exams for VMware certification. Most often than not, those who lack hands on experience normally fail the exams. So it would be important for IT professionals to undergo training and get as much experience as possible on different virtualization techniques in order to pass the VMware exams in one sitting.


Some training providers can offer sample VMware exam modules for their trainees. These sample exams could help examinees in familiarization and review. However, the sample exams cannot supplement for formal studies and actual virtualization experience. The sample exam papers can serve as a useful tool only. There are two types of VMware sample exams that can be availed. The first can be acquired from the training centers and are given free. These are paper and electronic documents which can be studied at the convenience of the trainee. The second type is the downloadable module which can be availed on the Internet. These modules can be purchased but there are some websites that offer free sample exams. These materials then can be stored on local computers and studied at home or at work in order to increase the chance of passing the VMware certification program.


FEDORA: A NEW OFFERING FOR V M WA R E

For VMware fanatics, there is a new release which will help you increase your productivity. This new release is called Fedora 8 or Fedora werewolf. This is a new release which also includes a significantly new version of assorted key concepts as well as innovative technologies. While it has a lot of really great features, its most salient offerings include the addition of Gnome 2.2, KDE 3.5.8, an Online Desktop application, Network Manager 0.7 and Xfce 4.4.1. The Network manager feature will allow you to have impeccable support for wireless network management. Additionally, there is a new feature called Pulse Audio, which is a great new installation and can be enabled by default. There is also Codec Buddy included as well as Compiz Fusion, which is a compositing window manager which can efficiently re-merge both Compiz and Beryl (and this is also installed by default). Another salient feature would be the revolutionary and completely free Java environment which is called Iced Tea that is installed by default and is also an open source application.


For you to be able to run Fedora on your virtual machine there are many different types of tutorials which you can look at online to teach you how to install the VMware server using the Fedora Desktop System. When you use the VMware Server, you can have the freedom to create as well as run a guest operating system, which also has the benefit of being able to run multiple operating systems using the same hardware.


H O W T O I N S TA L L V M WA R E F O R LINUX

Linux can run several excellent programs which could enhance its operation. Users can install Netscape and XMMS for web and audio tools to BitchX and Xchat for communications purposes of the Linux system. VMware for Linux provides users with the capability to emulate a fully functioning operating system. This means the elimination of dual booting the Linux platform just to run a win32 application. With VMware, all Windows platform, programs, and applications can be used alongside the original systems tools of the machine. Essentially, the VMware will create a PC on the Linux platform thus enhancing its usage. When installing VMware on Linux, users can upload it on the system through two methods. First, the VMware virtual machine can be installed on a separate partition of the host system. Second, the VMware can be set-up on an existing directory of the Linux system. Either way, the functions, performance and utility of the VMware virtual machine will be similar.


The VMware application can be easily downloaded on the VMware website. The full version VMware virtualization program can be acquired as a freeware with a distinct serial number. This can be unpacked to a root directory using tools included in the Linux system. After unpacking the program, move everything to a separate directory and run the install file. This will start the installation process and a wizard will provide guidance on each step of the application. VMware Linux installation is a fairly simple process. If a user is familiar with the Linux directory system and installing a standalone program, then running the VMware installation commands would be easy too.


V M WA R E F O R U M : S O U R C E O F I N F O R M AT I O N F O R T H E VI RT U AL I ZATI ON C O MM UN IT Y

A VMware forum is an online community of VMware users, vendors, resellers, and consultants. These forums serve as online help support desk for those using the VMware virtualization software. It would be best for system administrators running a virtual infrastructure to join such online forums. These forums can help them resolve issues that may be encountered during VMware deployment and maintenance. They can also pitch in their advice and provide help to other thus establishing their online reputation as a virtualization expert. The VMware website which is operated by the developer of VMware technologies also run an excellent community within their network. A forum is provided for clients and users and VMware experts are always handy in case a question or an issue pops up that needs immediate answer or solution.


Normally VMware users, especially beginners, encounter installation and un-installation problems. Through the online VMware forum, this problem can be resolved by starting a thread asking for solutions. Most often than not, a senior member of the forum will always answer the query and provide valuable guidance. In fact, some forum users even provide detailed step by step and command by command instructions on how to manipulate and tweak the program to avoid or resolve problems. New updates on VMware applications and technology can also be acquired from these forums in order to inform the entire virtualization community. So, anyone who is running a virtual machine or machines can get the latest techniques and patches of VMware which could help them maintain their virtual infrastructure.


W H E R E T O G E T Y O U R V M WA R E FREE

It is undeniable that computers and technology have influenced our lives in many ways. It has surely made work and life easier. And it has been part of our daily lifestyle. There is not a single day that passes by that we do not connect to the internet or use the computer. Moreover, computer technology has led to many innovations such as electronic transfer, online shopping, website development and many more. Virtualization has played a great part in the advancement of computers. This is where VMware comes in.


What does it do and how does it work? VMware actually allows the user to run several virtual machines on a computer. And each of these virtual machines can run a variety of operating systems. So basically, VMware allows the user to run different operating systems on a single computer. Therefore, one can run Windows software applications on a PC having a Linux operating system. VMware free can be downloaded on the internet when you visit their website. Moreover, the site contains guides, information, customer support and many others, so you would not have to worry at all. Whether you are a newbie in the computer world, you can easily learn and use VMware products. Apart from that, it has launched many other software applications that have been used by many computer users these days. VMware free player and workstation are just of the few products that can be obtained from their website. They are skilled and known at developing proprietary virtualization software products that truly works wonders.


