This is a guide on desktop virtualization with VMWare.

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Understanding the Role of Virtualization

Virtualization is a foundational technology in modern computing that allows a single physical computer to run multiple virtual machines at the same time. In essence, it enables physical computers to host numerous independent operating systems and their applications simultaneously, as if each were running on its own separate physical machine. This stands in contrast to older approaches such as dual-boot or multi-boot configurations, which were common in previous years. With dual-boot or multi-boot, a user could install more than one operating system on a single physical computer, but only one of those operating systems could be booted and used at any given time. It was not possible to run two operating systems simultaneously. Virtualization removes that limitation entirely. With virtualization, multiple operating systems and all of their applications can run on a single machine at the same time, each functioning as though it were running on separate hardware. In a typical virtualized setup, a single physical computer sits at the bottom of the stack, and several virtual machines run above it. Each virtual machine is an independent operating system with its own configuration settings and applications, all sharing the same physical system concurrently. This makes virtualization a far more capable and flexible option than the older dual-boot or multi-boot approach.

To make this possible, virtualization software provides a layer between the physical hardware and two or more operating systems on a computer. This layer is known as a hypervisor, and it dynamically assigns the resources and hardware capacity of the computer to multiple virtual machines, each with its own operating system. From the perspective of each virtual machine, it is generally not aware that it is a virtual machine. Each virtual machine behaves as if it has full access to the hardware, just as it would on a regular physical computer. Each virtual machine acts as a separate system and has its own access to the CPU, RAM, hard disk capacity, network controller, and every other aspect of the hardware. In other words, each virtual machine has separate access to the underlying physical resources, even though those resources are being shared.

Several factors are driving interest in virtualization. One is the low infrastructure utilization that exists when virtualization is not used. Without virtual machines, adding another computer requires purchasing all of the hardware for that computer, and modern hardware is far more capable than it used to be. Installing a single operating system on a single physical computer does not make very good use of the available resources, which results in low utilization. Another factor is the increased cost of physical infrastructure. Without virtualization, organizations must purchase many different physical systems, which naturally increases costs. A related factor is the increased cost of management and maintenance. The more physical systems an organization has, the more maintenance and management effort is required. A further factor is the need for greater disaster protection. With virtual machines, everything is software-based. There is still only one physical system, and the multiple virtual machines on that physical system are all software-based. As a result, the state of a virtual machine can be saved at various points in time and reverted back to very easily, in the same way one might save or discard changes to a document. This makes it very easy to implement disaster protection and simply revert back to a previous configuration to eliminate corruption or similar problems.

Virtualization software can also be used to link many physical computers, each hosting multiple virtual machines. This can be done on any physical system by adding the virtualization software and starting to create virtual machines on all of the physical systems. For example, an organization might have ten physical computers, each hosting five virtual machines. That would result in fifty virtual machines plus the original ten physical machines. When these are connected together, they begin to create what is known as a cloud. This allows the collective resources of all of the hardware to be coordinated. The resources can be pooled and then allocated dynamically based on where they are needed. For instance, one physical computer with its five virtual machines might have a very heavy workload and be at its limits in terms of processing capability. Another physical computer with its virtual machines might have a very low workload. In that case, resources can be dynamically reallocated so that some of the virtual machines on the busy system can be relocated to the system that is not very busy. This makes much better use of the available resources and creates a full virtual infrastructure for applications and operating systems. The virtualization software can dynamically determine where a particular virtual machine or application needs to be running for best performance and handle the placement accordingly.

The advantages of using virtualization include eliminating the need to assign servers or storage space and enabling coordinated management of applications. Rather than dedicating a particular physical system to a particular workload and its associated storage, virtualization creates a very dynamic environment. It also makes it unnecessary to assign permanent fixed bandwidth for use by particular applications. Just as with other resources, if less bandwidth is available in one place and more in another, the application can dynamically take advantage of the greater bandwidth. Virtualization optimizes the use of hardware resources, which are shared among virtual machines based on priorities assigned to various processes. Using virtualization software in a cloud configuration offers better disaster protection and improves scalability. In terms of scalability, more and more virtual machines can be added whenever needed. As long as the physical hardware can support the resource and workload requirements, new virtual machines can be configured at any time, creating a very scalable environment.

