Which VMware version for development?

Question

Hello,

I'm lost among the zillion versions of VMware. Which one should I choose?

I just want to:

• create VM's
• take snapshots
• run it on top of a third party host OS (no ESX)
• get the least resource intensive for the host OS
• UPDATE: get it free if possible ("as in free beer")

I first went for VMware server but isn't it a bit overkill for my use? I will only run 1 VM.

Thanks for your suggestions,

Teebot

Answer 1

You want VMWare Workstation.

Answer 2

Thanks.. I forgot to mention "Free if possible" :)

Answer 3

VirtualBox is free virtualization software, but it isn't VMWare. =)

Answer 4

VMWare Workstation will do all of the above, and more:

• Create whole-cloth (straight file copies) or delta-only (which uses a "parent" image and only records changes) clones of machines
• Simulate an environment with multiple machines (useful for client-server)
• Integration with Visual Studio debugger
• Screen captures / recordings
• Import physical machines as images, appliances, OVA's (open virtual machines), and also Export a few other formats.

VMWare Player allows you to deploy a single machine to someone else free of charge. It does not create or change images. What PDFs are to Acrobat Reader, VM images are to VMWare Player.

VMWare Server is their older server product, now free of charge. Some products still integrate with this.

VMWare ESXi is their light-weight enterprise solution, now free as of last year. It allows for multiple images to be used, but lacks high-end tools, such as live migration. This is mostly used in the SMB market, as it can only deal with a single machine and lacks the integration features of its "big brother".

VMWare ESX is the "heavy" for-pay solution (the big brother of ESXi) and has all of the high-end goodies needed for a virtualized server environment, including live migration of running machines from server to server (yes, you can move across hardware), shared images, shared filesystem, etc.

Answer 5

ive been developing in house virtual machines and the best way ive found to make them economically and usable on all three platforms is like so

first off use fusion on mac or vmplayer on linux and/or windows

go to www.easyvmx.com and create a starting layout for your guest os

add what ever virtual hardware u want, in fact id suggest adding everything

download the zip and there you have a working blank virtual machines

install os of choice by just pointing one of the vmware cdroms to an iso or by using an actually setup disk

thats pretty much it

the vmx is just a text file, just open it up and u can see how you can comment or disable certain hardware

one note on mac is to add to the vmx file, snapshot.disabled = "TRUE" if u dont want your hard drive to fill up w snapshot files

Answer 6

Use Vmware workstation version 2, but i have found better performance using ESXi if your are running vmware on hardware on the vmware hcl. ESXi is least resource intensive and one has more control over CPU, memory and network resources.