B A S I C I N F O R M AT I O N A B O U T F U S I O N B E TA F O R V M WA R E

Sometime around two years ago, the public was eagerly awaiting the beta version of the product called VMware Fusion. It caused quite a stir that many not-so-knowledgeable ones were wondering why it has been eagerly anticipated by those whose passion buttons were constantly pressed by technologically adept individuals. To start off, Fusion is the virtualization client of VMware for OS X. A lot of the techies out there are often familiar with Parallels, which is a solution for Mac computers that will give you the freedom to run Windows operating system as well as other types of operating systems on their Mac platform. This product called Fusion, however, is VMware’s very own answer (or some might even think of it as a challenge) to Parallels specifically.


And since VMware was and is still currently considered as the one true market leader when it comes to virtualization space, having a VMware application for a Mac OS X platform is truly a great big deal. VMware’s Fusion beta system is capable enough to work with Macs that run on Intel processors, thereby allowing you to be able to virtualize a good number of different types of operating systems other than Macintosh – such as Linux’s Ubuntu. You can even assign multiple processors which you can use on your virtual machines, and this can even be further enhanced thanks to a support of USB 2.0 which comes out of the box. But perhaps what is considered to be one of the largest selling points of such a product like Fusion is its ability to work with a wide variety of Virtual Appliances as well.


V M WA R E G S X U P G R A D E S : PROVIDING NEW FIXES & IMPROVING VIRTUAL PERFORMANCE

VMware GSX server application utilizes Open SSL in order to keep the security VMware management protocol and VMware remote console system sessions. Several patches have been released in order to further enhance the security of the virtual environments. Specifically, update 2.5.2 of the VMware GSX resolves the vulnerability of Open SSL used by the virtual network. The fix ensures that the virtual environment will suffer from denial of service due to malware activities. The new VMware GSX application also fixes bugs encountered on virtual environments under a Linux host machine. The bug has been effectively eliminated thus allowing users to correctly interface their Linux configuration with that of the guest virtual machines running on different operating system.


It also improved the durability of Linux VMware installation which allows users to run multiple servers that can perform different data tasks and functions. The improved security on the other hand incorporates new encrypting method for the VMware systems configuration so that administrators can safely manage their virtual environments. GSX upgrades also provide new configuration options for remotely managing the virtual machines thus allowing system administrators much leeway and flexibility in network and systems management. Aside from remote management, the new GSX version now allows for several windows server versions to run on virtual machines. Resource intensive Windows server 2003 can now be hosted on Linux as well as other windows based operating system. New GSX versions also provide several methods of clustering virtual machines especially guest appliance that run on 32 / 64 bit configuration systems.


V M W A R E H A : H I G H AVA I L A B I L I T Y CAN MEAN HIGH PERFORMANCE & PRODUCTIVITY

VMware HA or high availability is a powerful application that can provide ease of use and low cost virtualization of the IT environment. The high availability feature can provide buffer technology for virtual machines. This means that when a server failed, the virtual machines can be instantly migrated to other servers and restarted there without interrupting running applications. This ensures continuity of the virtual environments and avoiding data loss due to systems interruptions and crashes. The high availability (HA) feature of VMware diminishes downtime vulnerability of servers minimizes disruptions in the IT operation. It also eliminates the need for the installation of reserve server hardware and additional software to configure the stand by server. This can bring enormous saving for any enterprise or company running a virtual IT environment.


The VMware HA also provides reliability of the virtual IT because of its ability to instantly switch the operation of individual virtual consoles to a different server host even without configuring the software requirement. This is made possible through the automation of software detection. Thus when a virtual machine migrates to a new server, high availability functions instantly kicks in to find the most suitable configuration detected for the new server. Systems and network administrators then can confidently manage their virtual environments without fear of losing valuable data and compromising their virtual architecture. The VMware HA or high availability is a very useful virtual buffer system. Its utility is magnified especially with increasing need of companies to run an always-on IT environment. It also protects virtual appliance that does not have the capability to cope with server failure.


TOP REQUIREMENTS FOR A BETTER V M WA R E H O S T

Since VMware’s virtual machines are quite powerful, it will come as no surprise that the host system of this product will need several kinds and levels of requirements in order for the host to actually run. The same thing with physical computers actually is that the entire system itself will be able to perform a whole lot better if they find themselves running on faster processors as well as a generous amount of memory. On the short list, you will need to consider several things which also includes the ever-important personal computer hardware, its memory, the type of display it has, the number and functionality of disk drives, the LAN or the local access network (although this one is optional) and the host operating system. Considered to be of prime importance, the personal computer hardware will need a minimum of the standard x86 feature that is compatible with the system as well as a four hundred megahertz of a CPU (or even faster, as it is often encouraged) or even up to five hundred.


There are different types of processors which you can work with, including Intel’s Celeron, Pentium Series of I up to 4, Pentium M (which also includes that of computers with Centrino), and Xeon with Prestonia. Other compatibilities also include AMD’s Athlon, the more advanced Athlon MP and XP, as well as the Duron, Opteron and Sempron series. There are also other things which you need to know about such processors which may get a bit too detailed to describe, but a wide resource on such technical and specific data regarding such processors may also be found on the website of VMware itself.


