VMware Player là sản phẩm ảo hóa đầu tiên tôi dùng. Cuối 2005, đầu 2006, không nhiều mature/friendly desktop virtualization products. VMware Player 1.0 là tất cả geek non tuổi hy vọng: simple, elegant, bursting possibilities, free. Rudimentary nhưng fun. Fancy stuff như VM creation, 3D acceleration, sci-fi options không tồn tại; phải dùng third-party tools. Chương trình đúng tên: a player. Fast forward 2012, version 4.0.
Hôm nay review proper, seasoned với spice ảo hóa tích lũy years. Xem nó work trên CentOS 6.2 64-bit, qua các feature. VMware Player supposed to be technology demonstrator sway bạn sang VMware Workstation mạnh hơn, đắt hơn, nhưng Player có thể là all you need.
VMware Player tour
Cài đặt rất simple. GUI wizard, quick, hassle-free. Xem thêm installation setup trong guide CentOS pimping thứ 2. Best part: mỗi lần start, recompile drivers match latest kernel update, hoặc reinstall fresh. Settings preserved.
Easy install
Tạo và chạy OS mới trivial. Một số guest support easy install – unattended setups. Ubuntu supported cách này. Luôn có option manual install.
Removable devices
VMware Player cho connect removable devices vào guest: webcams, printers, network adapters, others.
Unity mode
Không confuse với Unity desktop Ubuntu, nhưng bạn chạy Unity (OS desktop) qua Unity (VMware Player), recursive meme Xibit style – yo dog, we heard you like Unity, so we put Unity in your Unity, so you can desktop while you desktop. Work tốt, nếu thích ở Workstation, free ở đây.
Banshee trên CentOS. Hai desktop interface coexist peacefully, brown border và small brown VMware logo embedded vào application window bar marking guest apps. Cần config VMware Tools để work as wanted. Linux OS support easy install (Ubuntu, Mint) có drivers trong repo, enable qua Additional Drivers (Jockey-GTK).
VMware Tools
Hệ thống khác: auto download mount Tools image, manual install setup nếu muốn extended features: resolution auto-resize, drag & drop copy/paste in/out guest, seamless mouse motion, 3D acceleration.
Features
Tất cả configure per machine hoặc system-wide, high granularity. Ví dụ: custom resolution, số monitor, auto-updated VMware Tools, auto login/logon, more. Thiếu: screenshot feature. Không take image snapshots. Hai thứ này driver chính dẫn tôi dùng VMware Server free năm 2006, nhưng gaps narrowed, tuy vẫn còn. Guess on purpose,否则 no incentive buy Workstation.
Other things
Built-in update function (thường nhắc buy Workstation), rich Appliance Marketplace, convert physical machine to virtual. Nhưng prompt download Converter. All in all, lots of things, some chỉ addons/separate downloads, làm Player thành promotional/awareness product. May mắn extras không take away pleasant, fairly complete virtualization experience.
Kết luận
VMware Player 4 simple, elegant, fast, robust. Rich features/options, including coveted Unity mode và 3D acceleration, ideal cho chạy old/legacy Windows games cũng như smooth modern experience cho latest OS. Thiếu: screenshots và snapshots.
Overall, VMware Player 4 very good product cho average virtualization junkie, decent không perfect experience cho zero money. Strong points: simplicity, high automation, good removable device support. Competition chơi weak spots, nhưng Player designed để shed light trên company's desktop solution workhorse, không head-to-head rivals. Home user shy away intrigues/comparison charts: VMware Player very good choice.
Subtle nuances chỉ apparent sau prolonged use. To my delight, no big issues/nags. VMware Player works hassle free. Version 4 quantum leap ahead early 2006 release. Tough question: bạn really need Workstation khi basic product so good? Indeed, bạn sẽ fret. Time being, definite keeper, download và test.
Last question: VMware Player compare VirtualBox? Aha. Simple answer: personal preference, each with ups/downs. Download, try, enjoy.
Cheers.