Using VMware Virtualization

VMware is recognized as a leader in virtualization technology, and there are several benefits that go along with choosing VMware as the virtualization technology. VMware has been around for a long time and was one of the first virtualization products that was generally available. With respect to resource efficiency, VMware enables the use of multiple virtual machines on a single physical computer, which is the essence of virtualization. Resources such as processing capacity, memory, and storage are dynamically assigned to the virtual machines, and each can run a different application and operating system. A complete mix of operating systems can be supported, including Windows, Linux, Solaris, and even Mac OS X. In terms of cost and energy consumption, VMware can reduce energy costs by up to eighty percent without compromising system reliability or service levels by running many virtual machines per physical server. For example, running ten virtual machines from a single system eliminates the power consumption of nine of the machines. The physical host still requires power, but all of the virtual machines on that physical system utilize the same power, greatly reducing consumption.

VMware supports a feature known as Distributed Power Management, or DPM. DPM monitors the utilization of hardware and powers down any unneeded physical servers, which increases energy efficiency even further. If an organization has ten physical servers running virtual machines and DPM determines that the workload can be handled with fewer physical machines, it will power some of them down, saving even more in energy costs. When traditional PCs are eliminated, power consumption can also be significantly reduced. This is not just about powering down virtual machines. It is about moving virtual machines onto fewer physical hosts so that the workload can still be handled while physical machines are powered down. Integrating thin clients with servers in a data center also helps to reduce power consumption. The idea behind a thin client is that end users use remote access software on their systems to access applications. The applications run from servers in the data center, and all that is needed on the client system is something to remotely connect to those servers. Thin clients can run on very low-end devices. Tablets, for example, consume much less power than a full-blown desktop system, yet they can still access the exact same application.

In terms of desktop manageability and security, VMware improves operational flexibility by making it easy to reconfigure systems and reassign resources whenever necessary. Any given virtual machine or the application running on it can be placed anywhere on any physical system, which makes the environment very flexible. When a server fails or the resource needs of an application change in a VMware cloud configuration, the collective resources of the servers in the cloud are simply reassigned, which makes the environment very resilient. A physical server failure can still occur, but whatever was running on that server can be migrated to another server with much less disruption of service. In a traditional system with one application per physical server, such as a database application, a messaging application, or a web site, replacing that server after a failure would involve much more effort, time, and cost. VMware allows images of virtual machines to be saved and used to restore or replicate system configurations very quickly and easily. A virtual machine can be replicated and placed anywhere else, which means downtime is much less in the case of failure. A saved virtual machine can also be set up quickly on another hardware configuration, such as in a different office. In the past, relocating a server required physically moving it to the other office. Now, the virtual machine can simply be saved like a document, sent by whatever means to the new location, and started up on a new system.

Operational flexibility improves desktop manageability and security. It allows integration of branches and offices by providing local and remote users with access to the same virtual machines, regardless of where they are physically located. As long as there is connectivity, the virtual machines can be accessed. Users outside the company firewall can still access the same virtual machines without exposing data. Virtualization allows migration of operating systems and other software much more easily. It allows for maintenance and distribution of software licenses using various discovery and audit tools, making it easier to distribute applications. It also allows monitoring of virtual machines and their applications in terms of performance, as well as metering, which is tracking who is using which application and when. This provides a great deal of usage statistics from virtualization.