W O R K I N G W I T H V M WA R E T O O L S : EASY AS PIE

VMware is a great tool which allows you to run your very own virtual machine on a material or tangible platform – your very own computer. There are different things you can do with a virtual machine, and for you to be able to test the width and breadth of its features and applicability you might want to try out the different types of Virtual Appliances or VMware images. These are certainly very useful for a wide variety of tasks which you may wish to perform on a virtual machine running directly from your personal computer.


Of course, compatibility will be a standard issue so you will also need to be aware of the fact that VMware appliances or VMware Images will also work in four environments – namely the VMware Player and VMware server (which may be freely downloaded), the VMware Workstation 5.5+ and VMware ESX 3+ (which is also the VMware Virtual Infrastructure). For you to be able to use such images, you will need to follow several steps. First, you have to download the free player called VMware Player. You may then download the image which you want to use (from the list of appliances it currently offers). The third step will involve unzipping the file and finally you may then load the actual image itself on VMware. Remember that such images were created out of straight installs of the actual distribution, using the default options that are available. These instructions, when followed to the letter, will surely set you on the way to VMware productivity!


T H E B E N E F I T O F V M WA R E I M A G E S

It is true that the computer technology have opened doors and opportunities to many advancements and discoveries that make life easier than it was before. Whether it is for communications, shopping, banking, wire transfer, investment or business advertising, people use computers. Small and large-scale industries depend on computers for their security and database records. It is clearly undeniable that people these days are becoming more and more reliant on computers and technology for their everyday tasks. And this is where virtualization comes in. many IT experts say that virtualization has paved its way to the rapid evolution from being a server tool to becoming an optimized technology foundation for computer infrastructures.


There is a need to have standardized management process and a dynamic tool to make astounding virtualization products. VMware has been known for these virtualization tools and products. It is simple to operate and very user friendly. VMware offers a variety of freeware versions as well as commercially available ones. With it, one can run Windows applications on a PC having a Linux operating system. One can definitely save time in reinstalling operating systems just to run these programs. VMware images are actually snapshots that are very useful to revert your virtual machine to its stable system state. It would be a great solution to software debugging and many other purposes. These VMware images are compatible and can work in VMware Player, VMware Server, VMware workstation and VMware Infrastructure. And the good thing is that the player and server can be downloaded for free. Just visit their web site to avail of these software products.


V M WA R E I N F R A S T R U C T U R E F O R YOUR

S O F T WA R E N E E D S

Computers are everywhere. Every home, office, university and government agency has a PC. It is used for a variety of purposes. Some use it for online businesses. Some use it for electronic shopping, for wire transfers, for record-keeping, for entertainment, net browsing and many more. No wonder why computers have typically evolved and advanced into many things. It has developed into a household name and its technology is undeniably remarkable. One of the things that make it magnificent is the concept of virtualization. Operating systems are developed, software programs and applications continue to be created, and more people get hooked on firmware. VMware has raised its bar with its dozens of software products that aid in using computer applications on different operating systems.


VMware Infrastructure 3 has been launched during 2006 and it is said to be the industry’s leading infrastructure virtualization software package that will help businesses and companies to make the most out of their IT systems. VMware infrastructure provided server partitioning, capacity planning, additional management and virtual tools for servers. Moreover, it enables system capabilities in a wider range or servers and hosts. Aside from that, it offers database and business data with security. And applications can be recovered or transferred easily without having to worry about the operating systems installed or hardware. This eventually reciprocates into savings in hardware costs and repairs and many more. Truly, it is again one of the brilliant products developed by VMware Inc. which is dedicated in optimum virtualization and development. Soon, it will release another VMware infrastructure that will support more applications and help a greater number of companies.


M A N A G E M E N T I M PA C T O F V M WA R E INFRASTRUCTURE 3

VMware Infrastructure 3 is the first of its kind in the virtualization market. It is a comprehensive suite designed to provide companies and enterprises the ability to run a complete IT environment

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infrastructure suite provides companies with a responsive data center system that can be managed using virtual machines. These can improve efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and productivity. The suite specifically increases the capability of the virtual system to use limited hardware resources which decrease the need to acquire new hardware for a growing virtual infrastructure. The ability of VMware infrastructure extends beyond the capacity of any virtualization

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companies to operate ten virtual machines on a single host processor. This level of consolidation of available physical resources means a company can build a huge IT environment even on few hosts. This has considerable impact on corporate savings and IT financials.


Another impact of VMware infrastructure suite is its reduction of server space, rack requirement, and other peripheral needs such as cabling, cooling, and storage. By reducing the volume of actual machines, issues concerning non-performing maintenance expenses can be eliminated or reduced. It can also streamline IT management and companies can rationalize their IT organization. Streamlining of IT department is possible because fewer personnel will be needed to maintain a virtual infrastructure. This eases the management aspect of the IT organization. VMware Infrastructure 3 indeed can provide companies with enough breathing space in terms of resource utilization and resource savings. The virtualization of the IT infrastructure can certainly improve not just the financial standing of companies but also increases the efficiency of managing IT due to smaller organization.


