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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
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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
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 6

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
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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
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 8

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
9 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 10

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.
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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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 12

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.
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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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 14

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 20

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 26

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.
27 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 28

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.
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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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 30

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.
31 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 32

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.
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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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 34

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.
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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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 36

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.
37 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 38

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.
39 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 40

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.
41 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 42

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.
43 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 44

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.
45 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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 100 Success Secrets | 46

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.
47 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 48

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.
49 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 50

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.
51 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 52

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.
53 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 54

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.
55 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 56

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.
57 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 58

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.
59 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 60

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.
61 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 62

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.
63 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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?
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 64

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.
65 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 66

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.
67 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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 100 Success Secrets | 68

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.
69 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 70

CentOS supports architectures such as i386 (Intel x86


architecture 32-bit). x86-64 (AMD's AMD64 and Intel's EM64T, 64-
bit), 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.
71 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 72

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.
73 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 74

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.
75 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
77 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
79 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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:
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 80

• 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.
81 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 82

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.
83 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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 web-
based support for the first 30 days after shipment.
85 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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 :
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• 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.
87 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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, computer-
based 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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 88

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.


89 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 90

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.
91 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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 non-
Linux 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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 92

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.
93 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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-by-


step 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.
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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.
95 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
97 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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:
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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.
99 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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 100 Success Secrets | 100

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 page
(http://www.VMware.com/support/serial_number.html) 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.
101 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 102

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.
103 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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 set-
up. 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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 104

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.
105 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 106

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.
107 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 108

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 any-
any- 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.
109 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

W H E R E T O F I N D T H E V M WA R E A N Y-
A 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 any-
any 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.
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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.
111 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
113 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
115 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
117 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
119 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
123 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
125 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
127 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
131 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
135 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
137 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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, plug-
in 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.
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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.
139 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
141 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 142

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.
143 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
145 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
147 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
151 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
153 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
155 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 solely on a virtual architecture. The VMware
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 technology. The applications bundle will allow
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
171 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
185 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
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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.
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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.
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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 CD-


ROM 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.
189 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 190

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.
191 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 192

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.
193 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 194

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.
195 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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 100 Success Secrets | 196

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.
197 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 198

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.
199 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 200

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.
201 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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 100 Success Secrets | 202

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.
203 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 204

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.
205 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 206

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 non-
Microsoft 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.
207 | VMware 100 Success Secrets

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.
VMware 100 Success Secrets | 208

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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