VMware allows a data center to be set up so that desktops can access data and applications. A type of private cloud can be configured in which remote users or branch offices all access the same information from a centralized data center. VMware also allows user access to various resources to be configured. The system remains entirely aware of who a user is, so various profiles can be set up to allocate particular users to particular resources. Images of prepared virtual machines can be uploaded to make the process of migrating operating systems and software much easier. Any given virtual machine can be saved in a particular state, uploaded to any physical system anywhere, and used to migrate all of the information that was on that virtual machine. Finally, in terms of business continuity, VMware improves continuity by virtualizing business-critical applications. As many virtual machines as are necessary can be run to support an application, rather than having to add physical systems. Better data protection is enabled because the state of virtual machines can be saved at various points in time and replicated easily, resulting in multiple copies. Availability is improved because more virtual machines can be created much more easily. If any given system fails, others can be ready to resume the services. Virtualization also enables overall faster and easier disaster recovery, so if physical systems are lost, services can be restored to users very quickly as long as backups or other copies of the virtual machines exist anywhere else.

Virtualization Considerations

There are several considerations with respect to moving to a virtualized environment. Before deciding to do so, it is important to evaluate considerations such as application support, functionality, and the investment required, because VMware must be purchased and licensed as a product. An IT manager may determine that implementing virtualization will reduce cost and make it unnecessary to purchase new physical servers to run a new application. However, other managers who might also be involved should still ask questions before deciding if virtualization is an appropriate solution. These questions include whether full support for the application running in the virtual environment will be provided by the supplying company. In other words, if problems arise, who is called, and who will offer support for that application? Is it the vendor of the software itself, or is it VMware? It is important to know who will be providing support.

Another question is whether new and existing applications will function well in the virtual environment. Most applications today are fully aware of virtualization and usually do not pose any issue, but it is possible that some older applications may not function well in a virtualized environment. This sometimes comes down to the documentation of the product or the vendor support. It is important to find out if there are any issues with running a particular application in a virtualized environment. Another question is whether the organization's managers are willing to invest in virtualization. This is not a free solution. VMware itself must be purchased and licensed, but that cost must be weighed against the reduction in cost that could result from eliminating physical computers.

As far as support is concerned, it is important to consider whether the IT administrator will support the move to a virtualized environment. In most cases, IT administrators are likely to support virtualization because it involves much less administration of physical machines, much less hardware to deal with, and much less movement of physical computers. Another question is whether the flexibility associated with virtualization is something that is required by the organization. Is that flexibility really necessary? Finally, it is important to consider whether all factors should be considered together when determining whether to move to virtualization. One aspect of virtualization might be very beneficial, while another might not be quite so beneficial. It is worth considering them all together, or determining whether some individual factors warrant the move to virtualization. A little bit of homework and a review of available documentation can help determine whether the move is worthwhile before proceeding.

Implementing Virtualization

There are several key questions to ask to determine whether virtualization will benefit an organization. One question is whether there are clear financial benefits. It is important to identify which parts of the organization's infrastructure could potentially benefit from virtualization. Along with that, it is helpful to establish the current costs of operating and maintaining these areas, including both hard costs and associated soft costs. A hard cost, for example, might be the physical hardware itself, while soft costs include maintenance of those systems, administrative requirements, personnel, and similar items. Then the cost of implementing a proposed virtualization project should be estimated. This includes the cost of deploying and maintaining the new systems, new hardware if necessary, and the software. The current and projected costs can then be compared to determine what is being spent now, what will be spent later, and at what point it will make sense to implement virtualization. In other words, at what point will it pay for itself?

Another question is whether software providers can support their products. Some software providers may not provide support if their product is run in a virtualized environment. In some cases, the vendor must be contacted to determine whether support will continue. It is important to ensure that all business-critical applications will be adequately supported before implementing virtualization. This is particularly important. If a mission-critical application suddenly cannot be supported, the organization could face significant issues. Another question is whether the applications lend themselves to virtualization. Some applications are more suited to a virtualization environment than others. An application may perform poorly in a virtual machine if it has a high processing or input/output load, if it requires specific hardware, if it is very graphic-intensive, if it has known performance issues, or if it is designed to run on a multi-machine configuration. It comes down to the application itself, and some applications are simply not as suited to virtualization as others. A little bit of homework is required to determine whether a particular application will be a good candidate for virtualization.