V M WA R E I S C S I I N T E G R AT I O N : DR IV IN G IT VI RT U AL I ZATI ON TO NEW LEVELS

iSCSI is a low cost alternative to Fiber Channel in terms of virtualization of storage and data center migration to virtual storage. Most VMware deployments use Fiber Channel for their data storage solution which is more expensive. With the emergence of VMware iSCSI union, the virtualization industry has reached a new level of cost effectiveness and performance. With VMware Infrastructure-3 release, the IT environment and architecture of enterprises has been elevated to a new level. It certainly magnified the utility of virtualization and increases the productivity of IT deployment. Improvements can certainly take effect with the integration iSCSI technology to VMware application.


With the machines going virtual, the storage issues are quickly following the trend toward virtualization. This can further improve the total virtualization of enterprise IT system. Because of this combination, almost everything now can be stored on a single physical machine thus eliminating the need for high cost data server maintenance. Although, the combined technology will surely boosts the efficiency and productivity of IT environments, some sectors suggest caution in plunging head on to virtual storage system. This is especially true for systems that need to upgrade their Ethernet capabilities. It is also advised that planning is still a necessary part of the IT virtualization integration. Although the iSCSI functionality is an easy to use technology compared to Fiber Channel, it does not mean that companies will do away with careful planning and mapping of their data center and data storage requirements. This will ensure that the VMware and iSCSI integration can be seamlessly utilized for the virtual IT architecture.


T H E V M WA R E L I C E N S E P R O G R A M : GIVING USERS THE FULL BENEFIT OF

V I RT U A L I ZAT I O N

The VMware server is technically a free download resource from the VMware website. A user can easily save the application to a local computer. However, the program will need a serial number to work. To be able to get a serial number, one should get a license which can also be acquired free. An online form needs to be filled up so that a valid license for the software can be issued. The online form can be found on the website of VMware. The VMware evaluation copy also has a counterpart evaluation license which expires after the period of evaluation. During evaluation, the software is fully functional allowing users to maximize the utilities of the application.


The VMware license is issued for a single user only and can be used on a limited number of machines. The license is not transferable and can be used only for the machine where the application was originally installed. Upon termination of the license key, further licensing of the software and other additional modules of the general software can be reacquired by paying a license fee. This will ensure that the program can be used fully and any additional module can be integrated into the general program. The VMware software is a very useful and powerful IT virtualization application. It has the ability to optimize a single workstation into multiple PCs with multiple operating systems. It can bring down the cost of IT infrastructure including server maintenance and data storage center. It can also minimize the need for any hardware requirements because the virtual machines can share the resources of the host machine. To fully enjoy the benefits of the VMware applications, it is always best to get a license for its use.


V M WA R E M A C H I N E W O R K S WONDERS

It is not surprising that computers have evolved in a very fast manner. Every now and then, new processors, new operating systems are created. And almost every month, a new software product is being developed. Indeed, the computer age is one of the peak advancements in history and it continues to flourish. Back then, computers were only used by the professionals. But now, people have computers in their homes, offices, schools and communities. Thanks to virtualization, the computer progress has advanced to a fuller level. VMware is one of the great names when it comes to proprietary virtualization.


They have software products that can be bought and some versions are free for download. VMware Inc. has branches worldwide and it continues to cover nations with spectacular innovations. VMware machine desktop software can run on Windows, Linux and Mac. It was founded by Diane Greene, Scott Devine, Edward Wang, Mendel Rosenblum and Edward Bugnion in the year 1998. You can visit their website to have a look at the VMware machine software products they offer. One of which is the VMware workstation that allows the user to run multiple programs with compatible operating systems on a computer. Another is the VMware Fusion which allows Mac users to use VMware machine and other products as well. VMware Player is offered for free but it cannot create virtual machines. However, a VMware Server can possibly create virtual machines in no time. It has a friendly user interface with a similar functionality with other workstations. In addition, VMware Inc. has made various tools that are available for Linux, Windows, Mac, Sun Solaris and many other operating systems.


V M WA R E M O U N T: A L L O W I N G T H E VI RT U AL I ZATI ON O F TH E D IS K UTILITY

The virtual VMware workstation and server utilize also virtual disk files. These disk files serve as the virtual storage drive of the VMware program. This is popularly known as the VMware mount or the VMware disk mount utility. It is best to mount the virtual storage and disk files in the operating system of the host machine. This will safe keep the data and information processed on virtual machines and server. In the event that a system failure on the virtual machine happens, the data can still be retrieved.


The VMware disk mount utility will allow users to create a mounted virtual disk on the host machine’s operating system. The virtual mounted disk will be assigned a specific letter on the host system. The VMware disk mount utility is available for download at the VMware website. This module can be instantly activated once the end user license agreement has been accepted by the downloading party. The disk mount then can now be installed on a virtual machine or it can also be installed on the operating system of the host machine. Installing the disk mount for VMware is quite easy. There are no complicated technical tweaks that are needed. Installation is made easier by the availability of an installation wizard which can guide users on the step by step procedure for set-up. After activating the wizard and accepting the license agreement, the installation can now begin. The default folder directory should be okay for this installation and just wait for it to finish.


HOW TO RECONFIGURE THE V M WA R E N AT

The NAT device handles the IP translation of virtual network switches to actual external networks. It is therefore responsible for the communication processes of the virtual machines to the outside network systems. It uses sockets such as the API socket key to direct the flow of incoming and outgoing network traffic. The VMware NAT specifically uses all the resources of the host network interface cards for this purpose. It leverages the operating system of the host machine to communicate with all kinds of network communication. The VMware NAT will hide behind the host IP address and use it for its communication purposes. However, there are times when the host IP address use will not work. Users of virtual machines then can easily change the IP of VMware NAT to something more unique to it. When changing the IP address, the virtual machines must be turned off in order for the new address to take effect upon start.


