Which one?

[leco]

Starting to think about virtualisation and perhaps wish to use VMware. I believe it's free but I got confused when on the VMWare.com site, which is where I thought perhaps it was.

Could someone please advise where I get it from and which bits to download?

[ghannahuk]

Starting to think about virtualisation and perhaps wish to use VMware. I believe it's free but I got confused when on the VMWare.com site, which is where I thought perhaps it was.

Could someone please advise where I get it from and which bits to download?

Free VMware Server Download for Server Consolidation - VMware

I just downloaded the free VMware Server 1.0.8.

Or you could use the Citrix XenServer at:
https://www.citrix.com/English/ps2/p...ntentID=683148

[leco]

Will download that then and have a play. Thanks.

[FN-GM]

VMware seerver 2 is free, got it running in production and it works well

[leco]

VMware seerver 2 is free, got it running in production and it works well

Have now downloaded that and am wading through the manual - yes I like to read first. I think I might be going to have a fun half term of playing with this it looks interesting

[FN-GM]

When you isntall you need to do this first:

Click Start -> Control Panel
Open Administrative Tools
Open Local Security Settings
Click Software Restriction Policies
If no software restrictions are defined, right click the Software Restriction Policies node and select New Software Restriction Policy
Double click Enforcement
Select "All users except local administrators"
Click OK
Reboot the machine

[leco]

When you isntall you need to do this first:

Click Start -> Control Panel
Open Administrative Tools
Open Local Security Settings
Click Software Restriction Policies
If no software restrictions are defined, right click the Software Restriction Policies node and select New Software Restriction Policy
Double click Enforcement
Select "All users except local administrators"
Click OK
Reboot the machine

Thanks for this as I would not have thought of it at all.

[Theblacksheep]

Its also worthwhile giving ESXi a go.

Free VMware ESXi

This is a bare metal hypervisor (like hyper-v) but is much, much smaller (can boot from small USB stick) so you dont need to install it if you dont want to (or disturb what you already have installed). Limited hardware (intel pro 1000 network card generally needed), altho unlike hyper-v doesnt need intel/amd processor extensions to run so it can run on older machines.

[PEO]

got this running 2 x server 2003 on top of server 2008 enviroment, pluss vmware player in 3 ICT computer rooms for the OCR nationals. Excellent technology.. citrix and vmware have sort of bumped in the middele and are the best at the moment IMO. Personally I wouldnt touch M$ VPC... its no were up to par like the others.

[tmcd35]

Starting to think about virtualisation and perhaps wish to use VMware. I believe it's free but I got confused when on the VMWare.com site, which is where I thought perhaps it was.

Could someone please advise where I get it from and which bits to download?

If you're just starting to play with Virtualisation then I'd recommend also trying out Microsofts Virtual Server 2005R2.

I'm a VMWare man by preference, I find it has a better UI. However I am looking at M$ myself over VMWare. Why?

VMWare Server and M$ Virtual Server are great for getting started but when it comes to serious production virtualisition then you'll almost certainly want a bare metal hyper-visor. The choice is typically Xen, ESXi and Hyper-V.

M$ Hyper-V is free with Win2k8 and has features you need to pay big bucks for with VMWare ESX and Xen (Citrix or Virtual Iron).

So try them both now and research the options. That way you can make the best choice early on and you won't have to muck around converting VMDKs to VHDs, or vice-versa, if you decide to change platform later on.

[leco]

Thanks guys. Now for a totally stupid question - what is a bare metal hyper-visor and why would I need one?

[tmcd35]

VMWare Server requires either MS Windows or Linux to be installed on the computer first. It run's on top of your existing OS installation.

Bare metal hyper-visors run on the computer directly, without the need of an existing OS installation. This has a performance boost over the previous method as the virtualisation software has direct control over the hardware being virtualised.

[Theblacksheep]

Thanks guys. Now for a totally stupid question - what is a bare metal hyper-visor and why would I need one?

A hypervisor is a system that runs VMs...

with vm server, vm player, vm workstation, vm fusion, virtualbox, virtual PC, MS vertial server you are installing these ontop of an Operating System. This is a type 2 hypervisor.

A baremetal hypervisor is one that runs without a traditional Operating System. This is a type 1 hypervisor.



You get more performance, you're not reliant on an operating system, its smaller, you dont have as many updates etc... etc

EDIT: tmcd35 you beat me.

[leco]

Ah that makes sense, thanks. Would that also mean there would be more resources for the virtualised machines? I'm thinking disc space, memory etc.

[PEO]

Ah that makes sense, thanks. Would that also mean there would be more resources for the virtualised machines? I'm thinking disc space, memory etc.

going by the discriptions, I would say so