Another question is whether the organization is willing to invest in virtualization. Virtualization requires an initial investment, so it is important to ensure that the organization is willing to make that investment. Some of the initial costs involved with virtualization include the cost of VMware itself, the cost of any associated training, and the cost of possibly hiring new administrators or virtualization experts. Existing personnel may not be adequate in terms of implementing a virtualized environment. Another question is whether coworkers are willing to learn the new skills that might be required. Administrators must be willing to learn the skills associated with managing a virtualized environment. One possible approach is to identify the people who are interested in the shift to virtualization and get them involved early in the process so that they can help ease the transition.

Finally, it is important to consider whether flexibility is important to the organization. Virtualization offers many benefits in terms of organizational flexibility. With virtualization, it is easier to reconfigure systems and alter resource allocations based on changing needs and fluctuating workloads. However, if the environment does not really change, and if it has a very static workload, then virtualization and its flexibility may not matter very much. Virtualization does not provide much value if the IT setup is very stable, if it meets current needs, or if it is unlikely to change or grow. It is important to determine whether it makes sense to move to virtualization. If everything in place is meeting the organization's needs, then the move may be made for no clear reason. Going through these checklists can help determine whether the move will be beneficial.

Desktop and App Virtualization

In many organizations, virtualization is more common at the server level, but VMware also offers desktop virtualization products. These allow organizations to separate desktop management from the limitations posed by the underlying hardware devices. The collection of products can help increase flexibility, increase security, increase mobility, and significantly decrease administrative costs. VMware desktop products allow organizations to provide each user with access to all needed applications from a single personalized desktop without having to worry about the underlying hardware device. It does not matter whether the device is a desktop computer or a mobile device such as a tablet. The organization can manage and secure desktops centrally and support a mobile and geographically dispersed set of users, which is increasingly common.

The products themselves are categorized into three main groups: consumer, technical, and enterprise. Organizations may have varying degrees of these types of users. Consumer technology is designed to meet the virtualization needs of end users. It enables a user to run multiple platforms from a single physical computer, which is a limitation that cannot be overcome without virtualization technology. Examples include VMware Fusion and VMware Player. VMware technical desktop technology addresses the virtualization needs of application developers and testers. It enables the consolidation of numerous development and test workstations on one physical system and reduces development and support times and costs. An example is VMware Workstation 6. The overall idea is that a developer needs to develop an application to be supported by multiple operating systems in multiple different configurations. Rather than testing the application on each physical machine, the developer can run them all on a single physical machine using virtualized configurations. Only a single system is needed to run all of those different configurations and operating systems.

Enterprise desktop technology enables efficient management of desktops throughout an enterprise. It allows enterprise administrators to support the needs of a dispersed workforce, strengthens protection and control over company resources and sensitive information, and allows administrators to configure virtual machines as they want them and distribute those to users. Administrators can ensure that users are not able to do anything outside the confines of those configurations. They can control which applications and data users have access to, as well as the configuration of the virtual machine itself, so that users cannot install unwanted software or make similar changes. Examples include VMware View, VMware ThinApp, and VMware ACE, which stands for Assured Computing Environment. It should be mentioned that at the time of this recording, ACE has been discontinued. It may still be seen from previous implementations, but new versions of ACE cannot be purchased, and support for the product has been dropped. While it will still function, VMware no longer offers updates or technical support for that product. Other products are likely better choices at this point in time.