The first thing you have to do is to open the manage virtual network tab on the menu. A dialog box will appear which will allow you to reconfigure the subnet mask of the VMnet8 of the VMware network adapters. The network option will now appear which will allow users to change the default settings of the virtual subnet mask and the virtual IP address. After changing the range of the virtual network adapters, the settings can be saved by clicking the OK button. The virtual IP now has been changed and it can communicate with external networks using this new IP address.


BUILD A BETTER NETWORK WITH V M WA R E H O S T

If you are interested in knowing how to beef up your VMware network in order to have a better virtual machine, then you are in for a good read. Keep in mind that the basic key when it comes to improving your network it to install VMware tools as well as the Network Driver in the Operating System labeled as ‘Guest’. There are many freely available instructions regarding this procedure, but keep in mind that they are usually limited to only four ways – installing the VMware Tools as well as Network Driver on platforms like Windows 2000 Guest, Windows NT 4.0 Guest, a Linux Guest and also on a Free BSD Guest.


When you install on the VMware network on any of these platforms, remember that the steps involved for each of the guest operating systems will assume that you are also working on the task from a consol that is remote as well as connected to your own virtual machine. If you want to prepare the procedure, you will need to install your virtual machine in order to get the types of VMware Tools that you need. To do this, Go to settings and then click the root file called VMware Tools Install. Choosing this one will require the cd-rom drive to be in the virtual machine in order to use an image file in ISO format which will then contain the VMware Tools content. Using such an image that also appears on a regular compact disc that is found in the virtual machine and then placed on the server machine after installing VMware ESX Server will be a good option to make sure that your network is up and running.


3 M O D E S O F V M WA R E NETWORKING

There are three modes that can be used for the VMware networking protocols. The VMware networking tools are responsible for the communication processes of the virtual machines. They are also responsible for the flow of outgoing and incoming network traffic of the virtual machine environment. The first VMware networking mode uses bridging methods. This is the simplest virtual machine connection to the external network systems. It uses the physical network resources of the host machine and replicates the characteristic of the host in using the bridge. The network program of the host views the virtual network as a separate PC or engine utilizing the Local Area Network for its communication purposes.


The second VMware networking mode is through the use of Host only connection. Virtual communication can take place between the host and the virtual machines. In like manner, the virtual machines can communicate with external network utilizing the network interface of the host system. This method of network communication is ideal for local network traffic between host and virtual machines. However, this is not ideal for use in traffic direction outside of the network. The last networking mode of the VMware systems is the use of NAT. VMware NAT translates the IP protocol of the host to communicate with other external networks. The configuration for this kind of connection can be manually altered in order to assign unique IP address for the virtual machine. The main disadvantage of this kind of communication is the virtual machines can use the entire network resources of the host.


G E N E R A L I N S TA L L AT I O N G U I D E FOR

V M WA R E O N U B U N T U

Ubuntu is a freeware operating system which can be used on desktop and laptop workstations and servers. It is similar to the Linux distribution system but with greater focus on client security. VMware on Ubuntu is possible because of its ability to adopt different operating systems. Installing VMware server could be complicated especially if users are not familiar with the system’s interfaces and specific handles. Ubuntu is a free download like the VMware. Users therefore can run desktop and server programs at no cost to their IT budget. After downloading the VMware server software and the Ubuntu operating system, the installation can now begin. First, the patch for the VMware Ubuntu installation should be accomplished first. This will ensure a no glitch installation of the VMware virtualization software. Systems administrators must also ensure that the host machine build essential conforms to the requirement of the VMware server.


After these preliminary steps, the VMware installation can now begin. The software should be unpacked and stored on a local folder of the host machine. After activating the install command which can be easily found on the extracted folders, users only have to follow the installation wizard. After loading the VMware on Ubuntu, make sure that the do not compile option of VMware is selected. Every option can run on its default configuration. The VMware server is now ready for use as a virtual server machine on a host Ubuntu operating system. The virtual machine can run distinct programs and can execute commands independent of the host Ubuntu system.


V M WA R E O S : E N A B L I N G M U LT I P L E OSS TO RUN ON ONE PHYSICAL MACHINE

Virtualization is an interesting methodology in the computing industry. It has attracted so much attention over the last few years because of what it can do. Virtualization can be a bit tricky to explain in layman's terms because it is highly technical, but for purposes of discussion, virtualization simply means virtually dividing a single physical resource, such as a computer, into several partitions. With the use of virtualization software, each partition is then transformed into one virtual standalone computer, running on its own operating system and performing tasks on its own, without conflicting with the other virtual standalone computers which are also minding their own businesses.


Because of virtualization, running different operating systems at the same time on one computer is now possible. A computer running on Ubuntu Linux can serve as a host operating system (OS) so guest OSs such as Windows XP can run within it. This proves to be especially useful for users who want to be able to use all the best applications various operating systems offer. A fan of Linux can still run Ubuntu on his computer while typing his documents in Microsoft Word, for instance. Out of all software companies developing virtualization software, VMware is considered the industry leader. One of its products is the VMware Workstation, which is a software suite that enables a computer to be divided into several virtual machines, with each machine running a guest OS. All guest OSs are hosted by the primary OS. Depending on the configuration, most available OSs such as XP, Vista, and Ubuntu Linux can play the role of guest or host OS.


