Topic: VMware Server 2 reviews

[Normando]

What you think about?

I think it is good for SME, but not for windows workstations.

I have downgraded to 1.x

[Boris]

My first impression was the same, but after taking a closer look at VMWare server v2 and getting more familiar with its new features (too many to list here), I am upgrading all of my v1 servers to v2 and don't look back.
All of my VMWare servers running on SME server hosts  and mostly running windows servers and workstations as a guest OS.

[marsa_matruh]

I'm using it hosted by WinXP Home. I'm hosting SME test servers and one Ubuntu. At the beginning, I was disturbed by the web interface. I had an issue couple of days ago as I was not able to connect to the admin interface for several days. Now, it's solved without actions from myself. Also to mention that the clock drift problem is gone but I changed the PC at the same time I switched to V2.

[Boris]

Web interface is OK for the initial configuration of VM, but downloading console plug-in and creating shortcut to use it directly, makes a huge difference. Its light and fast interface that is similar to VMware player.

[gzartman]

VMware server is not the best Virtualization implementation for SME Server.  Xen is a much better solution as it provides much better hardware utilization.  For OSs optimized for Xen (i.e., modified to run as a paravirtualized Virtual Machine), you can expect near bare metal performance.   

VMware Server is VERY hardware intensive.  While the UI is more polished than Xen, you are going to give up a great deal in hardware utilization.

[crazybob]

Does anyone have a "How to" for installing xen?

Thanks

Bob

[christian]

yes a How-to would be nice.

I'm thinking to move to Xen so Guest OS can access the PCI bus. Does anyone know if a Xen install on top of SME will allow this or does Xen have to go on bare metal (such as VMWare ESX) for a guest OS to have PCI access?

[Boris]

VMware server is not the best Virtualization implementation for SME Server.

Greg,
I would disagree with you on this one. While Zen may provide better hardware utilization, look at the intended audience of SME users. Free VMWare server is much easier to start with and to maintain. With current level of underutilized processors power on the majority of servers, few bonus CPU cycles don't make as much difference as easy of use, support and stability.

[gzartman]

. Free VMWare server is much easier to start with and to maintain. With current level of underutilized processors power on the majority of servers, few bonus CPU cycles don't make as much difference as easy of use, support and stability.

Only because you've used VMware Server.  Xen may be more complex to use in an enterprise setup, but it is very close to as user friendly in a desktop/developer setup.  If you want a nice GUI frontend for Xen like is provided with VMware Server, then setup a COS 5 Desktop and install Xen.  There are plenty of GUI utilities for creating and maintaining Xen VMs. 

Xen is a better Virtualization solution on a RHEL/COS OS than VMWare, unless you want to lay the bucks out for one of the enterprise grade VMware solutions.

[cactus]

yes a How-to would be nice.

I'm thinking to move to Xen so Guest OS can access the PCI bus. Does anyone know if a Xen install on top of SME will allow this or does Xen have to go on bare metal (such as VMWare ESX) for a guest OS to have PCI access?

SME Server cannot be run as a Xen host (domU).

[christian]

SME Server cannot be run as a Xen host (domU).

too bad but it also simplifies the How-to question.
Learn about Xen,
install it,
install SME as guest.

[Boris]

If Xen can not be run on SME as a host OS, then discussion about benefits of it is irrelevant for this topic. From the VM solutions available for SME host, free VMWare server is working reliable and easy to install and use. Version 2 is highly recommended as it has better hardware compatibility, supports resizing guest hard drives and many other useful features.

[christian]

Prompted by the discussion in this thread, I just upgraded to VMWare Server 2 running on SME 7.4.

So far I really like it. The upgrade was smooth and the new web access is actually better than I expected. The only thing I'm not crazy about yet is that every time I start a machine, I have to manually open the console.

BTW, has anyone figured out how to get the rpm via a simple wget yet? For VMWare 2 it seems you have to authenticate to get it.

I also note that the web management is built in so the How-to should be modified to make the Web Management installation section required for VMWare 1.

[Boris]

The only thing I'm not crazy about yet is that every time I start a machine, I have to manually open the console.

After initial installation, and installing console plugin, you can make desktop shortcut from web interface and start you VM console directly skipping web interface until you need modify something in the configuration of the VM. " Make desktop shortcut" link appears in the right frame, then VM is selected in the web interface.

[christian]

After initial installation, and installing console plugin, you can make desktop shortcut from web interface and start you VM console directly skipping web interface until you need modify something in the configuration of the VM. " Make desktop shortcut" link appears in the right frame, then VM is selected in the web interface.

Thanks for the tip. It feels a little clumsy but the console actually when running is quite good and useful. Perhaps one day they will make an option to automatically open the console when you do an operation within the Web access management console.

Do you have a tip to maintain single sign on as well? If I'm logged in to the VMWare web access, it would be good if I open a console via the link that I am not prompted for the password again.

[Stefano]

too bad but it also simplifies the How-to question.
Learn about Xen,
install it,
install SME as guest.

you can always use Vmware 3.5 ESXi

Ciao

Stefano

[Boris]

If I'm logged in to the VMWare web access, it would be good if I open a console via the link that I am not prompted for the password again.

You can connect to VM via remote desktop (RDP) if guest OS allows it. Or VNC. Both allows you to save the password.

[christian]

you can always use Vmware 3.5 ESXi

Yes, ESX has a certain appeal being bare metal. The appeal of Xen is the ability to pass specific hardware (say special PCI cards) straight through to the guest OS. To my knowledge, ESX can't do that.

I'm looking around for a simple Xen install solution as well. Then I will have to find a clever way of moving my beast of an SME (almost a tera of disk space) onto it hopefully without having to go buy new hard drives.

For now though, I'm running VMWare 2 on SME.

[william_syd]

Do you have a tip to maintain single sign on as well? If I'm logged in to the VMWare web access, it would be good if I open a console via the link that I am not prompted for the password again.

You can add your username and password to the target link of your shortcut.

VMware forums has the info.