Products

The key roles of VMware desktop products can be examined individually. VMware Fusion enables users to run other operating systems, their applications, and devices on any Intel-based Mac computer, including using it to run Windows applications and Windows itself on a Mac. This is very useful in a heterogeneous environment, particularly for a remote user who works from home. Such a user might already have a Mac that is incompatible with some applications. With VMware Fusion, the user can still use the Mac and run Windows-based applications. VMware Player is a free application that anyone can download and install on Windows or Linux PCs. It enables users to run virtual machines that were created on just about anything, including VMware Workstation, Fusion, Server, ESX, Microsoft Virtual Server, and Microsoft Virtual PC. Even Microsoft virtual computers can be run on VMware Player. The idea behind Player is that it allows users to run and test virtual appliances, which are preconfigured applications bundled with an operating system, ready to be used in a virtual environment. No installation or configuration is required, but the application and operating system must be packaged together so that they can be run on the Player. One thing that cannot be done with the Player is to make configuration changes to the virtual machine or the virtual clients. It is essentially a read-only type of environment. Someone must supply the virtual clients or the virtual machine. The user can run it but cannot make configuration changes.

VMware Workstation is a desktop virtualization product, much like the server-based ones, but it is meant to be run on a desktop system. It enables users to create and configure virtual machines in order to run multiple operating systems on one computer. It is the same idea as having a physical server with multiple virtual machines on it, but fine-tuned for a desktop environment. It provides advanced development testing features and an isolated environment for developers to test their applications. As many virtual machines as can be supported on the physical computer can be run. What separates Workstation from something like Player is that the configuration of the virtual machine can be accessed. If more memory needs to be allocated to a particular virtual machine, that can be done. It is not just a read-only environment like Player.

VMware View enables IT departments to deliver virtual desktop environments to a range of devices from the central data center. It gives users a single customized view of their applications and data. This is something that is centrally managed and configured by administration. VMware View allows access to an application on a wider range of devices. This might be seen in implementations with a wide variety of desktop systems where a single centralized view of an application is desired for users. It does not matter what device they are using to gain access. VMware ThinApp provides completely agentless virtualization of applications. An agent is something typically installed on a desktop computer that maintains connectivity and communication with a server-based implementation of an application. ThinApp removes that agent and packages everything together. It simplifies what is called packaging and deployment of applications. It enables the application to run directly from its packaged state independently, without any interaction from the client operating system. It does not matter what the client is. The application will still run because everything necessary to support the application is packaged within it. This provides the ability to package an application and deploy it many times to many different types of systems, making it very flexible.

VMware ACE, or Assured Computing Environment, enables organizations to harness the power and flexibility of virtual machines while managing and securing distributed PCs, such as in remote or branch offices. It can distribute from a single point to those branch offices and create a standardized, hardware-independent desktop environment to be deployed to all PCs. It allows centralized, policy-based management through what is known as Virtual Rights Management. This allows restrictions and controls on what users are able to do and how they can access applications through the configuration of the virtual machines. However, ACE is no longer available for new purchases. It may still be encountered from previous purchases, but it was discontinued by VMware and is no longer supported. As long as it is implemented and continues to run, it can continue to be used, but no support, upgrades, or maintenance are available from VMware.

App Virtualization

The functions and features of each product can be examined in more detail. VMware Fusion provides seamless integration for users with a single window management system, which means all virtual machines can run within a single window if desired. It includes a Mac-friendly interface that provides access to applications on the host, which is the physical system, and the guest, which is the virtual machine. It provides access to applications on both from a single interface. It supports graphic-intensive applications, which are common on Macs, as well as application and data sharing, keyboard mapping, and driverless printing. It provides a range of options for power users, including multiple CPUs to power the virtual machines, multiple displays, and command line control. It also allows multiple snapshots to be taken and managed, providing point-in-time backups so that if an unwanted change occurs, the system can be reverted to an earlier point in time.

VMware Player provides the ability to run a range of 32-bit and 64-bit Microsoft Windows and Linux operating systems. It supports running a virtual machine using multiple CPUs, which means multiple processors can be allocated to a particular virtual machine. It supports the use of third-party virtual machines and images, with no effect on the original virtual machine or images. Various other suppliers and vendors can run under VMware Player. It allows effortless sharing of data between a host computer and each virtual machine, so both can access files on the physical hard drive. It provides availability of appliance information when the virtual appliance is started in appliance view. An appliance is an application and its operating system packaged together, so information included within the app can be seen. It also provides simple access to multiple virtual machines on one computer through a home page interface, so several can still be running. One key thing that cannot be done with Player is to change the configuration of any given virtual machine. It is in a read-only state with Player.