V M WA R E P 2 V: T O O L S F O R CLONING THE PHYSICAL TO THE VIRTUAL

The VMware P2V (physical to virtual) migration tool allows user to clone the physical system in order to apply it on a virtual machine. When using the P2V tool, the user must have two sets of system running. The first is the physical system or host which is the one being cloned and the second is the virtual machine which can be made possible through VMware workstation or server application. There are several issues that may arise when initializing the VMware P2V migration tool.


First, when the cloning protocol starts, the software may detect that the target disk has not enough space for the operation to begin. This may happen even if the target disk is large or has enough disk space. One probable solution to this issue is to allow the software to resize the target disk so that it will conform to the specification of the program. Usually, this will solve the problem and the cloning will run smoothly. However, if the program still rejects the disk after allowing it to resize the partition, then the user must terminate cloning and acquire more disk space to accommodate the operation. Second, there are preliminary steps and systems configuration that must be carried out first before initializing cloning and migration. If these steps are not carried out the operation may hang thus terminating the operation. The preliminary steps can be found on the documentation of the P2V software. Finally, the P2V operation copies everything from the target disk even if it contains partitions. This will result to redundant files or unwanted being copied to the clone system. This can be solved by following the procedures for handling file copy partition during cloning.


T O P V M WA R E P E R F O R M A N C E ENHANCER TIPS

Virtualization entails the operation of virtual computers inside the host (physical) system. With multiple guests having multiple operating systems residing on the host server, the physical machine could be pushed to it maximum capabilities. It is therefore important to optimize the performance of the VMware program to enable the host to handle the guest appliance. One thing that could max the performance of VMware is to use its built-in and ready to install tools. Using the tools of the VMware instead of third party application can significantly increase the performance of the virtual machines. Another important thing that must be done is to perform regular defrag operation on the virtual disks. Virtual disk are similar to physical drives. Continued usage makes its sectors fragmented thus slowing down loading time. By defragging the disk, the fragmented files can be unified again which will increase the speed of the virtual machine.


For the host system especially if it is running on Windows platform, it would be best to run its interface on basic mode and increase performance rather than graphic display. Users should disable animation effects on Windows because this eats up lots of physical RAM. Another performance enhancing measure is to disable all CDROM functionality on each of the virtual machines. The virtual memory will allocate shared memory on these devices. Disabling it could release much needed memory for the virtual machines. Finally, if the system is running erratically and considerably displays events of slow down, it must be time already for a system upgrade. The disk, memory, and systems cards, should be upgraded a notch higher in order to cope with the demands of the virtual environment.


V M WA R E P L AY E R D O W N L O A D : N E W VERSION WITH EXTRA SECURITY SETTINGS

VMware player is a desktop utility that allows users to run and display several virtual machines on a single workstation in Windows and Linux platform. The VMware Player is a free application and can be downloaded directly from the VMware website. The Player is very useful especially in using and customizing the interfaces of virtual machines so that it can be easily accessed by users. Aside from the preconfigured virtual computer system created on VMware workstation and server, the VMware Player can also run the virtualization interface of other Windows based applications such as Virtual PC, Virtual Server, and Symantec Back-up. It therefore holds the key in running everything that is created for virtual display and functions.


The current release of the VMware Player is version 2.0.3 on build 80004. This new version fixes many bugs that have been noticed by users. The reported bugs and software vulnerabilities have been resolved by VMware thus enhancing the capability of the VMware virtual player to provide access and security to virtual machines as well as shield the host system. Several peripheral issues have been resolved also in this latest version of the VMware player such as the capability to accept USB devices on virtual machine ports even without utilizing the resources of the host. The folder issue on Windows platform wherein shared folders continue to be accessible to everyone has been resolved. The new version of player allows users to configure the privacy and security settings of Windows shared folders to minimize vulnerabilities of the host system.


V M WA R E S E R V E R & U S B 2 . 0 : E N A B L I N G H I G H - S P E E D D ATA TRANSFERS IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

Because of Universal Serial Bus (or USB for short), many devices can be plugged directly to the computer and have them work properly without shutting down and restarting the computer. Devices plugged into USB are immediately recognized by the computer upon plugging in. Upon recognition by the computer, the user can launch the device and let it do its thing. Peripheral computer devices that can be connected to computers through USB include keyboards, mice, printers, and scanners. Gadgets such as mp3 players, media players, digital cameras, and cell phones, among others, can also be connected to computers through USB.


USB has several versions. The first one is USB 0.7 which was released way back in late 2004. The current version is USB 2.0, and it's faster than ever with a maximum speed of 480 Mbit/s. Initially, this USB version had problems with VMware Server, which is VMware’s software for virtualizing servers to maximize their usage. For many computer users, both business and individual, virtualization is a necessity with its ability to partition a physical resource—a server for example—into several divisions, with each division acting like a full and independent server. Therefore, problems with reconciling USB 2.0 with VMware Server were common. People encountered difficulties in connecting USB 2.0 devices to virtual machines because USB 2.0 wasn’t initially supported by VMware Server and other VMware’s products. However, VMware Workstation 6 solved these concerns by supporting USB 2.0 devices. This gave way to faster and easier access to various storage devices. High-speed data transfers were made possible, even in a virtual environment.


V M WA R E S E R V E R S E R I A L N U M B E R S ARE

C O M P L E T E LY F R E E !

VMware, Inc. is undeniably an industry leader when it comes to designing

and

developing

virtualization

software.

After

all,

virtualization is a technology that has helped business users and personal users make the most out of their computers and other IT resources. With virtualization, resources such as servers are maximized by partitioning them in several sections. Each section duplicates the functionality of the actual resource. For example, a physical server can be divided into several partitions, and each partition is a virtual server whose functions are the same as the physical server. Basically, virtualization is all about virtually creating more of the same thing, and this eliminates or at least minimizes the need to purchase expensive physical resources.


Because of the importance of virtualization, VMware easily shot to leader status in its field. One of VMware's products is the VMware Server. This product enables virtualization on a physical server which results to a higher level of flexibility and a greater usage of the server's hardware. The benefits of using VMware are enough reason for any user interested in maximizing his server’s capabilities to utilize VMware. On top of all that, the VMware Server is free. People can download free licensed serial numbers from the official VMware website. These serial numbers are not for a trial period; they’re for good. Upon receiving the serial number, users should register their serial numbers so they can proceed to downloading the latest version of the VMware Server (version 1.0.5) from the website. Older versions are also listed there for downloads.


V M WA R E S U P P O R T: D E L I V E R I N G B E Y O N D E X P E C TAT I O N S

VMware, Inc. is a company that focuses on developing software used for virtualization which means creating a virtually whole version of storage devices, servers, operating systems, or network resources that are made of different parts in actuality. Virtualization is an important technology in the IT industry because it enables big-scale multitasking and sharing of resources. These two results of virtualization lead to lower costs and higher efficiency for companies who are seeking ways to improve their productivity. As mentioned, VMware is one of several developers of virtualization software. VMware is under EMC Corporation, a Fortune 500 company that specializes in creating software for managing information and storage. Being under the umbrella of an established company, VMware became quickly well-known in the industry. However, aside from having a good name to back it up, VMware also became popular for the high quality of the products it makes.


VMware is also known for its excellent after-sales support. Existing testimonials from various companies have a common denominator—practically everyone gives a glowing report on how the VMware technical support team goes the extra mile when it comes to assisting clients with their concerns. VMware makes sure that the products it delivers to the clients are not limited to the software itself, but also includes excellent customer service. VMware's support website (http://www.VMware.com/support) shows just how much the company takes customer service seriously. Upon visiting the site, clients can browse through a myriad of resources which can help them resolve basic problems on their own. For more complicated issues, can log in and from there, choose from one of several ways to contact the technical support team.


V M WA R E & U S B F L A S H D R I V E S E L I M I N AT E T H E N E E D F O R M U LT I P L E C O M P U T E R S

VMware, a software company under EMC Corporation, is popular for its virtualization products. Virtualization is a crucial methodology in the IT industry because it allows various physical resources to be combined to make one multi-tasking virtual resource. It also allows one physical resource to be divided into virtual partitions that work autonomously. Resources that can be virtualized include servers, operating systems, storage devices, and applications.


In 2007, VMware released a program, the VMware Pocket Ace, that lets users save virtualization software in as portable applications, which are software programs stored in removable storage devices such as a USB flash drive, as an example. Portable apps are convenient for on-the-go users because they don't have to install the programs in each computer that they use. This is perfect for people who often change computers, handle several computers at a given time, or travel with a laptop which can be stole or lost in between trips. Portable storage devices that can be used for VMware Pocket Ace include USB flash disks, external hard drives, or mp3 players such as the Apple iPod. VMware Pocket Ace promises to lower costs for companies by allowing employees to carry a portable storage device containing a virtual desktop instead of letting each of them carry a laptop, especially if the said employees need to access files on a sporadic basis. With VMware Pocket Ace, companies can set one universal computer in which employees can stick their USB flash drives so they can access their virtual desktop. In effect, VMware Pocket Ace transforms a single computer into several ones.


S E V E R A L O P E R AT I N G S Y S T E M S O N O N E V M WA R E V I R T U A L M A C H I N E : T H AT ' S M U LT I TA S K I N G !

A computer, a server, an operating system, a storage device: at first glance, each resource in this set is one of its kind. Physically, there’s only one computer to do several processes, one operating system to run its own recognized applications, one server to store network information, and one storage device to save data files. But with virtualization, one computer can become multiple computers. Same goes with the server, the operating system, and the storage device. Virtualization divides a resource into several partitions, and each partition works exactly like the original resource it comes from. Because the division is done virtually, each one is referred to as a virtual machine.


Virtualization is made possible by software designed to do exactly that, and perhaps the most well-known designer and producer of such software is VMware, Inc. This company's focus is on creating virtualization software, as illustrated by the name itself. The VM in the company's name stands for virtual machine, while the "ware" part of the name comes from "software." VMware was founded in California ten years ago, back in 1998. Its parent company is EMC Corporation, also a popular software manufacturer on its own right. When virtualization took off, EMC Corporation wanted to be on the forefront; hence, VMware was born. VMware has several products, and one of them is the VMware Workstation which is a software suite for virtual machines. This software divides the original OS into several partitions, with each partition running another OS. An example is Ubuntu Linux running in Windows XP in a virtualized environment. This allows flexibility for users who want to use exclusive applications offered by other OSs that cannot be run in the original OS they’re using.