VMware Workstation can run on a host with a Windows or Linux operating system. It supports most 32-bit and 64-bit desktop and server editions of Windows, Linux, Solaris, Netware, and FreeBSD as guest operating systems, so virtual machines can run pretty much any of those. A virtual machine has a fully configurable hardware component interface to comply with whatever the environment requires. This is the difference between Workstation and something like Player. With Player, the configuration cannot be accessed. With Workstation, it absolutely can. Virtual machines can be configured however needed. Adjustable memory allocation, number and size of disks, and support for various I/O devices can all be configured with Workstation. It supports CDs, DVDs, floppy disks, and USB 3 devices. If those are present within the physical host system, the virtual machines are able to access them. It is easy to switch between virtual machines and suspend or resume any given virtual machine. Several can be running at the same time and switched between, which is very convenient for developers testing applications under multiple platforms. It also includes advanced security and mobility features.

VMware View helps reduce the cost of management, administration, and resources of client desktops. It provides security by shifting valuable or sensitive data storage to the data center. Rather than having an application and its associated data on client desktop systems, they are moved to a centralized and probably more secure data center environment. It provides powerful network security using Secure Sockets Layer to implement encryption. It provides full support for RSA SecureID or any kind of two-factor or multifactor authentication for better access control. It delivers high availability, which eliminates a single point of failure, and includes advanced clustering capabilities at both physical and virtual layers. This means multiple physical servers and multiple virtual machines can support any given application, which increases availability. It also has enterprise-class scalability, meaning as many implementations as needed can be used. There is essentially no real limitation on the number of implementations.

VMware ThinApp is capable of deploying a wide range of applications, from office products to complex applications. These can be used on both managed and unmanaged PCs. An organization might tightly control a section of users, while independent contractors or similar users might not be controlled at all. ThinApp can be implemented on either type of system. It enables a high degree of user mobility. It does not require any kind of distribution streaming, activation servers, or agents. It can run important applications from a USB key with a portable user profile if necessary. No additional integrations with third-party application management are required. It is able to update applications for mobile users and third parties on a company extranet without any security risks because the application is packaged with everything required. Updating it is as simple as making the update to the central copy and redeploying it to users, so there are fewer complications and fewer risks.

VMware ACE provides a secure environment with authentication and virtual disk encryption. PCs can be locked down by granting or denying access to a host PC and the associated device. It can protect sensitive and proprietary information with rules-based network access or flexible endpoint lockdown. It offers virtual machine encryption and kiosk mode, in which users are not able to access anything other than the application itself. It provides built-in key logger resistance to protect users from identity theft and provides easy secure access for third parties to PCs. ACE packages are simple to back up and restore. Those packages are created and deployed using VMware Workstation 6 or later, which simplifies Windows and Linux guest operating system installation. However, ACE has been discontinued. If it is still in use, that is fine, but no additional purchases can be made as of the time of this recording.

Managing Conversions

When making a move toward virtualization, an organization may already have a number of physical servers or possibly other virtual machines in place that it would like to replicate. VMware vCenter Converter allows physical machines to be converted into virtual machines. It also converts between different types of VMware virtual machines and converts third-party images of virtual machines so that they can run in a VMware environment. An organization may have a collection of physical servers, other types of VMware VMs, or third-party virtual machines. vCenter Converter allows all of them to be converted into the same type of VMware virtual machine so that everything is consistent. This provides the ability to convert numerous systems into virtual machines concurrently, saving a lot of time and supporting large-scale virtualization implementations.