V M WA R E V I R T U A L S E R V E R : A NUMBER OF SERVERS, ALL FOR THE PRICE OF ONE

Virtualization is, in simple terms, masking several physical resources so that end users can only see a single virtual one. It can also work in reverse by masking one physical resource in such a way that end users see a several resources which they can use for their varied purposes. Whatever the case may be, virtualization is an important methodology in the IT industry. Several resources can be virtualized, and an example of such is a server. A virtual server is just one server in actuality, but it is partitioned into several servers using virtualization software so that each partition functions like a standalone and independent machine. Each partition acts like a server by itself, with its own operating system and reboot function. For virtual servers, the question usually boils down to two options: Microsoft or VMware. For the purposes of this article, VMware virtual server will be discussed.


VMware is a software company that specializes in developing virtualization software, and one of their popular products is none other than VMware ESX Server, which is perfect to use when a server is being under-utilized. Companies looking for ways to maximize the use of their servers should consider virtualizing them using VMware ESX Server. VMware ESX Server focuses on virtualizing a server at the hardware level. Because of this feature, VMware ESX Server is known for its direct, “bare metal” installation. It does not use an operating system (OS) as a platform; rather, it has its own kernel which acts like its own OS.


V M WA R E & V I S TA : W O R K I N G TOGETHER IN PERFECT HARMONY

Microsoft is known for its long line of operating systems dating back to the mid-1980s with MS-DOS. Microsoft has come a long way since then, as proven by its multibillion-dollar net worth and its most recently released operating system, the Windows Vista. Just this year, after a series of reversed decisions, Microsoft finally allowed users of Windows Vista Basic and Premium Edition to use these versions in virtualized environments. Thus, both business users and home users can enjoy the benefits of virtualization with this move done by Microsoft.


Of course, Microsoft is not letting virtualization be taken over by someone else without a fight. The company has developed its own virtualization technology to compete against the industry leader in virtualization, which is none other than VMware. But in spite of the competition, Vista can run in a VMware environment, and VMware can run in a Vista environment. Initially, only Vista could run in VMware but not the other way around. In fact, many people believed (and still d0) that Vista functions better with VMware, and should be bundled as a virtual appliance. However, with the release of VMware Beta 6, Vista can be used as the host OS (operating system). Aside from converting Windows Vista as the host OS, VMware Beta 6 also allows a virtualized environment to span across several monitors. Same works for the reverse—a single monitor can be configured to display several virtual environments. VMware Beta 6 can also support USB 2.0 devices that require a fast virtual machine in order to work properly.


V M WA R E & X P : B O O S T I N G T H E P C ’ S V E R S AT I L I T Y

VMware,

a

software

company

specializing

in

making

virtualization software, is the deemed industry leader in its field. VMware has covered groundbreaking innovations with its products. Because of virtualization, businesses can maximize the use of their IT resources to lower operational costs and increase profits without sacrificing functionality. One of the products of VMware is VMware Workstation, which allows several operating systems to run at the same time in separate virtual machines on a physically single computer. Because of this technology, one computer has the potential to become several different ones, with each handling a different process. With virtualization, there’s no need to buy multiple computers, which saves money. There’s also no need for one computer to finish a process before starting on the next one, which saves time.


Way back in 2002, VMware announced that Guest OS Kits were packaged with fully-functional, pre-installed Windows XP to make its installation on a virtual machine easy, quick, and hassle-free. What did this mean to users? Users who were utilizing nonMicrosoft operating systems such as Mac or Ubuntu Linux didn’t have to completely do away with MS applications such as Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and MS Office, to name a few. It has been proven since then that Windows XP can run smoothly in a VMware environment. VMware Workstation’s powers are not limited to that, though. VMware Workstation also allows a Windows XP virtual machine to run in a Linux operating system. It also allows older versions of an operating system, such as MS DOS, to run inside a newer version, such as Windows XP.


V M WA R E ( W W W. V M WA R E . C O M ) : PROVIDING A UNIQUE A LT E R N AT I V E F O R O P T I M I Z I N G B U S I N E S S O P E R AT I O N S

VMware at www.VMware.com leads the technology industry in providing superior virtualization products and solutions both for desktop and data server functionalities. The solutions offered by VMware have the capabilities to bring down operational costs and capital spending. Virtualization also promises business continuity, stronger server security, and the ability to set-up a paper-less company making it environment friendly. VMware can be found at Palo Alto California and is touted as the fastest growing public software company today. It boast a $1.33 billion annual sales coming from more than 100,000 companies which include those listed on Fortune 100.


The virtualization products and solutions that VMware offers range from freeware applications for desktops to industry-class deployment of virtualization programs designed to optimize the IT architecture of companies. These solutions are ideal for consolidating the data center and server infrastructure of companies. It can also automate workstation desktops to ensure that companies can deliver 24/7 IT business solutions for its customers. Customers can see the details of VMware’s complete product line at www.VMware.com. All the products and software solution of VMware have cross-operating system ability and can run even on multiple platforms and different IT environments. The alternative offered by VMware can certainly streamline the need of companies to build additional dedicated networks for each of their product solutions. It is no wonder that the client base of VMware has quadrupled from last year and the company has shown enough robustness and strength to sustain its growth. Through VMware, entire enterprises can now sit back and let automated virtual machines run their business for them.

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