vCenter Converter offers hot cloning, which eliminates downtime or disruptions. A functioning physical machine can be cloned without taking it down. It provides fast cloning through sector-based copying of the hard drive. It provides reliability through the use of snapshots, which are point-in-time backups of the operating system and the data on the source machine. If something goes wrong, the system can be reverted to an earlier point in time and whatever went wrong can be discarded. The benefits of VMware vCenter Converter include simplifying the management of the conversion process through centralized management consoles, wizards that guide users through the conversion process, and support for both local and remote conversion. The systems do not even have to be in the same physical location. As long as there is network connectivity to those systems, they can be converted regardless of where they are.

vCenter Converter offers interoperability with a wide range of third-party images. Microsoft images, for example, can be converted into a source image. Various source operating systems can be used, and source physical machines such as Windows 2008, Linux operating systems, SUSE, and Ubuntu systems can be converted. It supports source and destination virtual machines on both source and destination machines. It can support VMware Workstation, VMware Fusion, GSX Server, ESX Server, ESXi, and VMware Player virtual machines. All of these are supported on both the source and destination virtual machines. There are many benefits to being able to convert these various types of systems into a consistent virtualized VMware environment.

Identifying Features of VMware vCenter Converter

Depending on organizational needs, VMware vCenter Converter is available in two different versions. The first is the standalone version, which is a free product with all of the core conversion features available. The second is the integrated version, which includes all of the same features as the core version but also includes advanced automation features for larger-scale conversions. The standalone converter offers hot cloning of running Windows and Linux operating systems. It includes automatic synchronization of source and destination machines during the hot cloning process, because cloning a complete system can take some time. Synchronization ensures that any changes applied to the original host machine are also applied to the eventual guest machine. It supports both local conversions, which are ideal for backing up data, and remote conversions. It uses snapshots before conversion occurs to ensure reliability. If a conversion fails, the system can always be reverted to an earlier point in time. It also supports conversion of a wide range of third-party virtual machine images into a VMware-compatible format. An organization might already have virtual machines in another vendor's format, and those can be converted into VMware.

The integrated converter includes all of the same features as the standalone version, as well as integration with VMware vCenter Server, which allows all VMware-based applications to be pulled together and managed as a central unit. It supports scheduling the conversion, so if a conversion should wait until downtime, it can be scheduled for that time. It includes a command line interface and support for cold cloning using a BootCD. Rather than performing a hot clone while a system is up and running, the system can be taken down and then booted using a BootCD to invoke the cloning process. However, the integrated version does not support conversion of Linux operating systems into a virtual machine. As with anything, it is important to determine what the needs are and then find out which version will best suit those needs. The standalone version is free, so if it can accommodate the needs, that is beneficial. If advanced features are needed, the integrated version may be the better choice.

Key Takeaways

• Virtualization allows one physical computer to run multiple virtual machines simultaneously, each with its own operating system and applications, unlike dual-boot or multi-boot configurations that can only run one operating system at a time.

• A hypervisor is the virtualization software layer that sits between the physical hardware and the virtual machines, dynamically assigning CPU, RAM, storage, and network resources to each virtual machine as if it were a separate physical computer.

• Key drivers of virtualization adoption include low infrastructure utilization without virtualization, increased physical infrastructure costs, higher management and maintenance costs, and the need for greater disaster protection through software-based snapshots and easy reversion.

• VMware is a leading virtualization technology that offers resource efficiency, reduced energy costs through Distributed Power Management, improved desktop manageability and security, and better business continuity and disaster recovery.

• Before implementing virtualization, organizations should evaluate financial benefits, application support and compatibility, vendor support policies, willingness to invest in licensing and training, and whether flexibility is truly needed.

• VMware desktop products are categorized into consumer, technical, and enterprise groups, including Fusion, Player, Workstation, View, ThinApp, and ACE, each serving different user needs such as running multiple platforms, development testing, centralized desktop management, and application packaging.

• VMware vCenter Converter enables conversion of physical machines, VMware virtual machines, and third-party virtual machine images into a consistent VMware environment, with standalone and integrated versions offering different levels of automation and operating system support.